Oshawa's Zach Palmer leading local lacrosse teams

WHITBY -- The Whitby Warriors seem to enjoy feasting on the Mississauga Tomahawks.

So, too, does Zach Palmer.

The Oshawa resident played his second game with the junior A club Tuesday and fired home another five goals and seven points in a 20-3 Whitby victory at Iroquois Park.

Palmer, the leading scorer of the junior B loop with the Clarington Green Gaels, served as a call-up for the Warriors, just as he did in the season opener last week against Mississauga, where he tallied nine points.

The diminutive sniper now has 16 points in two Warriors' games (heading into last night's affair at St. Catharines after our deadline), which was tops on the team.

Palmer says several factors have played into his success in both leagues to date.

"Staying consistent, not getting full of myself and keeping a small head," he says, of the keys to his early-season scoring exploits. "I don't let my head get big.

"The big nets are definitely helping in junior A," he added with a laugh.

While there is no question -- especially considering the numbers -- that Palmer could make an impact with the Warriors on a full-time basis, he made a decision to stick with the Green Gaels at the start of this season, and it seems likely that he'll stay.

"It's such a family atmosphere there. You fit right in with everyone. It's easy to play (there) and fun to play (there)," he says of competing in the junior B loop, where, heading into tonight's game at home against Newmarket, Palmer has racked up an amazing 24-35-59 totals in 10 games for the undefeated Green Gaels.

Warriors head coach Corny Derks admitted he'd love to have Palmer in the fold permanently, but at the same time he's enjoyed watching several members of the Gaels fit in seamlessly while the Warriors await the return key players Mark Matthews, Mitch McMichael and Aaron Sorichetti, among others.

"They are both left shots, filling spots we have holes in and they are very talented offensive players," Derks says of Palmer and Shayne Jackson, who has six points in two games. "Tuesday we had Steve Borden on the back door. You don't even notice him out there. The Gaels are like us, they are lucky they are in a good area. They have an abundance of good quality players.

"It's good for the boys" to get experience at the junior A level," Derks adds.

NOTES: Tuesday, 14 different Warriors had points, including seven from Michael Cudmore ... In addition to Zach Palmer's five and three from Shayne Jackson, Mark Cockerton (3), Reed Board, Adam Derks, Coady Adamson, Aiden Genik, Jacob Donato and Cudmore each scored goals ... Alexis Buque picked up his second win in goal for Whitby, and was named player of the game ... Kyle Goodchild is facing a suspension for receiving a match penalty after a third-period fight in which the referees claimed he fought with tape on his knuckles, though the Warriors contend that only his wrist was taped.