It was a long time coming for the Estevan Tarpon Energy Big Dogs.
The junior lacrosse club finally earned its first win of the season on Friday after losing their first five games of the Prairie Gold Lacrosse League season.
The Big Dogs broke the goose egg with a 12-7 victory over the Regina Riot in the provincial capital.
Big Dogs head coach Evan Handley attributed the win to an improved commitment to defence, something he has cited as a weakness all year.
"It was huge. It meant a lot to the kids and obviously me as well. The kids played really, really hard and it was about time we started to play some real good defence," he said.
"I think it all started with our defence. We weren't in our own zone the whole game and that gave us a chance to do more offensively. We weren't in the box the whole game either."
The Big Dogs (1-5) helped their own cause by getting off to a good start, leading 5-2 after the first period.
"We really made sure it was our own end first and went from there. We still didn't have a huge bench by any stretch of the imagination," said Handley, who added that his team gradually wore the Riot down.
Rhett Handley led the club with three goals and three assists, and Dylan Smith added a hat trick and two assists. Tanner Froese had two goals and a helper. Mark Moriarty, Ty Currie, Tison Schoenthal and Kyle Frehlick also scored.
Meanwhile, the Big Dogs lost 13-8 to the Moose Jaw Mustangs on Sunday, with a poor first period putting them in a hole from the start.
Handley described the first 20 minutes as "horrible," with the Big Dogs trailing 8-1 after the first period.
"Everything we did well Friday night went out the window," he said.
But Estevan came back and "outplayed them significantly" in the final two periods, Handley said.
Schoenthal led the Big Dogs with a hat trick, and Handley had two goals and three assists. Ryan Frehlick added a goal and three helpers. Wayde Curzon and Froese also scored.
"That was a tough, rough game, lots of stick work, lots of slashing. It was a dirty lacrosse game," said Handley.
The Big Dogs' bench was a bit short after losing Currie and Brody Slykhuis to injury in Friday's game, and Handley said he felt Estevan could have won the game with a full bench.
Despite the loss to Moose Jaw, Handley said Friday's win gave his club a shot of confidence.
"We went in there thinking we could win, whereas earlier (in the season), we weren't sure."
The Big Dogs' next game comes Saturday as part of the PGLL All-Star Game festivities at Spectra Place. The All-Star Game is at 2 p.m. and the Big Dogs will face the Riot at 8 p.m.
The Big Dogs had six players selected to represent Team South: Smith and Handley, who sit seventh and eighth in league scoring, respectively, as well as Currie, Moriarty, Froese and goaltender Ryan Kenzie.
"I'm glad Estevan is going to get a chance to see how exciting lacrosse can be. There are going to be a lot of goals and the goalies will be making some big saves," said Handley, who will be one of four coaches for the South team.
