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.

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

-------

If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

Riot rumbles home with final Taylor Field memory

Regina advances to WWCFL title game with 34-24 win

The Riot celebrate a touchdown reception from Alex Kowalski (#84).

    REGINA – Veteran Regina Riot defensive back Courtney Tafelmeyer didn’t want to literally drop the ball.

    On Sunday at old Mosaic Stadium/Taylor Field, the Riot were searching for an insurance blow to lock down victory against the visiting Saskatoon Valkyries in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League Prairie Conference championship game. With under four minutes to play in the fourth quarter, the Riot held a 28-18 edge over the Valkyries, who entered the game as the defending WWCFL champions.

    While Regina had the lead, Saskatoon had the ball at midfield and was driving. On a broken play, Valkyries sophomore quarterback Alex Eyolfson was scrambling to avoid the pressure of the Riot defence and threw a pass to the right sideline right at Tafelmeyer.

Carmen Agar (#23) runs in the first of her two touchdowns on the day.

    Tafelmeyer cradled home the ball alone in the flat and zig zagged down the sideline picking up a number of key blocks returning her interception 62 yards for a major score. Her touchdown put the Riot up 34-18 with 3:41 to play in the frame. That proved to be the final key play that cemented what would ultimately be a 34-24 victory for the Riot.

    “I’ve dropped a couple this past season I knew this one needed to be in the hands,” said Tafelmeyer, who is in her sixth season with the Riot. “I knew catching this and running it in that was the end of the game.”

    After she made her pick, all Tafelmeyer forced on was running downfield as hard as she could.

    “It was just a hard run,” said Tafelmeyer. “I just saw straight. I didn’t know who was behind me.

The Riot defence gang tackles Valkyries RB Samantha Matheson.

  “I knew my team was coming hot to make big blocks. They were going to make sure that ball was getting in that end zone. I turned around and 11 reds were right behind me.

    “It was a sea of red right behind me. It was a great feeling.”

    Tafelmeyer’s key play helped cement a berth in the WWCFL title game for the second time in three years for the Riot and close out the final competitive tackle football game at the legendary stadium.

    The Riot, who are 5-1 overall, will face the Calgary Rage (4-0) on Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field in Saskatoon in the WWCFL final at 8:30 p.m. The Riot won the WWCFL title in 2015.

The Riot defence corrals Valkyries receiver Alyssa Wiebe.

    Riot head coach Olivier Eddie thought it was fitting that his side’s defence made the key play in Sunday’s victory. During their first five games, the Riot posted three shutout wins and gave up a total of 27 points.

    Regina’s offence had stalled a bit gaining 99 net yards offence in the second half of Sunday’s game after piling up 310 yards of offence in the first half.

    “We needed our defence to step up,” said Eddie. “Sometimes, I don’t know who is smiling upon us, but we needed that big play. To score and bring it all the way, I think the defence really deserves it.

    “They’ve played so well all year. For them to get that score at the end, I think it is very well deserving. I am happy it is them that kind of sealed it for us.”

Aimee Kowalski completed 14 passes for 162 yards for the Riot.

    The Valkyries took a 3-0 late in the first quarter on a 13-yard field goal from Carly Dyck.

    The Riot scored a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 14-3 lead at halftime. Power back Carmen Agar muscled her way into the end zone on a three-yard touchdown run, and receiver Alex Kowalski hauled in a 23-yard touchdown pass from her sister and Riot quarterback Aimee Kowalski to account for Regina’s second quarter scoring.

    While the Riot piled up yards offensively, the Valkyries defence recovered a Regina fumble and forced two turnovers on downs to prevent any further first half scoring.

    The hosts pushed their lead out to 21-3 on a one-yard touchdown plunge by running back Mallory Starkey with 8:45 to play in the third quarter. That scoring drive was actually kept alive by getting a first down on a botched field goal attempt.
    On the botched field goal attempt, holder and veteran receiver Claire Dore chucked a desperate pass to kicker Morgan Turner, who gained 20 yards and a first down.

Alex Eyolfson (#15) throws one of her two TD passes for the Valkyries.

    After Starkey’s score, the Valkyries offence came to life. Before the third quarter ended, Eyolfson hit Beth Thomson and Carly Dyck with respective touchdown passes from 10 and 19 yards out to cut the Riot lead to 21-16.

    Agar scored her second major of the game with 10:30 to play in the fourth quarter to push the Riot lead out to 28-16. After being forced to punt deep in their own end a short time later, the Riot elected to concede a safety to hold a 28-18 edge with 6:43 to play in the fourth quarter.

    That set the stage for Tafelmeyer’s pick-six.

    Alex Kowalski was pumped her side could finally put the finishing touches on the win.

    “It feels so good,” said Kowalski, who had 40 yards receiving on two catches and 43 yards rushing on five carries. “The last half seemed so long, but it is a good ending.”

    Now in her fifth year with the Riot, Kowalski was pleased her side would head to another WWCFL title game.

Carly Dyck (#4) hauls in a 19-yard TD reception for the Valkyries.

    “It will be fun in Saskatoon,” said Kowalski. “They have a really nice field. It will be great.”

    The Valkyries still made things interesting in the final minute. They recovered a fumble from Aimee Kowalski at the Regina 10 yard line.

    Saskatoon power back Samantha Matheson ran in a score from two yards out with 15 seconds to play in what would be the final score of any type ever at Taylor Field to cut the Riot lead to 34-24. The Valkyries were unsuccessful in their ensuing two-point conversion try.

    Regina defensive back Karlie Jackson recovered an onside kick to snuff out any faint hope of Saskatoon rallying any further.

    Agar piled up 111 yards rushing on 13 carries and caught four passes for 50 yards to lead all Riot players in rushing and receiving.

The Riot celebrate their Prairie Conference championship win.

    Aimee Kowalski completed 14-of-24 passes for 162 yards and one touchdown.

    Eyolfson completed 14-of-39 passes for 158 yards, two touchdowns and one interception as the Valkyries fell to 4-2 overall.
    Alyssa Wiebe caught six passes for 86 yards, and Matheson ran the ball 13 times for 75 yards.

    The Valkyries will play a WWCFL consolation final this coming Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field against the Edmonton Storm, who were 2-3 overall, at 5:15 p.m.

    While the Riot will turn their attention to capturing their second WWCFL title in team history, Eddie said it was important for his group to get past the Valkyries.

The Riot hoist the Prairie Conference championship trophy.

    In the WWCFL’s seven years of existence, the Riot and Valkyries have met in the Prairie Conference final in every season, and Saskatoon still holds a 5-2 edge in those contests even after the result of Sunday’s game.

    “We’re overwhelmed with emotion,” said Eddie. “You can just see it in their face right now.

    “They’ve worked for this, and they’ve earned it. I’m just extremely proud of our group of athletes.”

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

Valkyries rally past Riot

Showdown at Mosaic shows potential of WWCFL

Julene Friesen speeds downfield for the Valkyries.

    It was a rare sight to see the Saskatoon Valkyries at the wrong end of the scoreboard.
    It also gave the four time defending Western Women's Canadian Football League champs a chance to show their resiliency.
    On Sunday at Mosaic Stadium, the host Regina Riot jumped ahead of the Valkyries 16-8. The Riot had a habit of giving their Bridge City Rivals tough contests, which included a 15-7 victory over the Valkyries on May 12, 2013. It wasn't out of the question Regina could pull out its second victory over Saskatoon in 13 tries.
    Like a squad that is used to winning championships, the Valkyries battled back. The Riot lead shrank to 16-14 by halftime. Saskatoon proceeded to jump ahead 21-16 with 52 seconds remaining in the third quarter, when first year starting quarterback Stacey Boldt hit tailback Julene Friesen on a 13 yard outlet pass for a major.
    Victory wasn't assured until Friesen ran in the game's final touchdown from eight yards out to give the visitors a 28-18 lead with 66 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Saskatoon came away with a 28-19 final after Regina concluded the scoring with a rouge coming off a missed field goal as time expired.
    Unlike a lot of the contests involving the Valkyries, Sunday's game with the Riot provided intrigue.
    Saskatoon is the model franchise in the WWCFL and has run away from opponents with numerous blowout victories. The lopsided results occur due to a combination of the fact the Valkyries are well run with a strong coaching staff, and the WWCFL is still in its formative years. Women's tackle football is still a relatively new sport experiencing growing pains.
    The Riot have run a strong program, and they could have easily come away with a victory Sunday had the outcome of two or three plays been changed. The battle between Saskatoon and Regina showed the potential of how interesting WWCFL games can be.

Aimee Kowalski slings a pass for the Riot.

    The Valkyries jumped ahead 8-0 thanks to the Riot conceding a safety in the first quarter and Boldt hitting veteran receiver Marci Kiselyk for a 34-yard pass and run TD strike early in the second quarter.
    Regina sputtered early offensively due to a number of dropped passes but proceeded to catch fire. Riot quarterback Aimee Kowalski hit receiver Claire Dore with a 20-yard scoring pass cutting the Saskatoon lead to 8-6. A two-point conversion attempt by Regina to tie the contest failed.
    After Valkyries receiver Tori Giles fumbled away a punt return, the Riot were in business again. The turnover resulted in a 22-yard field goal from Morgan Turner to put Regina ahead 9-8.
    With 1:58 remaining in the second quarter, Aimee Kowalski connected with her sister Alex Kowalski for a long 75-yard home run strike to put Regina up 16-8. At that point in the game, the Riot had all the momentum and were making the majority of the plays.
    The Valkyries tightened things up scoring just 45 seconds later, when Boldt hit Kiselyk from eight yards out to cut the gap to 16-14. A two point conversion attempt failed, but Saskatoon was successful in stopping Regina's momentum.
    After Boldt connected for her third touchdown pass of the game to Friesen to put the Valkyries up 21-16, the Riot didn't go away. Near the halfway point of the fourth quarter, Regina had a golden chance to go back in front, but Aimee Kowalski's end zone pass to open rookie receiver Rachelle Smith was dropped.
    The Riot proceeded to turn the ball over on downs, but the Valkyries had to concede a safety on the ensuing series shirking their edge to 21-18.
    Regina would be doomed from two more mistakes. While running downfield after a catch, Alex Kowalski fumbled the ball away near her own 35 after getting tackled by Valkyries defensive back Amber Buchholz and linebacker Beth Thomson. Thomson recovered the ball for the visitors.

Valkyries DB Carisa Polischuk, right, takes down Riot receiver Diane Nesbitt.

    It appeared Regina would hold Saskatoon to scoring just a field goal, but the Riot were penalized for contacting Valkyries kicker Rienna Rueve. The infraction gave the Saskatoon a first down, so the visitors took the field goal off the board by accepting the penalty.
    The Valkyries proceeded to run more time off the clock before Friesen ran in for the clinching major. Regina attempted a last play field goal in case the points were needed for a standings tiebreaker down the road, but settled for a single.
    With the win, the Valkyries improved to 2-0, while the Riot fell to 1-1. After a bye weekend, these two clubs meet again on Saturday, May 30 at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.
    Regina needs to win that contest by 10 or more points to claim the season series. With that in mind, hopes are high that the next clash will be as compelling as Sunday's match was.

    If you have any comments about this blog, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com. To see more photos of the Valkyries victory over the Riot, check out Twitter @StanksSports.