More than $2800 raised for Tessa Beauchamp Foundation

Members of Tessa Beauchamp's family were on hand on Wednesday night as the Langley Thunder auctioned off special jerseys for the Tessa Beauchamp Foundation. The jersey auction alone raised $2415 with another $439.85 collected through the sale of A&W Root Beer Floats and the A&W Frisbee Toss. Garrett James Langley Events Centre photo

It was a loss on the floor but a victory for a good cause on Wednesday night.

The Langley Thunder concluded their 2019 Western Lacrosse Association season with a 9-3 loss to the New Westminster Salmonbellies at Langley Events Centre, leaving the Thunder with an overall record of 4-14.

The Salmonbellies, in the thick of a three-team playoff battle for the two remaining post-season spots, improved to 10-7 with one game left to play.

But while Langley surely would have loved to play spoiler with a victory, the game was a huge success.

As they have done every season since 2013, the Thunder auctioned off specially designed jerseys with proceeds going to the Tessa Beauchamp Foundation.

The Surrey teenager passed away in 2012 at the age of 18 after a long battle with cancer. Her family created the Tessa Beauchamp Foundation and the Foundation distributes scholarships for students as well as assist registered charities in their efforts both locally and internationally.

Tessa was a student at Holy Cross Regional Secondary and dated the son of Thunder President Ken Buchan, who is also a teacher at the school.

And with her family in the stands at Langley Events Centre on Wednesday night, the jerseys – donated by Mike Vanichuk Transport Ltd. -- generated $2415 both in online and in-person bidding. And in addition, A&W Langley was on hand, donating all the proceeds from the Root Beer Floats they sold as well as the money raised in the A&W Frisbee Toss. That total came to $439.85.

Altogether, $2854.85 was raised for the Tessa Beauchamp Foundation.

Game Recap

After Austin Shanks (New Westminster) and Brad McCulley (Langley) traded goals in the opening 2:16, the Salmonbellies scored the only other two goals of the period, with Mitch Jones and Jordan McBride doing the damage for a 3-1 lead the visitors would not relinquish.

The second period belonged to the goaltenders with just three goals scored, two by the Bellies (Jones and Kevin Crowley) sandwiched around a tally from Keegan Bell.

Coady Adamson would get Langley back within a pair with just over 15 minutes to play, but New Westminster scored the final four goals, including one into the empty net.

Crowley (one goal, four assists) and Jones (four goals, one assist) both had five-point games to earn the first and second star, respectively, while Bell (the game’s third star) led Langley with a goal and two helpers).

Steve Fryer finished with 56 saves as Langley was outshot 64-44.