Adanacs provide boxla’s first pick

PHILADELPHIA – For the second straight year, a mem­ber of the Coquitlam Adanacs was the first player selected in the National Lacrosse League’s annual draft.

Dave Durante was the first player to go and he went to the Quebec City entry to head a list of 150 players drafted by the six eastern professional teams here Monday. Kevin Parsons — Durante’s team­mate in 1973 — went first in the 1974 draft.

And like Parsons. Durante ended his tenure with the Ad­anacs by capturing triple honors in the Western Lac­rosse Association last season. He won the scoring title with 42 goals and 69 assists in 24 games, was voted the league’s most valuable player and was named to the first all-star team.

The easterners picked up four more westerners in the first-round. Al Lewthwaite of the Mann Cup champion New Westminster Salmonbellies was the second to be selected, going to Boston.

Ken Winzoski, Lewthwaite’s teammate, was the third pick, going to Montreal with Maryland taking Coquitlam goalie Greg Thomas as the fourth choice. Vancouver Burrards’ Doug Hayes was fifth pick and went to Long Island with Derek Forbes, a 6-2 defenceman from Toronto, land­ing with Philadelphia.

The second round saw three more westerners selected. Vancouver Burrards lost goalie Dave Evans to Montreal and forward Brian Davidson to Boston. Brian Tasker, a member of last year’s Rich mond junior Roadrunners, landed with Maryland.

And after the teams had packed their bags for the day, the score showed that Van­couver, New’ Westminster and Coquitlam each had lost six regulars in the draft. Several graduating juniors like Chuck Medhurst. Steve Shipley. Harry Powless and Ron Pin­der also went in the draft.

The next step for those drafted is to attend their re­spective teams training camps in the spring. Since all players involved in the draft arc signed, they must make a place on the team before their contract becomes valid.

In a special bonus pick. Doug Favell. who plays goal for Toronto Maple Leafs hoc­key team, went to Philadel­phia, Rick Dudley, a regular with Buffalo Sabres of the NHL went to Long Island and Michel Blanchard was picked up by Montreal.

Each team was allowed to protect 25 players in the uni­versal draft which included Canadian and United States players not already on the pro­tected list.