Ja earn first win at U20 Lacrosse Champs
Published:Sunday | August 17, 2025 | 12:06 AMGregory Bryce - Staff Reporter
JAMAICA EARNED their first win at the 2025 World Lacrosse Men’s U20 Championships following a comfortable 17-7 win over hosts South Korea at Seogwipo in the second game of Pool C action yesterday.
The U20 national team kickstarted their campaign with a keenly contested 14-11 defeat to England but recovered in dominant fashion to get past South Korea in their second game.
Jamaica dominated much of the contest, scoring 17 of their 37 attempts on the day with Elias Shaded-McLaughlin leading the way for the team with six.
Needing a win to keep their championship hopes alive, Jamaica were quick of the mark as they led South Korea, 4-0 in the opening quarter.
They continued their dominant form throughout the half, going into the mid-way break with an 8-2 lead but had to deal with South Korea’s mini fightback in the third quarter but still came away with a 12-5 lead.
Jamaica sealed the win in the final quarter, outscoring their opponents 5-2, for a final score of 17-7.
The result sees them moving to the top of Pool C, above England who have played one game less.
Jamaica will close out their final Pool C fixture against New Zealand who sit bottom of the standings without a win.
A win for the Jamaicans would see them securing a top two position in the group and advance to the play-in rounds set for Wednesday, August 20.
The four winners from the play-in rounds will qualify for the quarterfinals where they will join up with seeded teams United States, Canada, Haudenosaunee, and Australia.
This year’s staging is Jamaica’s second appearance at the U20 Lacrosse Championships having finished ninth overall in their debut campaign in 2022.
Jamaica Lacrosse Association (JLA) president Calbert Hutchinson said the team’s second appearance at the age-group world championships is a sign of the rapid development of the sport in Jamaica.
“This tournament is a testament to the progress we’ve made as a lacrosse nation,” he said.
“Our athletes are gaining invaluable experience against top international competition, and this exposure is critical to our long-term vision of establishing Jamaica as a strong force in the global lacrosse community.”