Valkyries win away from first place finish in conference

Provincial rivals Riot stand in the way of top spot

Veteran Valkyries DT Jaime Lammerding (#21) enjoys playing the Riot.

When Jaime Lammerding first suited up for the Saskatoon Valkyries in the team’s inaugural season in 2011, she never expected to be playing in provincial rivalry games against the Regina Riot 11 years later.

“I don’t know if I ever thought quite that far ahead,” said Lammerding, who is the Valkyries veteran star defensive tackle. “I always knew that I would play for a few years, and eventually I would kind of be done.

“This is going to be it for me. This is going to be the last year.”

If this truly ends up being Lammerding’s last year, the upcoming clash with the Riot has that familiar big game feeling. On Saturday, the Valkyries (2-0) and Riot (1-1) are slated to go at it in a WWCFL regular season clash at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. If the Valkyries pull out a win in that contest, they will lock up a first place finish in the WWCFL’s Prairie Conference.

If the Riot wins, the Valkyries will have a second chance to lock up first place, when they go at it again with the Regina side on Saturday, June 4 at 7 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. That June 4 encounter closes the respective regular season schedule for both sides.

“Playing Regina is always a focal point of our season, because they are our provincial rivals,” said Barry. “They are always well coached.

“We look forward to it. It is always a challenge for us, and they pose some problems for us. We have to make sure we are ready for it.”

Emmarae Dale (#45) anchors the Valkyries defence.

Lammerding along with linebacker Beth (Thomson) Lalonde are the only two players that have taken the field for the Valkyries from the team’s inaugural campaign in 2011 to the present. Even after all these years, Lammerding said the excitement and anticipation of playing the Riot is still there.

Still, there are signs time is marching on. Former Riot star players Claire Dore, Shelby Moran, Adrienne Zuck and Katie Hungle are all assistant coaches with the Regina side now.

Star receiver Alex Kowalski is the longest tenured player on a relatively younger Riot side with nine years of experience with the team. Jessie Noname on the defensive line is the second most tenured player with the Riot with eight years of experience playing with the club.

The Riot are able to lean on a few other standout veterans in defensive back Ashley Clayton, Hailee Raffey on the offensive line and Kyla Krenbrink at receiver.

“It is different now,” said Lammerding. “There are not as many people who started there as there was anymore, but there are still familiar faces.

“I think we all get excited to play each other – that battle of Saskatchewan, that classic play a game between Saskatoon and Regina. Everybody gets excited for it.”

The Valkyries have their share of first and second year players too. With that noted, Saskatoon still has a strong presence of standout veterans.

Sarah Wright is a steady power running back for the Valkyries.

The offence include star starting quarterback Alex Eyolfson, star receiver and backup quarterback Reed Thorstad and power running back Sarah Wright and sure handed pass catchers Haley Girolami, Ricki Obed and Rachelle Smith.

The offensive line is anchored by left tackle Alyssa Funk, right tackle Betsy Mawdsley, left guard Ashley Viklund, right guard Lauren Ferguson and centre Alex Wojcichowsky.

Smith and Viklund were also former members of the Riot.

Defensively, the Valkyries are anchored by star middle linebacker Emmarae Dale and third year defensive end Danaye Holynski to go along with long time contributions of Lammerding and Lalonde.

Barry said the Valkyries are fortunate that Lammerding and Lalonde just keep going.

“Those two athletes, like they are so special,” said Barry. “Talking about ‘Dinger,’ I’m just so proud to be her coach.

“She is such a great leader. She is such a positive person. She is such a great role model for all of our athletes and for everyone in our league.”

If the Valkyries lock up first place in the Prairie Conference, they will have home field advantage through the entire WWCFL playoffs. Saskatoon hosts the WWCFL championship game on June 25 with an expected 1 p.m. start time.

The WWCFL campaigns in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but the Valkyries and Riot did play a three game exhibition series in 2021. The Valkyries won the WWCFL title the last time it was contested in 2019.

Danaye Holynksi makes a tonne of plays at defensive end.

In order to finish first this season, Lammerding said her squad has to focus on the task at hand in playing the Riot and the ups and downs that will come in that contest. She expects the Riot will make their share of big plays in the upcoming encounters.

“Football is one of those games you never know what is going to happen,” said Lammerding. “It could come down to one play.

“It could come down to three or four plays in a game. People can surprise you. Games can surprise you.

“You can never go into anything expecting anything. You just have to play it by ear and do what you can to make sure you are successful at the end.”

Valkyries to honour alums and first head coach Yausie

Jeff Yausie, left, on the Valkyries sideline in May 2016.

The Saskatoon Valkyries will have some familiar faces in the stands for their final regular season home game.

When the Valkyries host the Regina Riot at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, they will be honouring the alumnae of the club as well as the team’s founders and first head coach in Jeff Yausie. Yausie guided the Valkyries as their head coach from the squads inaugural season in 2011 to 2016, which included five WWCFL championship wins in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016.

He remained with the Valkyries for one more campaign in 2017 as defensive coordinator.

“I think it is always great to have our alumnae come out and be able to show them kind of what they’ve built and how far we’ve come from that and that we’re still succeeding,” said star defensive tackle Jaime Lammerding, who has played for the Valkyries since their inaugural campaign. “Jeff (Yausie) of course was here from the very, very beginning.

“I don’t think we would have been anywhere near where we are today, if it wasn’t for him. To kind of be able to showcase what he built I think is great.”

Team Canada loaded with Valkyries and Riot

Alyssa Funk (#56) made Canada’s National Women’s Football Team.

The Saskatoon Valkyries and Regina Riot will have sizable representation on Football Canada’s National Women’s Team.

Football Canada announced its National Women’s Team roster this past Friday. The main roster includes 12 members of the Valkyries along with one player on the reserve list, and the Riot had seven players crack the main roster along with one player on the reserve list.

The Valkyries players that cracked the main roster include Emmarae Dale (MLB), Lauren Ferguson (OL), Alyssa Funk (OL), Haley Girolami (R), Danaye Holynski (DL), Arden Kliewer (DL), Beth Lalonde (LB), Betsy Mawdsley (OL), Ricki Obed (R), Reed Thorstad (QB/R), Ashley Viklund (OL) and Sarah Wright (RB).

Valkyries all-time great running back Sam Matheson, who is nursing an injury, is on the reserve list.

The Riot players that made the main roster include Rebekah Hove (RB), Alex Kowalski (R), Kasey McCombs (RB), Quinn Petrinchuk (DL), Hailee Raffey (OL), Shanelle Rioux (R) and Rae-Lynn Schaffer (LB). Rioux is the Riot’s starting quarterback.

Christina Andrews, who play on the Riot’s defensive line, was named to the reserve list.

Canada’s National Women’s Team will take part in the International Federation of American Football’s Women’s World Championship, which will run July 28 to August 8 in Vantaa, Finland. The United States enters the tournament as defending champions, and teams will be there from Finland, Mexico, Sweden, Australia, Germany and Great Britain.

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