The Silvertips have gone where no other Rocky View Jr. B T1 lacrosse team has gone before.

The Bears not only clawed their way to the top of the central division of the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League, but they finished the regular season at the summit of the 15-team league that stretches from Alberta to Manitoba.

Team manager Darren Deitz confirmed this is the first time they've finished on top.

It has been exciting to watch them carefully build this team over the last few years and the precision with which they selected and traded for the players they needed to finish the season 16-3-1, their best record ever.

"It's been quite the process, and COVID made it even more challenging," admits Deitz. "We're definitely excited to see how far we can go, but there are no easy games."

That was true during the regular season as well. They've been able to stage late-game comebacks and score overtime winners to claim top honours.

"It's been a pretty exciting season for our group and especially for our organization," says head coach Tyler Waycott.

He credits their success to the chemistry they've been able to build on the floor and within the entire organization.

"First and foremost, just a really good group of people. We have a very tight dressing room and a very committed group to keep pushing day in, day out, trusting the process, trusting the way we set out our weeks to prepare for our opponents."

He says it all starts at the top with manager Deitz, to assistant coaches Jason Oakey and Josh Moore, right through to the players.

"Ir's a great group of people that translates into great performances."

By winning the central division for the second straight regular season, they've earned a bye into the central division best-of-three final, expected to start next weekend at the SLS Centre.

This weekend, the Red Deer Rampage and Calgary Chill are squaring off in the semifinal series that will wrap up no later than Monday.

Should they win the division,the Tips will be heading to the provincials, but the team isn't about to let it get to their heads. As they have all season, they'll be preparing for one game at a time, one opponent at a time.

Silvertips ticketsSome Silvertips at a recent Cochrane Farmers' Market selling raffle tickets to help support the club. From left, Kolby Berg, Noel Shaback, Stone Dunbar-Korenda, and Owen George.