WWCFL Final makes a great time to reconnect with Valkyries

Jaime Lammerding, left, and Betsy Mawdsley lead the Valkyries to the field.

The last time the Saskatoon Valkyries won the WWCFL title at home was 2014.

With all that has happened in the world, the feels like an eternity ago.

In 2014, Stephen Harper was the prime minister of Canada and Barack Obama was president of the United States of America. Hit songs from that year included “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX, “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift and “All About That Bass” by Meghan Trainor.

The Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Kings claimed the Stanley Cup, the San Antonio Spurs captured the NBA title, the San Francisco Giants got their hands on the World Series and the Calgary Stampeders took home the Grey Cup.

The Valkyries celebrate winning the WWCFL title in 2014.

Beily’s Ultralounge and The Sutherland Bar were jumping night hotspots in the City of Saskatoon. Both of those places no longer exist.

The opportunities to win the WWCFL title at home are rare even for the Saskatoon Valkyries, who have won the league championship six times.

The last time the Valkyries won the WWCFL Championship game at home was on July 5, 2014 in a 53-0 romp over the Lethbridge Steel. That contest was played at Griffiths Stadium on the University of Saskatchewan campus.

That was also the farewell game for Valkyries star quarterback Candace Bloomquist. She was named the game’s MVP completing 21-of-30 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns.

Bloomquist was calling signals for the Valkyries, when they won the WWCFL title the first four times it was contested from 2011 to 2014.

QB Alex Eyolfson and the Valkyries offence has been stellar.

For the 2015 campaign, the Valkyries moved into their new regular home venue in the newly renovated Saskatoon Minor Football Field. On Saturday at 7 p.m., the Valkyries (6-0) host the Manitoba Fearless (5-1) in this year’s WWCFL Championship game at SMF Field.

If you haven’t seen the Valkyries play in some time, Saturday is the perfect time to reconnect with Saskatoon’s elite level women’s football squad that has built a storied history since first hitting the field in 2011.

Since 2014, the Valkyries have won the WWCFL title twice. On June 25, 2016, they romped over the Edmonton Storm 81-6 at University of Lethbridge Community Stadium in Lethbridge, Alta., and on June 29, 2019, the Valkyries downed the host Riot in Regina 25-3 at Mosaic Stadium.

The Valkyries also made it to the WWCFL Championship game on June 24, 2018 falling 14-10 in classic defensive battle to the host Riot in Regina at Mosaic Stadium.

Since 2014, the Valkyries played host to the WWCFL title contest on one occasion leading too this season back on June 10, 2017. The Valkyries didn’t make it to the championship clash that year and a number of players were on hand to watch the Riot hammer the Calgary Rage 53-0 at SMF Field.

Emmarae Dale is one of the Valkyries leaders on defence.

For the longest time, the Valkyries used to draw about 800 to 1,000 spectators to each of their games. With the mainstream media outlets cutting their sports departments in Saskatoon to one or maybe two persons in recent years and the folding of the Saskatoon Metro daily commuter newspaper in late 2014 and the Saskatoon Express weekly in May of 2019, word about how well the Valkyries are doing has been harder to spread.

During the team’s first six seasons of existence from 2011 to 2016, mainstream outlets used to do a number of feature stories on Saskatoon’s women’s football squad that takes the field during the spring season.

The spring season allowed the Valkyries to avoid schedule conflicts with the CJFL and U Sports and the CFL a lot of times. Thanks to the timing of their season, they were able to build interest in their team locally.

This year’s Valkyries squad has been a fun as ever to follow. On the field, they play the game extremely well, and off the field, they are as personable as ever.

They are the perfect bunch for young girls to look up too as role models. The Valkyries players have a great uplifting positive vibe that young girls will come away from interactions with them feeling they can do anything.

Haley Girolami is one of the many Valkyries offensive playmakers.

The offence under the guidance of veteran quarterback Alex Eyolfson, who has been with the team since 2016, might rank with one of the best the Valkyries has ever had. She has numerous playmakers to get the ball out too in running backs Sarah Wright and Drew Lundquist along with receivers Haley Girolami, Reed Thorstad, Ricki Obed and Rachelle Smith.

The Valkyries lost all-time great running back Sam Matheson to a season ending knee injury during their second regular season game in 2022, but she has remained with club lending a hand with coaching her teammates that play her position.

The offensive line is veteran heavy with Lauren Ferguson, Alyssa Funk, Betsy Mawdsley, Ashley Viklund, and Alex Wojcichowsky, and they have played at a super human level all season. Rookie Breanna Allegretto has played well seeing some significant time on the offensive line as an injury replacement, and she has looked like she has played for the Valkyries for a number of years.

On defence, middle linebacker Emmarae Dale might be the unit’s most famous player having played with the historic CJFL powerhouse Saskatoon Hilltops last season. Dale along with third-year linebacker Jamie Wingate kick a bunch of butt on the field and have hearts of gold as persons.

Danaye Holynski brings intensity to the Valkyries defence.

Defensive end Danaye Holynski is arguably the hardest hitter on the Valkyries defence and brings great intensity every game. Second year defensive end Arden Kliewer has taken to the physical aspect of the game too and her sharp focus from playing goal for the University of Regina Cougars Women’s Hockey Team has transferred over to the football field.

The Valkyries have had a number of first and second year players step up and be playmakers as injuries piled up on that side of the ball. Linebacker Sydney Schenn, Grace Farthing on the defensive line and defensive backs Makayla Sader and Jackie Semple-Dyck have ensured the Valkyries defence hasn’t missed a beat.

Saturday’s WWCFL title contest will be the final game for defensive tackle Jaime Lammerding, who has been with the Valkyries since 2011. She has served as president of the WWCFL and has played a huge role in helping women’s football gain traction in Western Canada and move forward.

Defensive back and punter Rienna Rueve returned to the team at first to help with the kicking game with Matheson, who also punts, went down with her knee injury. Besides looking after the punting department, Rueve has returned to her past star form in the defensive secondary.

The Valkyries offensive line has had an outstanding season.

Linebacker Beth Lalonde, who has been with the Valkyries since they started in 2011, hasn’t played this season due to injury but continues to help out the team in any way she can.

The Valkyries again have a stellar coaching staff led by head coach Pat Barry, defensive coordinator Wyatt Carleton and offensive coordinator Caleb Dueck. The Valkyries players constantly make big improvements during practices and film sessions thanks to the outstanding work by the team’s coaches.

Behind the scenes, Valkyries general manager Michelle Duchene ensures all the administration and details off the field are never a worry.

The Valkyries are a group that always makes you feel good.

When adversity comes, you almost know and expect the Valkyries to find a way to persevere. Witnessing those types of storylines play out again brings back memories of their past season and feels right and familiar.

Jaime Lammerding (#21) will play her final game on Saturday.

For residents of Saskatoon, you know that the Valkyries are going to make you feel proud, and the chance to see them win the WWCFL title at home on Saturday is something that is too good to pass up.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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