New Westminster Salmonbellies History
New Westminster SalmonbellieS Captains
The first reference to a Salmonbellie captain is in 1908 when Tom Gifford is singled out as performing that role. In the 1920s Leo Gregory may have been captain and in the 1930s-early 1940s, Bill Wilkes had that honour, The ‘C’ and ‘A’ on sweaters seems to have been introduced in the later-1950s. Jack Byford seems to be the first Salmonbellie to have a ‘C’ on his sweater. Here is the list from 1957 to present.
- Jack Byford 1957-1958
- Doug McRoy 1959-1960
- Cliff Sepka 1961-1967
- Paul Parnell 1968-1970
- Mac Tyler 1971-1973
- Wayne Goss 1974-1975
- Steve D'Easum 1976
- John Hannah 1977-1978
- Wayne Goss 1979-1981
- Eric Cowieson 1982-1995
- Geordie Dean 1996-1997
- Craig "Howie" Stevenson 1998-2006
- Nenad Gajic 2007-2013
- Curtis Hodgson 2014 to 2019
New Westminster Salmonbellies - Mann Cup Wins over the Decades
The 10's: 1915-17 | The 20's: 1920-25, 1927 | The 30's: 1937 | The 40's: 1943 | The 50's: 1958 & 1959 |
The 60's: 1962 & 1965 | The 70's: 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976 | The 80's: 1981, 1986, 1989 | The 90's: 1991 |
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New Westminster Salmonbellies - Mann Cup MVPs
Salmonbellie Winners of the Mann Cup Most Valuable Player's Mike Kelly Memorial Trophy (Major/Senior A):
1943 Bill Wilkes
1944 Ike Hildebrand
1958 Norm McKay
1959 Jack Bionda (New Westminster O'Keefes)
1962 Jack Bionda (New Westminster O'Keefes)
1965 Les Norman
1970 Paul Parnell
1972 Paul Parnell
1974 Ken Winzoski
1976 Dave Durante
1981 Wayne Goss
1986 Geordie Dean
1987 Eric Cowieson (jointly held with Jim Meredith of the Brooklyn Redmen)
1989 Ben Hieltjes
1991 Geordie Dean
WLA League Awards - Salmonbellies
Top Goalies - 21 Salmonbellies
1948 Gord Pogue
1960 Stan Joseph
1961 Les Norman
1962 Les Norman
1965 Les Norman
1971 Joe Comeau
1972 Joe Comeau
1974 Joe Comeau
1976 Joe Comeau
1982 Rod Bannister
1983 Rod Bannister
1989 Doug Zack
1991 Rick Mang
1994 Rick Mang
1998 Matt Disher
1999 Matt Disher
2001 Matt Disher
2007 Matt Disher
2008 Tyler Richards
2011 Tyler Richards
2015 Eric Penney
Rookie of Year - 14 Salmonbellies
1947 Alf Wood
1949 Ian McDonald
1959 Les Norman
1961 Mike Gates
1968 Wayne Goss
1970 Jim Giles
1998 Nick Trudeau
2000 Pat Maddelena
2001 Kerry Susheski
2005 Ian Hawksbee
2006 Jordan Hall
2008 Tyler Richards
2013 Logan Schuss
2015 Eric Penney
Defensive Player of Year - 4 Salmonbellies
2009 Ian Hawksbee
2011 Curtis Manning
2014 Jeff Cornwall
2017 Brett Mydske
2018 Mike Messenger
League MVP - 26 Salmonbellies
1934 Bill Anderson
1942 Bill Wilker
1943 Harry Carter
1946 Bill Dickenson
1948 Ike Hildebrand
1955 Cliff Sepka
1959 Jack Bionda
1961 Les Norman
1962 Cliff Sepka
1963 Cliff Sepka
1965 Paul Parnell
1970 Wayne Goss
1971 Wayne Goss
1975 Wayne Goss
1976 Joe Comeau
1983 Rod Bannister
1984 Geordie Dean
1985 Geordie Dean
1987 Ben Hieltjes
1989 Geordie Dean
1992 Geordie Dean
1993 Andy Ogilvie
1994 Joe Hiltz
1999 Matt Disher19
2001 Matt DIsher
2005 Kerry Susheski
2018 Logan Schuss
Playoff MVP - 21 Salmonbellies
1962 Les Norman
1965 Cliff Sepka
1968 Wayne Goss
1970 Mac Tyler
1971 Ed Goss
1972 Paul Parnell
1974 Joe Comeau
1976 Wayne Goss
1980 Brian Tasker
1981 Rod Bannister
1982 Eric Cowieson
1985 Steve Manning
1986 Shawn Quinlan
1987 Geordie Dean
1989 Andy Ogilvie
1991 Geordie Dean
1994 Rick Mang
1995 Ben Hieltjes
2008 Ilija Gajic
2009 Ilija Gajic
2010 Ilija Gajic
League Champions - 27 times
1933, 1937,1942, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1965, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2018
Playoff Champions - 41 times
1927, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2017
New Westminster Salmonbellies Retired Jerseys
#5 GEORDIE DEAN – Geordie Dean was a classic example of that kind of two-way player, combining outstanding defensive prowess with a powerful presence on offense. During phenomenal senior career, Geordie played in 53 Mann Cup games in nine series, and winning the cup three times. He played in 506 games and accumulated 1,412 points on 569 goals and 843 assists – including 53 hat tricks, 109 power-play goals, and 53 short-handed goals. Geordie was also rated as one of Canada’s top field lacrosse midfielders, joining the Canadian National Team in 1985. He took part in three world championships that were held between 1986 and 1994.
#6 ERIC COWIESON – When Eric Cowieson donned the Bellies’ red and blue uniform, yet another Royal City legend began. His consistency and quiet leadership saw him named team captain in 1982, an honour he held until his own retirement in 1995. Eric hated to miss a game, often playing injured. In the 1994 WLA playoffs, he sustained a punctured lung. Despite an injury that pained with every breath, Eric played all six games for the Mann Cup. Cowieson had a truly magnificent career: 1,045 total points on 385 goals and 660 assists, four Mann Cup championships, and the Mann Cup MVP in 1987.
#7 PAUL PARNELL – One of the greatest players in Canadian box lacrosse, Paul first played Senior ‘A’ in his hometown of Peterborough. He was lured west in 1960 by the Victoria Shamrocks – but the following year New Westminster managed to wrangle him off the Island. A memorable 15-year career with the Salmonbellies followed as Paul led by inspiration and hard-work ethics. When he retired following the 1975 season, Paul laid claim to 23 WLA longevity and scoring records. Parnell won five Mann Cup rings and was a key member of the 1968 NLA pro lacrosse champions.
#12 JACK BIONDA - Bionda was born in Huntsville, Ontario. From the time he was eleven years old he loved lacrosse, practicing for four to five hours per day. Just before his 19th birthday, Bionda led his Brampton Excelsiors to victory over the Kerrisdale Kerries of Vancouver in the 1952 Minto Cup playoffs.In 1954, he joined the Victoria Shamrocks, capturing the league scoring title and leading the Shamrocks to the Mann Cup tournament, won by Peterborough. He played some games in 1955 and returned to the team in 1957, taking his second scoring title. The Shamrocks won the Mann Cup in 1955 and 1957, but Bionda was unable to play in either tournament due to hockey commitments. Bionda then played for the New Westminster Salmonbellies in 1958 and 1959, winning the Mann Cup both years, and receiving the Mike Kelly Memorial Trophy as series MVP in 1959. He joined the Nanaimo Timbermen in 1960, registering his fifth scoring title with 70 goals and 48 assists, while again leading his team to the Mann Cup tournament, won by Port Credit. He made it to the Mann Cup one last time in 1962 with New Westminster, sweeping Brampton in four games to take the championship. After being held scoreless in the first game, Bionda scored eight goals and eight assists in the next three games to lead his team to the Cup. He was again named the series MVP.
#13 WAYNE GOSS – During his 14-year, 465-game career, Wayne Goss accumulated 812 goals and 1,040 assists for 1,852 points - the all-time assist and point records for Senior ‘A’ box lacrosse in Western Canada. At the time of his retirement, Wayne held 41 WLA scoring and faceoff records and shared four others. He was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1986 and the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 1989. According to Stan Shillington, the legendary historian of the game, in his opinion Wayne Goss was the greatest all-round player in box lacrosse history.
#19 CLIFF SEPKA – Sepka ended his playing career after the 1968 season, but with a great deal more glitter. As playing-coach, Cliff led his Salmonbellies to the National Lacrosse Association professional championship with an upset four games to two series win over Detroit. He used himself sparingly throughout the season, managing just 29 points in 21 games; but during playoff wins over Vancouver, Portland and Detroit, Cliff came through with 54 points in 18 games and was named MVP in the New West Detroit finals. Cliff scored his first point (a goal) on May 1, 1954 in a 14-11 loss to Nanaimo and his last point (also a goal) in the final 22-14 victory over Detroit. Altogether, he totaled 746 goals and 581 assists for 1,327 points in 484 games and was, at the time of his retirement, the all-time scoring leader in the Western Canadian Senior Lacrosse league. Cliff was inducted in the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1973.
#10 DAVE DURANTE - Durante was a first round draft pick of the Coquitlam Adanac’s in 1973 and was named rookie of the year. In 1974 he won the Western Lacrosse Association scoring award and the Mainland Trophy for sportsmanship. Durante played professionally with the Quebec Caribous in 1975, scoring 89 goals with 117 assists for 206 points in 48 games and another 14 goals 22 assists 36 points during the playoffs on the way to an NLL Nations Cup victory. Durante rejoined the Adanacs from 1976 to 1979 and was traded to the Salmonbellies in 1980. He played 12 season with the Salmonbellies and was instrumental in the team capturing 5 Mann Cup titles. His first in 1976 as a pick-up player for the Salmonbellies of which he also was named the MVP of the series. As a Bellie, Durante would win four more Mann Cups, in 1982, 86, 89 and 91 . Durante was a WLA all-star in 1974, 76, 82, 83 and 84. He is seventh on the list of all-time Salmonbellies scorers with 893 points in 380 games. In total he played 552 Senior “A” games with Coquitlam and New Westminster, scored 609 goals, and added 900 assists for 1509 points – an average of almost 3 points a game. On his retirement Durante recorded a total of 1,751 points, third all-time in WLA scoring.
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