Valkyries are always fun to back

Saskatoon one win away from return to WWCFL final

The Valkyries celebrate a touchdown from Danielle Girolami (#10).

    The Saskatoon Valkyries ability to inspire is as alive as it ever was.
    The powerhouse women’s tackle football team is playing through its ninth season of existence as a member of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League. On Sunday, the Valkyries will be trying to advance to the WWCFL championship game for a seventh time, when they host the Lethbridge Steel in a league semifinal contest at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

    The winner will face the two-time defending champion Regina Riot in the WWCFL title game on June 29 at 4 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. The Riot claimed the other WWCFL semifinal 30-8 in Edmonton on Saturday against the host Storm.

    The Storm finished the campaign with a 4-2 record including action in the regular season and playoffs, while the Riot improved to 3-3 including action in the regular season and post-season. Regina won two straight road playoff games to make the WWCFL final.

Alex Eyolfson can make plays on the run.

    The Valkyries have always captured the imaginations of their fans due to what seems like their endless their positivity. It makes you want to cheer for them.

    Their positivity transfers over to the football field as they have always played the game at a high level. They won the WWCFL title in four straight years from 2011 to 2014 and captured a fifth championship in 2016.

    They are having another memorable campaign in 2019 posting a 6-0 overall record including play in the pre-season, regular season and playoffs. The Steel enter Sunday’s clash with a 3-2 mark including play in the regular season and post-season.

    This season’s Valkyries have a great mix of veteran pros and energetic youngsters. There is a feeling on the team that everyone is important, and they all continuously strive to make each other better.

    At quarterback, the Valkyries are led by two youngsters who are already veterans at their positions playing in their fourth seasons in Alex Eyolfson and Reed Thorstad.

Reed Thorstad is a composed field general.

    Eyolfson is the WWCFL’s version of Doug Flutie. She can improvise, make plays on the fly and seemingly throw the football a mile.

    Thorstad is the pocket passer who makes reads and gets the football out quickly. With the way she sees the game, you can tell her father, Brian, coached the sport for large number of years.

    The starting offensive line includes right tackle Betsy Mawdsley, right guard Lauren Ferguson, centre Eden Rakochy, left guard Ashley Viklund and left tackle Alyssa Funk. Viklund and Ferguson are more the newcomers of the group playing in their second and third seasons respectively.

    Mawdsley, Funk and Rakochy are all in their fourth, fifth and sixth seasons respectively. They make everything on offence go.

    At running back, Sam Matheson returned from a year off returning to a star role in her fifth season with the team. She still runs with explosiveness between the tackles and is an elusive receiver out of the backfield.

    Sarah Wright has turned into a standout in her third season running the ball and rookie Natasha Englot has made plays when she has hit the field.
    At receiver, Kelsey Murphy is the steady veteran in her sixth season. Sisters Haley and Danielle Girolami, who are in their first and second years respectively, are quickly turning into big playmakers.

Kori Herner (#27) returns an interception for the Valkyries.

    Makenna Matheson is a speedster that can leave everyone in the dust.

    The defensive line contains some of the team’s greatest veteran pros in Jamie Lammerding, who has been a career member of the squad, along with Denise Kolosky and Kendra Wilson, who are both in their eight seasons with the team.

    They helped the Valkyries flourish in their early years and continue to be welcoming inspirations for the team in the current day. On top of everything, they can still make a tonne of plays.

    Rookie Danaye Holynski has stepped in to be a solid contributor on the defensive line, while Dayna Bear has been a steady contributor in her third year.

    At linebacker, the Valkyries have one of the best trios in the country in Beth Lalonde, who is a career member of the team, fourth-year veteran Emmarae Dale and third-year standout Devyn Peters.

Beth Thomson and the Valkyries defence play as tough as ever.

    In the secondary, eight-year veteran Rienna Rueve anchors everything at safety. Shaylyn De Jong and Ehjae Chan are veteran warriors in their seventh and sixth season respectively.

    Kori Herner is the playmaking newcomer joining the Valkyries after skating for five seasons in the U Sports ranks with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team.

    Career team member Tori Giles has been sidelined by injury, but she is still hanging around the squad offering support to her teammates.

    The Valkyries again have a standout coaching staff led by head coach Pat Barry.

    The players, coaches and staff have rallied around the memory of defensive position coach Justin Filteau, who passed away in a tragic plane crash on June 1. They have dedicated the rest of their season to Filteau, and the players have “JF” decals on their helmets.

Sam Matheson (#22) has scored lots of touchdowns returning from a year off.

    The Valkyries have made Sunday afternoons at SFM Field a great place to be. Their WWCFL semifinal contest provides one last chance to wish them well on their playoff run they hope will end in another championship.

    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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"Baby T-Rex" plays big for Valkyries

Giles helps Saskatoon return to WWCFL Prairie final

Tori Giles returns an interception for the Valkyries.

    Tori Giles’ love for football brought her to the Saskatoon Valkryies and winning provided extra motivation to stay in the game.

    The 22-year-old defensive back and kick returner is one of six original Valkyries that has suited up for every season of the club’s existence dating back to its inception in 2011. Over that time span, the Valkyries claimed four straight Western Women’s Canadian Football League championships from 2011 to 2014.

    Saskatoon’s bid for a fifth straight championship came to an end last season after a heartbreaking 31-29 loss in the WWCFL’s Prairie Conference final to the Regina Riot.

    Success kept Giles, whose nickname is “Baby T-Rex,” coming back for more.

    “It probably had something to do with me being here for six years,” said Giles. “If we were getting our butts whooped every year, I don’t know if it would be the same story.

    “It is just a great team to play with, and it is a lot of fun.”

    The wins also just keep coming. On Sunday, the Valkyries thumped the Manitoba Fearless 42-2 in a WWCFL Prairie Conference semifinal playoff match at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. With that win, the Valkyries advance to the WWCFL Prairie Conference final to play the defending WWCFL champion Riot for a sixth straight year.

    Regina claimed the other WWCFL Prairie Conference semifinal at Mosaic Stadium on Sunday thanks to a 59-7 drubbing of the Winnipeg Wolfpack.

Tori Giles hits traffic on a Valkyries punt return.

    In the Valkyries win over the Fearless, Giles had a 21-yard interception return and she also cut into the Manitoba backfield to make a nice tackle for a loss. While Saskatoon frequently substituted players in the romp over the Fearless, Giles’ comfort level on defence was apparent.

    She was a receiver on offence during her first five seasons with the Valkyries but has found her calling on the other side of the ball.

    “It is definitely where I was supposed to be,” said Giles. “It is coming a lot easier than it has in the past for sure.

    “It is a lot different. It is nice, because you don’t have to think as much. It is just you watch and you react.”

    Growing up in Saskatoon, Giles played a lot of touch and flag football, but at age 15, she thought her options in the sport were drying up.

    During a visit to Edmonton, Giles heard about the formation of the WWCFL’s Storm and hoped a team would start up in Saskatoon. After hearing about the creation of the Valkyries, Giles found an email address for team general manager Michelle Duchene online. After contacting Duchene, Giles joined the Valkyries and the rest is history.

    With 27 new players joining the Valkyries this season mainly coming up through Saskatoon’s girls’ flag program, Giles said she definitely doesn’t see herself as one of the youngsters.

    “I definitely feel like one of the old vets,” said Giles. “My body feels like it too.”

Tori Giles gets set in the Valkyries secondary.

    In Sunday’s clash with the Fearless, the Valkyries jumped out to 28-0 lead just five minutes and 34 seconds into the contest. After pausing for a moment of silence to remember hockey icon and local product Gordie Howe with nine minutes to play in the first quarter, the Valkyries added another major to exit the frame with a 35-0 lead.

    Running back Julene Friesen carried the ball five times for 203 yards and scored five touchdowns. Her longest run was from 70 yards out.

    Receiver Alyssa Wiebe hauled in 36-yard pass from quarterback Alex Eyolfson to account for Saskatoon’s other major score.

    The Fearless, who finish with a 1-4 overall record, picked up their points on two missed field goal singles from kicker Sara Milani.

    The Valkyries and Riot enter the Prairie final posting identical 5-1 overall records including play from pre-season, regular season and post-season. The two clubs split their two head-to-head regular season meetings, but the Valkyries finished first in the Prairie Conference outscoring the Riot 73-48 in their two encounters. 

    The Prairie final is set for 1 p.m. this coming Sunday at SMF Field.

    Giles said clashes with the Riot are always intense.

Julene Friesen runs in one of her five touchdowns for the Valkyries.

    “They are definitely the hardest game of the year by far,” said Giles. “They are the most important ones as well.

    “We’re going to have to grind out this week and get prepared for it and really get after it.”

As for her future in football after this season, Giles said she has joked with a couple of other six year players about playing for a decade. Saskatoon’s other six-year players include Beth Thomson, Marci Kiselyk, Jaime Lammerding, Julie David and Lori Smith.

    Giles admitted that decision goes on a year-by-year basis.

    “It is kind of whatever life hands you,” said Giles. “I will play for as long as I can.”

Watch for Reynoldson to shine as U of R’s athletics boss

    The University of Regina athletics program might have found a long-term leader in Tanya (Hutcheon) Reynoldson, who is an alumna of the Cougars women’s hockey program.

    On Wednesday, it was announced that Reynoldson would become the new interim director of athletics for the U of R effective July 1. She takes over from Curtis Atkinson, whose family is moving to Kamloops, B.C., at the end of June. Atkinson became the U of R’s interim director of athletics in January of 2015 after Dick White retired after a very long run as director of athletics.

    Reynoldson has been the U of R’s athletic coordinator for over the past 10 years, where the 36-year-old oversaw sponsorship, marketing and event management operations. The news of her new role has been warmly received by the alumnus and the alumnae of the U of R’s athletic teams, especially from those that were athletes during Reynoldson’s playing years from 1998 to 2003.

    The Regina product is an original member of the Cougars women’s hockey team joining the squad for its first season in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport ranks in the 1998-99 campaign. She piled up 19 goals and 34 assists playing right wing in 60 regular season games over five seasons.

    Reynoldson had a couple of memorable moments helping the Cougars sweep the best-of-three Canada West championship series in 2001 against the University of Alberta Pandas, who were the defending CIS champions at the time. The series sweep at the ancient Exhibition Stadium in Regina is still the Cougars only Canada West title victory.

    In Game 1, Reynoldson set up linemate Erin Balfour’s overtime winner with a beautiful centring pass in a 2-1 decision. In Game 2, Reynoldson potted the Cougars first tally in a three-goal surge that produced a 3-0 lead and eventually a 3-1 win.

    The Cougars would reach the CIS championship game riding a 15-game winning streak before falling 4-3 to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. The Blues took a 3-0 lead in that contest before the Cougars rallied to force a 3-3 tie.

    After the Blues went ahead 4-3, Reynoldson had a chance to make a play offensively to force a tie score, but was denied when a Blues player held her stick.

    Known for her playmaking abilities on the ice, Reynoldson, who was an academic all-Canadian in her final season, was a natural leader off the ice and was one of the most popular persons among all U of R athletes. She had an uplifting and positive spirit that drew others to her.

    As soon as she stepped into a room flashing her bright smile, the atmosphere immediately became better. When you were around Reynoldson, it seemed impossible to feel negative about anything.

    She married her long-time boyfriend from the Cougars men’s hockey team in J.P., and they have two young and adorable children in Kennedy and Royce.

    As the U of R’s interim director of athletics, Reynoldson will experience a learning curve, but she will likely get used to her new role fast. She always succeeded at everything she has done with flying colours, and one has to believe this will be no different.

    In the past, U of R had a history of success in hiring young coaches to guide their athletic teams with the hopes of having a long term bench boss. It would be cool to see that formula work in Reynoldson’s case.

    Reynoldson will undoubtedly make the commitment to become the U of R’s permanent director of athletics. During her journey with her new role, she will have a lot of people rallying around her to support her.

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

Riot runs wild over Valkyries

Valkyries receiver Tori Giles is taken down by two Riot defenders.

    The Saskatoon Valkyries experienced a few not so good firsts on Saturday night.

    Taking on the rival Regina Riot, the Valkyries suffered their first loss ever on home turf, and it came in a definite fashion. The Riot thrashed the four time defending Western Women’s Canadian Football League champions 49-9 at Saskatoon Minor Football field.

    The loss ended a 17 game home winning streak for the Valkyries, and it also included another couple of dubious distinction. The Valkyries set new team records for most points allowed in a single game at 49 and largest margin of defeat at 40, which has been the only time Saskatoon has been blown out.

    Before Saturday’s outing, the Valkyries only lost one other time in a team history that dates back to 2011 falling 15-7 to the Riot in Regina on May 12, 2013. The Riot have built a reputation on giving the Valkyries tough games. The Valkyries regularly thump the rest of their other opponents.

    As much as the Valkyries can look at their latest loss to Regina as one of those nights where everything that could go wrong did go wrong, the Riot have to be given full credit for their strong effort.

    In the first encounter between these two squads back on May 17 in Regina, the Valkyries rallied from a 16-8 deficit to earn a 28-19 victory. The Riot had to lament a number of missed opportunities they had to win that contest and a number of drive killing dropped passes they committed.

Valkyries receiver Marci Kiselyk loses the handle on a pass reception.

    Saturday’s encounter didn’t appear it would be romp by the visitors early on. Just 1:34 into the contest, running back Sam Matheson ripped off a 29 yard touchdown run to put the Valkyries up 7-0. A large crown at SMF Field had to anticipate an 18^th straight home victory.

    The Riot then rolled off 21 unanswered points to go up 21-7. Quarterback Aimee Kowalski hit her sister and receiver Alex Kowalski on a four-yard pass to tie things up at 7-7. Tailback Carmen Agar ran in a major from 15 yards out late in the first quarter and backup signal caller Sami Bray scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak early in the second quarter to give Regina a 14-point edge.

    Even at this point in the game, the Valkyries didn’t appear to be in trouble. They cut the gap to 21-9 after the Riot conceded a safety. After Saskatoon defensive back Shantel Stupnikoff recovered a fumble by Agar, the Valkyries drove deep into the Riot’s end of the field.

    On a third down gamble, Valkyries quarterback Stacey Boldt tried to connect with receiver Marci Kiselyk on a corner pattern in the end zone, but the pass attempt hit the upright.

    Regina proceeded to drive down the field. On the last play of the half, Aimee Kowalski’s end zone pass deflected off the hands of intended receiver Amanda Hungle and into the hands of Alex Kowalski for a major score from nine yards out. The positive bounce allowed the Riot to take a 28-9 lead into halftime and ended the competitive part of the contest.

    In the second half, the Valkyries seemed to battle through a drop in confidence, which was visible in dropped passes and blown assignments.

Riot tailback Carmen Agar motors away from a couple Valkyries defenders.

    Regina continued to play strong. Agar ran in a major from 30 yards out, Aimee Kowalski hit Hungle with a four-yard TD strike and running back Carly Kentz capped the scoring with a one-yard plunge.

    With the win, Regina improved to 2-1, while Saskatoon fell to 2-1. The Riot also holds the standings tiebreaker over the Valkyries outscoring their rivals 68-37 in the two head-to-head contests. The two teams top the WWCFL’s Prairie Conference standings.

    The Valkyries close the regular season this coming Sunday, when they travel to Winnipeg to take on the Manitoba Fearless. The Riot will also be in Winnipeg to close the regular season this coming Sunday taking on the Winnipeg Wolfpack.

    With the loss, the Valkyries quest to win five straight WWCFL titles is not over. Odds are high Saskatoon and Regina will meet in the playoffs once again in the Prairie Conference final for a fifth straight year. In a likely rubber match, the Valkyries will have had three weeks to get their confidence back, so a result can’t be guaranteed for one side or the other.

    The WWCFL rivalry between Saskatoon and Regina definitely has some intrigue for the rest of the 2015 campaign.

Vashurin and Gardiner top Saskatchewan Marathon

Sask. Marathon winner Erin Gardiner

    The 37^th Annual Saskatchewan Marathon proved to be memorable for all those that took part.

    Early Sunday morning at Diefenbaker Park in Saskatoon, about 3,000 runners participated in racing in one of four different distances including a five-kilometre race, a 10-kilometre race, a half-marathon and a full marathon. Most of the competitors had the aim of testing themselves on their own personal basis, and ultimate victory was achieved in finishing the race.

    In the full marathon, Sergii Vashurin of the Ukraine finished first overall running just over 42-kilometers in a time of two hours, 37 minutes and 55 seconds. Local product Erin Gardiner won the women’s division in the full marathon run for the second year in a row and posted a time of 3:00:21 on Sunday.

    Ruslan Kramariuk, another product from the Ukraine, won the half marathon in a time of 1:15:05. Saskatoon product Amanda Froelich topped the women’s division in a time of 1:27:00.

    In the 10-kilometre race, Ivan Heshko, the third product from the Ukraine taking part in the overall event, claimed the men’s division in a time of 33:03, while Christina Charles of Prince Albert took the women’s division in a time of 37:11.

    In the five-kilometre race, Ibrahim Mohammed of Saskatoon won the overall race in a time of 16:25, while Melfort’s Robyn Luthi claimed top spot in the women’s division in a time of 19:47.

Roughriders back in action

Offensive lineman Brendon LaBatte takes part in a Riders training camp drill.

     In the province that is well known for its wheat fields, it seems like the CFL off-season can’t end soon enough, as everyone seems anxious to throw on their Roughriders jerseys for another campaign.

    The Saskatchewan Roughriders got going again holding a two-day rookie camp on Wednesday and Thursday in Regina. The team’s main training camp officially opened on Sunday at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon as 91 players took the field for workouts.

    During the afternoon session, the stands on the west side of Griffiths Stadium were almost full of members of Rider Nation, and the majority were sporting their green and white jerseys. You can expect similar gatherings at Griffiths Stadium for the rest of the week.

    Early on in camp, Roughriders fans will be wondering how Darian Durant’s right elbow has healed up. Durant injured his elbow in a 30-24 road victory over the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg on Sept. 7 of last year and was out for the rest of the season. Saskatchewan was 8-2 when Durant was hurt and finished the 2014 campaign with a 10-8 regular season mark. In the playoffs, the Roughriders were eliminated in the West Division semifinal with an 18-10 loss to the Eskimos in Edmonton.

    Durant is also learning a new system, because Jacques Chapdelaine was brought in during the off-season to replace George Cortez as team’s offensive coordinator.

    Sights will also be set on receiver Nic Demski, who played last season with the University of Manitoba Bisons. The Riders selected Demski in the first round and sixth overall in the CFL Draft that was held on May 12.

    A whole host of familiar veterans were also on hand including offensive lineman Brendon LaBatte, receiver Chris Getzlaf, defensive lineman John Chick and defensive back Tyron Brackenridge.

    Camp also receivers Preston Bews and Evan Turkington, who both played in the Canadian Junior Football League last season. Bews helped the Regina Thunder win the CJFL title in 2013, while Turkington helped the Saskatoon Hilltops capture the CJFL championship last year.

    Most of the Roughriders on field sessions this week at Griffiths Stadium are set for 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., but their training camp schedule is subject to change.

    If you have any comments about this blog, 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.