Each week this summer, the Langley Thunder seem to be re-writing their history.

The newest entry to their already impressive 2011 journal: becoming Western Lacrosse Association champions and Mann Cup national finalists.

The Thunder will be playing for the Mann Cup for the first time in the team’s history after defeating the three-time defending WLA champion New Westminster Salmonbellies four games to two in the best-of-seven playoff final series.

“I’m extremely proud of the guys,” Thunder head coach Rod Jensen said. “I told the players that my goal was to work on good habits, and get a shot at the playoffs, and once you’re in the playoffs, anything can happen, but I had no idea we’d beat Victoria and New Westminster and make the Mann Cup.”

Discipline and defence is what has driven the Thunder, so far, through the playoffs.

“Our goal was to make sure we don’t retaliate and play as clean as possible, because some of those teams have strong powerplays and they would make us pay,” Jensen said. “Lacrosse is an emotional sport, and players can go from very calm to very excited and make mistakes, but we kept our cool throughout the playoffs, so far. We did our thing.”

Led by 2010 WLA Defensive Player of the Year Mike Grimes, the Thunder’s defence stacks up against any team in the league, according to Jensen: “Our defence is very strong. Pretty much every defender plays in the NLL [National Lacrosse League] and we have the talent to take care of some business.”

The Thunder, who were down two games to one at one point of the series, won the three consecutive games to upset the ’Bellies, who topped the seven-team WLA during the regular season with an 11-5-2 record.

Langley finished third at 8-8-2, and then won its first playoff series since moving to the community in 2004, after sweeping the second-place Victoria Shamrocks in four straight games in one of two WLA playoff semifinals.

The victory set up a Langley/New West final, after the ’Bellies downed the Maple Ridge Burrards in their playoff final.

A pair of recent wins by the Thunder completed the upset over the favoured ’Bellies. The Thunder doubled the ’Bellies 8-4 Thursday at New West’s Queen’s Park Arena, and ended the series Saturday with a 7-5 victory in front of another huge crowd at the Langley Events Centre (LEC).

The ’Bellies suffered through injury troubles this season, including missing Alex Gajic for all but one league game due to eye surgery after he was hit in the face with a ball during a minor clinic.

They were also hampered by other lacrosse commitments; Kevin Crowley, the playoffs’ leading scorer, and Jordan Hall, missed Saturday’s game due to the Major Lacrosse League playoffs.

Even with the opposition team somewhat short-manned, the Thunder qualifying for the Mann Cup is a huge accomplishment for a team that finished 1-19 in 2004, its first year in Langley after relocating from the North Shore, and had amassed a 30-96 record during its era in Langley, leading up to the this season.

As WLA champs, the Thunder will face the Ontario titleholder, be it the Peterborough Lakers or the Brampton Excelsiors.

The Mann Cup goes Sept. 7-15 on the Thunder’s home carpet inside the LEC.

Jensen said playing in the Mann Cup is a thrill, but winning it would be even sweeter.

“We really want to go for it,” Jensen said. “It’s a prestigious crown to win the Canadian championships.We’re going to do whatever possible to put best our team, our best effort, and our best performance on the floor.”

The Thunder has an advantage of a nice, long rest, as the Lakers and Excelsiors battle for the Major Series Lacrosse (Ontario) title. Brampton leads the series 3-2 heading into game six tonight (Tuesday).

There’s a heck of a series going on back east between Brampton and Peterborough and they’re not going to be thinking about the Langley Thunder,” Jensen said. “They don’t even know who the Langley Thunder are.”

Thunder 7, Salmonbellies 5

The Thunder led 6-3 after two periods of play before a pair of third-period goals from the ’Bellies’ Ilija Gajic brought the visitors to withing a goal.

An empty-net goal from the Thunder’s Kerry Susheski, with a second remaining on the clock, capped the game’s scoring.

Langley’s tower of power in goal, Brodie MacDonald, stopped 36 of 41 New West shots to earn first star of the game honours.

Alex Turner scored a pair to lead the Thunder’s offence. Also scoring for Langley was Kyle Belton, Nick Bilic, Andrew Potter, Athan Iannucci, and Susheski.

Thunder 8, Salmonbellies 4

On Thursday, the Thunder played arguably their most complete game of the series, leading 2-0 after the first period and carrying a 6-2 advantage into the second intermission before winning by a four-goal spread.

Rob Van Beek and Iannucci each scored a pair for the Thunder, with the other goals coming from Alex Turner, Brett Mydske, Jamie Lincoln, and Bilic.

– Steve Ewen is a reporter with the Vancouver Province