Huskies would not be denied

Hoops team erases heartbreak with Canada West title win

Huskies graduate assistant coach Kabree Howard hugs Desarae Hogberg.

    The heartbreak of a year ago seems like a distant memory.

    Last season, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s basketball team suffered a tough 69-68 loss in the Canada West championship game in Vancouver, when the host University of British Columbia Thunderbirds prevailed thanks to a game-winning shot in the contest’s dying seconds. After that setback, the Huskies went on to finish fourth at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championship tournament.

    On Saturday playing in front of a raucous home crowd of 2,313 spectators at the Physical Activity Complex, the Huskies weren’t going to be denied a chance to erase that painful memory. Playing their provincial rival University of Regina Cougars, the Huskies trailed 18-15 after the first quarter before hitting high gear.

    They vaulted out to a 37-31 lead at halftime and jetted out to an impressive 61-39 edge after the third quarter. They cruised to a 73-62 victory from that point to claim their third Canada West championship in the last six years.

Dalyce Emmerson knocks in two points for the Huskies.

    “You can’t describe it to win at home,” said fifth-year superstar post Dalyce Emmerson. “I think what lit the fire was losing last year.

    “We knew we wanted to come back and win it on our home court. We knew what we could do and what we could accomplish, and that is what we did tonight.

    “We are so happy. We are going to celebrate this and then we are going to go out to nationals and hopefully bring home another banner.”

    The Huskies, who are rated second in the CIS top ten rankings, advanced to Saturday’s title game after downing the University of Alberta Pandas 78-68 on Friday. The Cougars slipped past the MacEwan University Griffins 65-59 in Friday’s other semifinal.

    Saturday’s championship game started out as a back-and-forth affair that featured eight lead changes.     

    It appeared early on the Cougars, who are rated fifth in the CIS top ten rankings, were going to put up a fierce battle.

    Backed by one of the loudest crowds the Physical Activity Complex had ever seen, Huskies point guard Sabine Dukate started to drive the ball hard to the hold and nailed four shots from three-point range to lead all scorers with 18 points.

Huskies guard Kelsey Trulsrud dives to break up a Cougars pass.

    Fifth-year guard Laura Dally, who was named the most valuable player of the Canada West conference, had a couple of big blocks on the defensive end and poured in 17 points on the offensive end. 

    Scrappy and energetic fifth-year guard Kelsey Trulsrud, who stands 5-foot-9, was doing everything she could to make plays scoring 12 points, pulling down six rebounds and getting a pair of steals. The Holy Cross High School grad was a force pushing the ball down court in transition.

    Fourth-year guard Desarae Hogberg also chipped in 12 points to back the Huskies offence, which helped cause another problem for the Cougars.

    U of S was getting contributions from so many sources that Emmerson, who has willed the Huskies to victory on various occasions in her career, didn’t have to be the focal point for success. She still scored six points, pulled down seven rebounds and blocked three shots in the win.

    Coming out after halftime, the Huskies outscored the Cougars 24-8 in the third quarter to build a 22-point edge the Cougars couldn’t overcome. Trulsrud said her side did pretty much everything right on both sides of the court during that stretch.

Huskies guard Laura Dally blocks a shot.

    “We made some huge shots,” said Trulsrud. “We limited their touches on offence.

    “They got one shot, and if it didn’t go in, we came down with the rebound and that started our offence.”

    Charlotte Kot and Katie Polischuk led the Cougars in scoring with 14 points each.

    Following the third quarter, the Cougars looked visibly deflated. A mini 9-3 run by the U of R in the closing moments of the fourth quarter made the final score look closer than the contest actually was.

    Head coach Lisa Thomaidis, who is the Canada West coach of the year, has guided the Huskies program to all four of their Canada West title wins. To her, Saturday’s title win was as enjoyable as the rest.

    “This was right up there,” said Thomaidis. “We lost some very key cogs in Riley Humbert, Kabree Howard and Jordyn Halvorson.

    “To have these returning players and with the addition obviously of Sabine (Dukate) and with everyone else getting that much better, this is certainly the most talented team we’ve ever had. They showed it tonight.”

    The Huskies and Cougars both advance to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport championship tournament, which runs March 17 to 20 in Fredericton, New Brunswick. In the Canada West Bronze medal game, the Pandas downed the Griffins 66-55. U of A may still qualify for nationals as a wildcard entry.

    U of S has never won a CIS title in women’s basketball. This year’s Huskies squad would like nothing better than to win this year’s CIS title game.

The Huskies enjoy their Canada West championship victory.

    “We are definitely on a high right now,” said Emmerson. “We are playing the best that we’ve played all year. We want to continue that into next week too.”

    “We are coming out, and we are playing our best,” said Trulsrud. “This is where we peak, so we just have to carry it on for next weekend.”

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

People who rock

    Wherever my life travels have taken me, I have found outstanding individuals.

    For just a plain feel good exercise, I thought I would list a few people who are “beauties” and make life just so much better. By no means is this list complete or even in any sort of order. I am just hoping it creates some good, upbeat and positive energy.

Kabree Howard

Kabree Howard in action for the Huskies.

    The University of Saskatchewan Huskies are so going to miss her.

    For five seasons, Howard was more than just a point guard on the Huskies women’s basketball team. She just made life better for everyone at the U of Saskatchewan.

    The Regina product was the heart of the Huskies program, who was everyone’s best friend and always knew the right thing to say to pick up someone’s spirits and motivate them. She also seemed to get out to every community event the Huskies held, and volunteered to help out numerous other community projects.

    When her final season was complete, Howard won the Huskies team award as the program’s all-around female athlete of the year. The 23-year-old has also excelled in the classroom being constant academic all-Canadian.

    While she has exhausted her playing eligibility, the Huskies would be wise to find a permanent position for her within their athletic department. All Howard has done is make the Huskies look good, and you can’t put a price on that.

Bob Ridley

Bob Ridley calls a Tigers game at The Arena.

  Ridley has been the play-by-play voice of the Medicine Hat Tigers for all 45 seasons of their existence and drove the team bus for the majority of that time.

    Les Lazaruk, who is the play-by-play voice of the Saskatoon Blades, called Ridley the dean of all WHL broadcasters, and the label fits.

    Between the regular season and post-season, Ridley has called all but one of the Tigers games. He has worked 3,219 of the team’s 3,220 regular season contests, all 388 of the club’s contests in the WHL playoffs and all 20 games the team has played in at the Memorial Cup tournament for a total of 3,627 contests.

    Ridley, 70, is a WHL legend and icon. Back in 2006, he was the recipient of the WHL’s Distinguished Service Award. There is hope that one day he will find his way into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and he is deserving of a spot with the game’s all-time greats.

    The best part about Rids is he has always taken all the accolades that have come his way in a humble manner, and he has never made himself that big of a deal. The press box in the new Medicine Hat Regional Event Centre, which is nearing completion, will be named after Ridley.

    Last season was the first campaign Ridley wasn’t the full-time bus driver for the Tigers since the early 1970s. He does admit he is getting older, and he needed to depart from that role.

    Ridley has been blessed with great health for his whole life, and here is hoping he will still be calling Tigers for a few more season’s in the future. When the day comes you no longer get to hear “he scooorrrreeeesss” on the radio, it will feel like something is missing.

Cody Smuk and Stephanie Vause

Cody Smuk and Stephanie Vause watch a Huskies men's hockey game.

    The former U of Saskatchewan Huskies athletes, who are engaged to me married, never cease to be inspiring.

    When Smuk was diagnosed with cancer just over a year ago, the resolve this young couple has displayed has been breathtaking. Smuk, who was a forward with the Huskies men’s hockey team, has always been a hard-working and ultimate team guy. Vause, who was a member of the Huskies track and field team, never wavered as a source of outstanding support for Smuk.

    She started the Gofundme page to raise money to help Smuk in cancer battle. The funds have been used to send Smuk to Germany for an alternative vaccine treatment. The doctors took a sample from the cancerous tumour in Smuk’s chest and created a vaccine for it, and the initial news is that the treatment is working.

    Smuk proposed to Vause in late December of last year. In February, the couple won a Dream Wedding Contest, which was organized by Crystal MacLeod of RSVP Event Design.

    Smuk and Vause have impressed all of their supports throughout Smuk’s cancer battle. They deserve nothing but good things to keep coming their way.

Steve Hogle

Steve Hogle, right, works the card table at the Blades Vegas night.

    The president of the Saskatoon Blades has become the public face of the hockey club.

    Hogle arrived in Saskatoon in September of 2013 and became Blades president under the club’s new owner Mike Priestner. Since landing in the Bridge City, Hogle hit the ground running to do his best to become part of his new community.

    Any time the Blades are engaged in a community event, Hogle is front and centre ensuring that everything is organized. He has represented the team in all sorts of forums, and on game nights, he can always be found on the concourse level interacting with fans.

    He has developed a reputation for being fun and energetic, and he helps add a lot of spark to the club’s various nightly promotions. That includes have a very noticeable joy of being part of the hoopla during the club’s Las Vegas night, where Hogle can be found working a card table.

    Away from the Blades, Hogle can be found wandering Saskatoon doing various other activities like taking in other sporting events like the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Men’s Volleyball Championships at the U of Saskatchewan or checking out a Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan play performance.

    Once thought to be a lifer with CTV News in Edmonton, Hogle has found a home in Saskatoon.

Kandace Cook

Kandace Cook zips down the ice for the Huskies.

    The gritty and hard-working forward in hockey always finds a place in your heart, and no one in the Canada West women’s conference was a feisty as Kandace Cook.

    She stands only 5-foot-2 but played the game like she was 6-foot-2. The Lloydminster product was spectacular in her fifth and final season with the U of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team. For the third straight season, Cook appeared in all of the Huskies 28 regular season games, and she had career highs in goals (13) and points (22).

    For her efforts, Cook was named the most valuable player of the Huskies women’s hockey team.

    When she is on the ice, you can tell Cook loves the game. She is not afraid to go in front of the net or into the corners, where players do still take a physical beating in the women’s game. Away from the rink, she is energetic, outgoing and is very popular with the rest of her teammates.

    Now that she has exhausted her university eligibility, the Huskies will definitely miss Cook next season, and could only wish to find five more players just like her.

    Away from the rink, you don’t have to know Cook long to learn that her other big passion is farming, and she can usually be found helping out the family farm operation.

Peter Anholt

Peter Anholt.

    It was a big lift for the WHL, when Peter Anholt once again became employed with one of the league’s member teams in a role as a manager or coach.

    The Naicam, Sask., product was a respected, accountable and personable career coach in the WHL for much of his life. After guiding the Prince Albert Raiders to the playoffs in the 2006-07 campaign as head coach, Anholt parted ways with the club when his contract was allowed to expire in the off-season.

    Anholt had huge ties to the Raiders and to the Prince Albert community, and it was strange that he was no longer the team’s head coach. He was a defenceman on two national championship teams with the Raiders in 1979 and 1981, when the club was still a member of the junior A ranks. It seemed like he was meant to coach that team forever.

    The former defenceman with the U of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team 1983 University Cup national championship team was hired by the struggling Lethbridge Hurricanes as an assistant general manager in June of 2014. The Hurricanes last made the WHL playoffs in 2009. Anholt’s arrival was the first huge positive step forward the team took in some time.

    In December of last year, the Hurricanes cleaned house firing general manager Brad Robson and head coach Drake Berehowsky.

    Anholt became the club’s new head coach and general manager. For the rest of the 2014-15 regular season, the Hurricanes were no longer an easy win for every other team in the league. The Hurricanes played inspired hockey and started rolling off some winning streaks.

    The coaching veteran treated the players with respect but still held them accountable. His biggest strength is his ability to instill confidence, and that could be seen when the Hurricanes took the ice. They still finished second last in the league at 20-44-5-3, but hope had returned to Lethbridge.

    In May, the Hurricanes signed Anholt to a three-year extension as the team’s general manager. On Thursday, Anholt hired long time Calgary Hitmen assistant coach Brent Kisio as the Hurricanes new head coach. The hire was a forward thinking move by Anholt bringing in an eager 32-year-old bench boss, who had been part of a winning program.

    Not so long ago, the Hurricanes were a franchise players wanted to leave. Under Anholt, players are now excited about the prospect of joining the Hurricanes.

Kris Russell

A Kris Russell card from his Tigers days.

    The Caroline, Alta., product is living proof that talent, hard work and persistence can take you a long way.

    During his major junior days with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Russell was viewed as one of the most exciting players in the entire Canadian Hockey League helping Canada win gold at the world junior championships in 2006 and 2007 and being named the WHL’s MVP in the 2006-07 campaign. He also accumulated numerous other accolades in his four seasons with the Tigers from 2003 to 2007, and he was key in helping Medicine Hat win WHL championships in 2004 and 2007.

    Russell started his NHL career with an extended stay with the Columbus Blue Jackets before being dealt to the St. Louis Blues. The Blues built a deep back end, and traded Russell to the struggling Calgary Flames in July of 2013.

    With the Flames, the dynamic Russell was given a full out shot to excel, and he didn’t disappoint. This past season, Russell cemented a reputation for being a standout on the blue-line at the NHL level.

    In helping the Flames make the playoffs for the first time in six years, Russell established a new NHL record for most blocked shots in a season at 283, which broke the old mark of 274 set back Anton Volchenkov in the 2006-07 campaign with the Ottawa Senators.

    Russell, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 173 pounds, also set career highs in assists (30), points (34) and plus-minus rating (plus-18) playing 79 regular season games with the Flames. In the playoffs, Russell netted two goals, seven assists and blocked 54 shots in 11 games.

    Away from the rink, Russell has always been well mannered and has treated others with lots of respect. He is a good guy, and it is great to see success at the NHL level come to a good guy.

David Schlemko

David Schlemko back in 2007.

    During his whole professional hockey career, David Schlemko proved that you can make it into the NHL as an undrafted player.

    The Edmonton product was never selected in the NHL Entry Draft, but he made it to the professional ranks after signing an NHL entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes in 2007. An offensive defenceman in his major junior career with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Schlemko was being molded into a power-play specialist as a member of the Coyotes franchise.

    He started in the Central Hockey League ranks, worked his way up through the American Hockey League ranks and joined the Coyotes on a full-time basis for the 2010-11 campaign.

    For a time, it seemed like Schlemko would be a career member of the Coyotes franchise. That all changed this season, when the Coyotes decided to go in another direction dumping a number of veterans to get younger.

    With his contact set to expire at the end of the season, he was placed on waivers after playing 20 regular season games with the Coyotes and claimed by the Dallas Stars in January. He played five games with the Stars before again being placed of waivers, and he was claimed by the Calgary Flames in early March.

    Joining his third team in the final year of his contact, you had to wonder if Schlemko would be cycled out of the NHL. He turned 28 in May, but lots of players get cycled out of the league at that age to make room for younger prospects.

    Schlemko has a good understanding of the realities of the business side of hockey, but he showed he still has a lot to offer at the NHL level in his time with the Flames. He made an immediate impact in his first game with the Flames.

    Locked in a 2-2 draw against the Bruins in Boston on March 5, the Flames sent Schlemko on the ice to win the contest in the eighth round of a tiebreaking shootout.

    He scored on a sick move to give the Flames a 3-2 victory. He appeared in 19 regular season games with the Flames posting a plus-six rating helping the club earn a post-season berth for the first time in six years.

    With star defenceman and captain Mark Giordano gone for the season with a torn biceps tendon, Schlemko provided a calming influence on the Flames back end. He also suited up for all 11 of Calgary’s post-season games posting an assist and a plus-one rating.

    Between the Coyotes, Stars and Flames, Schlemko appeared in 44 regular season games last season posting one goal, three assists and a plus-one rating. He is reliable on the back end, and the Flames would be wise to resign him. If the Flames believe they will have depth on defence, they could convert Schlemko into a forward. He has play making skills that would allow his to flourish at that position.

    Schlemko can still contribute at the NHL level, and hopefully he will get another contract with some team in the show. If he does get cycled out, he would depart on a high note.

Valkyries eye up playoffs

Julene Friesen runs to daylight for the Valkyries

    The Saskatoon Valkyries are heading into the Western Women’s Canadian Football League playoffs on a high note.

    On Sunday in Winnipeg, the Valkyries closed the regular season dumping the Manitoba Fearless 36-15. Saskatoon finished at 3-1, while Manitoba closed out at 0-4. Valkyries running back Julene Friesen had one of the biggest plays of the contest scoring on a 49-yard romp.

    The Valkyries finished second in the WWCFL’s Prairie Conference to the 3-1 Regina Riot. The Valkyries and Riot split their two head-to-head meetings, but the Riot held the standings tiebreaker outscoring the Valkyries 68-37 in their two regular season tilts.

    Regina closed the regular season by dumping the Wolfpack in Winnipeg 47-3. The Wolfpack finished off at 2-2.

    After a bye week, the WWCFL Prairie Conference semifinal games are slated for June 21. The Valkyries will host the Wolfpack, while the Riot host the Fearless. The start times for those matches are still to be announced.

    On June 13 at 7 p.m., the Valkyries are hosting a fundraising cabaret at the #38 Anavets – Army, Navy and Airforce Veterans club. It is an 18+ event. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from any Valkyries player.

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

Super send-off for Smuk

A Dodge Ram takes Cody Smuk and family to the airport in Saskatoon.

    It seemed like Cody Smuk's smile could be seen for miles, when he approached the Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport early Sunday morning.
    The former forward with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, his fiancée Stephanie Vause, his mother Darla and father Marty were on their way to begin their air journey to Germany. He is heading overseas to seek alternative treatment for cancer in his chest, which revolves around a tumour. Smuk has been battling cancer since May of last year.
    As the black Dodge Ram truck driven by Smuk's father Marty approached the airport, they encountered a large gathering of well wishers. A huge group of family and friends lined the snowy road leading to the entrance to the airport and cheered as the black Dodge drove past. Vause and Darla gave waves through the windows.
    The gathering included members of various Huskies teams including a large contingent of past and present players from the men's hockey team, who were Cody Smuk's former teammates.
    A number of people arrived at about 8:30 a.m., which was about 45 minutes before the 25-year-old arrived at the airport. The send-off occurred in spite of the fact the weather hadn't been the greatest.

Some of Cody Smuk's supporters came out with signs of support on Sunday.

    About 20 centimetres of snow fell on Saskatoon on Saturday, and a number of power outages in the city early Sunday morning likely made a few people late for the festivities, as alarm clocks lost power. The streets were mired in slush and huge puddles.
    Still, the obstacles didn't deter anyone. During his four seasons with the Huskies, Smuk built a reputation as a hard-working and team-first player. He was very good-natured, easy going and quickly became popular with large masses of the student body.

    Those in the community of Saskatoon had taken the local product into their hearts. During his hockey career, Smuk played four WHL seasons split between the Chilliwack Bruins, Lethbridge Hurricanes and Moose Jaw Warriors, and he developed lots of support in those centres.
    It didn't surprise anyone that a big group of people came out to wish him well.
    The gathering felt warm and full of hope. Just to be part of the group was uplifting in itself.
    A couple of crews came out from local television stations. Recent women's basketball grad Kabree Howard and men's hockey forward Matthew Spafford handled most of the interviews and said a lot of upbeat things.

Part of the gathering that came out to pass on good wishes to Cody Smuk.

    In Germany, Smuk will undergo a vaccine treatment. Doctors there plan to boost Smuk's immune system by taking a sample of the tumour in his chest and create a vaccine for it. Other treatments will be decided upon once Smuk arrives.
    When he returns, a steak night fundraiser is being planned for Thursday, June 4, at the Kinsmen/Henk Ruys Soccer Centre. The warm feeling that was present on Sunday morning will likely return for the June 4 fundraiser.
    All those that support Smuk hope that fate would allow that night to turn into a victory party.

    If you have any comments about this blog, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com. Smuk's family is still raising funds to pay for the trip to Germany. Those looking to help Smuk with his cancer battle can do so by clicking here.

Madness starts early for Huskies

Matthew Forbes slams down a huge basket for the Huskies.

    One elimination game down, and the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men's basketball team hopes to experience a lot more do-or-die matches in March.
    The Huskies didn't take the easy road in claiming a best-of-three Canada West quarter-final playoff series 2-1 against the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack. In all three games, U of S fell behind by sizable margins, but managed two successful comebacks to stay alive in the post-season. In a series deciding Game 3 on Sunday at the Physical Activity Complex, the Wolfpack led the host Huskies 39-29 at one point in the second quarter.
    The visitor's led was cut to 43-42 at halftime after Huskies guard Evan Ostertag hit a three at the buzzer. The hosts took a 61-57 lead after the third quarter and rolled in the fourth quarter to an 84-71 victory. The win was capped by a monster dunk by Huskies post Matthew Forbes inside of the contest's final minute.
    Thanks to that win, the Huskies will have the rare privilege of host the men's Canada West Final Four tournament this coming Friday and Saturday at the Physical Activity Complex. The opening match at 6 p.m. on Friday sees the U of Victoria Vikes, who were 15-5 in the regular season, take on the Abbotsford, B.C., based University of the Fraser Valley Cascades, who were 17-3 in the regular season. At 8 p.m., the U of British Columbia Thunderbirds, who were 14-6 in the regular season, face the Huskies, who were 15-5 in the regular season.
    The Huskies host the final four, because they topped the Conference's Pioneer Division. The Cascades topped the Explorer Division.
    Before the Huskies could think about hosting the final four, they had to down a determined Wolfpack side. Games 1 and 2 were held at St. Joseph High School due to the fact the U of Saskatchewan was hosting the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Men's Volleyball Championship tournament. The atmosphere at the packed high school gym was raucous on both nights.
    In Game 1 last Friday, the Wolfpack, who were 11-9 in the regular season, jumped out to a 27-19 lead after the first quarter and held a 49-43 edge at halftime. The Huskies dominated the second half and rolled to a 96-82 victory. Veteran post Matthew Forbes led the way for the Huskies with 20 points, while second-year forward Shane Osayande came off the bench and hit all seven of his shot attempts to finish second in team scoring with 14 points.

Dadrian Collins drives the lane for the Huskies at St. Joseph High School.

    In Game 2 last Saturday, the Huskies faithful packed the gym at St. Joseph High School hoping the first half scare the Kamloops, B.C., based Wolfpack gave the U of S side would only happen for one game. It didn't.
    The Wolfpack stormed out to a 16-0 lead and held a 40-25 edge at halftime. The Huskies rallied in the second half and closed to within 71-69 late in the game. The visitors scored to go up 73-69 and closed out an 81-75 victory to tie the series 1-1.
    Andrew Henry and Dadrian Collins led the Huskies with 12 points each in the Game 2 setback.
    Game 3 back at the PAC wasn't an easy one for the Huskies to pull out. Wolfpack fifth-year guard Brett Rouault went off for a game-high 33 points mostly due to hitting 7-of-10 shots from three-point range.
    Forbes countered topping the Huskies with 30 points to help the hosts get their series clinching 84-71 win.
    Going forward in the post-season, the Huskies would like to have some better starts, but they should have some confidence knowing the can pull out big comeback victories if they need to.
    Now, they face was is essentially another elimination game. The two teams that make the final of the Canada West Final Four advance to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Final Eight championship tournament hosted by Ryerson University in Toronto.
    The winners of the semifinal games of the Canada West Final Four this coming Friday will ensure they will play in the final weekend of the 2014-15 campaign. Being at home for basically a do-or-die match, you have to like the Huskies chances of advancing, even if they do fall behind once again.

Huskies women's hoopsters hit the road

Kabree Howard dishes the ball for the Huskies.

    The Huskies women's basketball team will be on the road for the duration of their playoff run.
    They had a chance of hosting the women's Canada West Final Four tournament had the U of Regina Cougars upset the UBC Thunderbirds in a best-of-three quarter-final series in Vancouver. 
    The favoured Thunderbirds prevailed. UBC took Game 1 on Friday 75-59 and Game 2 on Saturday 68-63.
    As a result, the women's Canada West Final Four opens on Friday in Vancouver. The Huskies, who were 17-3 in the regular season, face the U of Victoria Vikes, who were 13-7 in the regular season. 
    The Thunderbirds, who were 17-3 in the regular season, take on the U of Alberta Pandas, who were 16-4 in the regular season, in the other semifinal.
    The Huskies enter the final four having won 15 straight games combined in the regular season and playoffs.

Men's CIS volleyball championships a hit

The Huskies salute their home crowd after their last regular season game.

    Huskie Athletics should get all sorts of high praise for host an outstanding Canadian Interuniversity Sport Men's Volleyball Championship tournament.
    There had to be a bit of fear with regards to how well attended the event would be at the Physical Activity Complex if the host Huskies weren't able to advance to the semifinal round. The Huskies did not qualify for the Canada West playoffs finishing the regular season with a 12-12 record and were seeded eighth in the eight-team event.
    They played hard in the quarter-final round but committed too many errors in being swept away by the top seeded McMaster University Marauders by scores of 26-24, 25-20 and 25-18. Officially attendance was 2,223 at the PAC, which seats 2,500. Those that were there said it was hard to find a seat, and spectators filled the standing space that rung round the track at the top of the stands.
    With the Huskies knocked to the consolation side, attendance stayed fairly strong. A total of 1,841 spectators attended Friday's semifinal round and 2,127 were out for the medal round games on Saturday. Those numbers have to be considered huge successes.
    Overall, this year's CIS Men's Volleyball Championship tournament was viewed as being extremely well run.
    In the title game, U of Alberta Golden Bears repeated as champs sweeping the Trinity Western University Spartans 25-19, 25-17 and 25-15. McMaster swept Dalhousie University 3-0 in the bronze medal game.
    The host Huskies downed Universite de Laval 3-1 in a consolation semifinal match and took the consolation final 3-1 over York University to finish fifth.
    Once again, Canada West showed it is the powerhouse conference in men's volleyball, as its three entries finished in the top five of the CIS tournament. That powerhouse showing takes a whole new light considering the Huskies just missed making the Canada West Conference playoffs and were still fifth at nationals.
    Canada West Conference teams have claimed 20 of the last 21 championships in CIS men's volleyball.

Stars advance to final four

Courtney Cormack, left, and Danielle Nogier celebrate a goal.

    The Saskatoon Stars will enjoy a little bit of time off before they resume their quest to earn a provincial title.
    On Sunday, the Stars completed a 3-0 sweep of their best-of-five Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League quarter-final series over the Notre Dame Hounds. Saskatoon took Game 1 in Wilcox 7-2 on Thursday, and Games 2 and 3 at the Agriplace Arena by respective scores of 9-5 and 10-0 on Saturday and Sunday.
    Those results weren't much of a surprise as the Stars finished first in the league at 25-3, while the Hounds were last in the eight-team circuit at 4-22-2.
    The Stars top forwards Nara Elia and Sophia Shirley each had six goals and six assists in the series. Their linemate Julia Rongve had three goals and six assists. Forward Courtney Cormack have five goals and an assist in the three games.
    Saskatoon's opponent for the semifinal round is still to be determined as two quarter-final series were still ongoing after Sunday. The post-season road will definitely become more challenging from here on out for the Stars, who won the female title in the Mac's Midget AAA Tournament on Jan. 1.
    As they progress through the playoffs, they will pick up more and more attention in the Saskatoon area as a number of other local teams see their campaigns come to an end.
    At the moment, the Stars are still one of the best kept secrets in the Bridge City. By the end of March, they will likely have an increased profile.

    If you have any comments about this blog, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.   

Cool things I saw in 2014

The Medicine Hat Tigers celebrate a goal in the 2014 WHL playoffs

            It still amazes me what all can happen in a year.

            As 2015 closes, a number of people are listing highlights from the year that was in 2014. For me, I wrapped up my time at the Medicine Hat News and made the move to Saskatoon for family reasons.

            Over the past year, I was able to witness a number of highlights. Actually, I can't believe how many different things I attended in so many different centres.

            It seemed like I was at everything from watching Olympic hockey with a big group, going to numerous WHL and CIS hockey games, hitting a number of CFL and CIS games, enjoying the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede and watching a talented music artist perform at home.

            Here is of a few of the highlights going from the start of the year to the end.

 

Watching gold medal win at the Buckle

You know you live in Canada, when you wake up at 5 a.m. on Sunday to watch Canada’s men’s hockey team win gold at the Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

After getting home from my Saturday work shift, I believe I slept two hours before waking up to watch the big hockey game. Turning on Facebook, I couldn’t believe how many other people were also up.

In the second intermission, I decided to motor down to the Buckle in the Hat to see the final period. The place was packed. Canada beat Sweden 3-0 in the final, and the place was rocking.

It was about 10 a.m., when I headed home for some real sleep. That was definitely a night I will never forget. Canada also swept the hockey gold at the Olympics with the women’s team also winning it all.

Huskies women’s hockey team win Canada West title

The Huskies celebrate celebrate a Canada West title

This was one of those unexpected highlights.

Thanks to having Sundays and Mondays off at the Medicine Hat News, I was able to make it to Game 3 of the Canada West Women’s Hockey Championship Series on March 2 at the Rutherford Rink in Saskatoon. I went because it was my only shot to see Huskies captain Cami Wooster play live with how busy my life was.

Following her and her team that season was great, because it was one of the few sports things I followed I didn’t cover. It got me back to just enjoying sports. Life was so busy in Medicine Hat, that there were actually times I didn’t enjoy sports anymore, so following Wooster and the Huskies was a nice change.

They beat the University of Regina Cougars 2-1 in double overtime in that deciding game to claim the Canada West title. Wooster had the Huskies first goal and the assist on Kaitlin Willoughby’s overtime winner. Captain Cami was so good, she was good.

They were all so happy that night. I had lots of energy for the game and seeing the celebrations. Looking back, it was a real good thing for me to make that game.

One final Tigers playoff run

Captain Curtis Valk in action for the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Going into the 2014 WHL playoffs, I knew in my heart this would be the last time I would be covering a Medicine Hat Tigers playoff run for the Medicine Hat News.

I tried to soak in every moment as much as I could. I was hoping the moment would last as long as it could. Time was really busy.

The run closed with the Tigers playing 13 games over 24 days with a lot of travel. I definitely enjoyed the playoffs. Tigers took out the Swift Current Broncos in six games in the first round of the playoffs.

In the second round, the Tigers trailed a best-of-seven series 3-1 to the Kootenay Ice before rallying for a 4-3 series victory. The run ended in the WHL Eastern Conference Championships with a 4-1 series loss to the eventual Memorial Cup champion Edmonton Oil Kings.

Watching the Tigers forward line of Trevor Cox, Curtis Valk and Cole Sanford was something else. That was the most exciting forward line I saw the Tigers put on the ice in the 10 seasons I covered them. Marek Langhamer was spectacular in goal.

It was still a strange feeling after I finished my stories after Game 5 of the series loss to the Oil Kings at Rexall Place in Edmonton. A tired Tigers team tried to pull out a win, but fell 4-3. After I finished writing, I went around shaking hands with the Edmonton sportwriters who were there and Oil Kings communications manager Paul Owen, who once worked as a sports reporter.

Walking out of there, I knew I had covered my last Medicine Hat Tigers hockey game. It was weird to comprehend then, and it still is now. It did feel in a way that I was able to go out on top, so that was a good thing.

The celebration of life for Crystal (Heisler) McGregor

Crystal (Heisler) McGregor circa 2001.

            A list from 2014 wouldn’t be complete without me remembering the passing of Crystal (Heisler) McGregor, who was a good friend to everyone.

            A point guard on the University of Regina Cougars Women’s Basketball team that won the 2001 CIAU title, McGregor passed after a lengthy battle with cancer in May. A big celebration of life was held for her at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina.

            In the day before and the day of the celebration of life, I was able to reunite with the all the members of the Cougars team that McGregor played with. I went to school with all of them at the University of Regina.

            It was a great time to hang around with old friends. It is too bad it had to occur under such circumstances. It was also great to share memories of McGregor and of days that shouldn't feel so long ago.

            I think a few us are still waiting for her to approach us a say her typical, “Hey buddy.”

            RIP Crystal. You will be remembered forever.

Seeing MacKenzie Porter perform live

MacKenzie Porter at Kin Coulee Park.

I finally got to see MacKenzie Porter perform live on Canada Day at Kin Coulee Park in Medicine Hat, and she was so good.

It is very impressive to see how talented she is at making music. What is even better is the former Medicine Hat College Rattlers Women’s team soccer player is still the girl next door. 

She is still super sweet, and seems to remember everyone that passes through her life and treats them like gold.

My favourite part about seeing her perform in her hometown was saying in a break between songs, “There are like 50 people in this front row section I know personally. This is so great.”

There was a huge line of people to great her that night after she finished performing.
I still have her debut CD which is personalized autographed and also an autographed poster from that night. I enjoyed getting to see her again.

It is still very cool to hear her songs on the radio and see her music videos on television.

One last kick at the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede

Saddle bronc riding at the rodeo in Medicine Hat.

Before pulling the last of my things out of Medicine Hat, I got out to enjoy the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede one last time.

Usually, the 2007 WHL Champion Medicine Hat Tigers team makes it back that week for a reunion, but that reunion happened earlier in the summer to fit everyone’s schedules. With that said, I still ran into a few old Tigers that week.

It was also a fun time as friends that don’t normally go out anymore went out that week. 

It made for a great last run to see everybody before I left the Gas City for Saskatoon. I saw so many good friends. Party wise, it was a great Stampede week.

Calder Cup celebrations with Derek Hulak

Derek Hulak and the Huskies with the Calder Cup.

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies Men’s Hockey team was one of the first key things that got me back to enjoying sports again, when I was in a funk of not enjoy sports due to life in Medicine Hat being so busy.

A big thing that helped was I knew pretty much all the players through covering the WHL. After the University Cup ended, I was pumped to see Derek Hulak join the American Hockey League’s Texas Stars.

The Stars were under the guidance of head coach Willie Desjardins, who was the former head coach and general manager of the Medicine Hat Tigers. The Texas Stars won the Calder Cup, and Hulak got to have the trophy for a day in August in Saskatoon.

He brought the trophy to the University of Saskatchewan, to the Saskatoon Blades offices and to his mom’s gravesite. Alina died in 2007 of Cancer.

There was a big gathering with the Huskies men’s hockey team and a whole bunch of other friends during the night at Boston Pizza on 8^th Street. That was a great night out.

While deep in summer, I believe all the Huskies men’s players made it out that night. That was a great thing to see and shows how strong the friendships are on that team. They are one of the best groups to hang around and spend social time with.

Labour Day Classic weekend in Regina

The Roughriders celebrate an Anthony Allen touchdown.

This will make the list every year as long as I can keep making it to the Labour Day Classic weekend in Regina.

I was at my 14^th Labour Day Classic game, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders downed the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 35-30 thanks to a last-second touchdown by Anthony Allen. The Roughriders are 13-1 in the Labour Day Classic games I have attended.

The game was also Weston Dressler’s first game back with the Roughriders after being cut by the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. He was signing autographs at the end of the game and just looked so tired after a whirlwind week.

Victory party in Regina was also so enjoyable, especially when it is the after party for the Roughriders cheerleaders. It was a fun overall party night.

Frank McCrystal’s last home game as Rams head coach

Frank McCrystal, right, answers questions in a post-game scrum.

      A Saturday in Regina that was a turn back the clock type day and night for me.

     The University of Regina Rams were closing out the regular season against the University of Alberta Golden Bears in what would be Frank McCrystal’s final home game as Rams head coach. The Rams pulled out a 35-31 victory to make the Canada West playoffs.

     The stands were filled with a whole pile of old friends from my old Rams days at the University of Regina. A number of people traveled in for the game from all different points on the map.

     There was an alumni gathering after the game, and it was so fun to see a whole bunch of old faces. Lots of old stories were told and a lot of catching up was done.

     It also felt like an end of an era. I am sure the Rams will have a bright future, but things won’t be like what they once were.

Reconnecting with the Saskatoon Hilltops

The Hilltops celebrate their PFC Championship victory.

One of the unexpected good things that happened in my move to Saskatoon was reconnected with the Saskatoon Hilltops.

Those involved with coaching and running the Canadian Junior Football League team are as classy as you will find anywhere. Until the 2014 CJFL season, it has been 12 years since I last talked to Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant.

It has been about four to six years since I last saw my old bud Sheldon Ball, who is the team’s offensive coordinator. It was cool to see how good of a coach Ball has become. We became friends when he was first the quarterback of the Hilltops and later the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

The Hilltops started 1-2, but closed the campaign with eight straight wins. They improved a lot as the season went on. It was great to be at the Prairie Football Conference final, where they dumped the Calgary Colts 27-7.

Saskatoon then moved on to down the Rams in Langley, B.C., in the CJFL final 39-14. I really enjoyed visiting the team’s directors. If life allows it, I will try and make it more of a priority to be around their events next season.

Other good memories

Nelson Nogier gives his stick to a little Blades fan.

            Other highlights of the year include getting to watch my cousin, Nelson Nogier, played a lot more with the Saskatoon Blades before he was traded to the Red Deer Rebels.

            It has been good to get to know some of the new management with the Blades and reconnect with some long time staffers.

            I also enjoyed getting to see a number of the former Medicine Hat College Rattlers players, who now life in Saskatoon, again.

            It has also been cool to see how much of a life superstar University of Saskatchewan Huskies Women`s Basketball team point guard Kabree Howard is. It is cool to see her involved in so many community events. She does so much to give the Huskies a good name, and they will miss her when she graduates from their program later this year.

            Now, it is time to see what 2015 has in store for all of us.

If you have any feedback on this blog, feel free to email comments to stankssports@gmail.com.