I am out of here outside of cameo on Wednesday

Break time has come again which will seem short

A picture of myself outside The Arena in Medicine Hat.

That time has come again where I take time away from creating content for this blog for an extended stretch.

The break will be interrupted for one story on Wednesday. The Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame is announcing its class for 2025 in the main hall of the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds that day. I will write about that announcement here, and then I don’t plan to be in this space until the CJFL season starts for the Saskatoon Hilltops.

Even for me, that season is going to come way too fast when I see their Alumni Game is set for July 31 at 7 p.m. at Ron Atchison Field.

Over the past couple of years, the pressure has been mounting on my shoulders to be present at home more from my family. There was a time I felt family was “all in” when it came to my involvement in covering sports.

The real truth is that when someone is involved in sports it creates an unfair situation with their relationships in their blood family. Basically, the family members that are not involved with sports have to shoulder extra responsibilities in the home and the family. In a lot of cases, that unfair relationship gets challenged where it does need to evolve.

I’ve been more involved in planning fun family things, but even those fun things have their stress. There are other things that take up time.

During winter, I am hands on with snow clearing in my household as well as trying to get out to clear the snow from the homes of the seniors in the family. Last winter was a hard one on that front in Saskatoon, and I estimate I spent 106 total hours involved in snow clearing. When that happens, it pushes off and cancels other things.

The list of things I need to do around the home keeps getting larger. I have things on the hobby side I want to get to as well, but it seems impossible to get to those things.

These breaks I take from this blog coincide with the hockey off-season. The past two hockey off-seasons before this one I spent a tonne of time archiving photos from the games I worked in the WHL Playoffs and that ate away time at trying to focus on other things.

All the photos on that front this year have been looked after, so I am hoping that helps with the home life and maybe getting a break.

The Tigers run to winning the WHL title was big in Medicine Hat.

Last season, I basically cut out working University of Saskatchewan Huskies live events. The only one I worked was when the Huskies Men’s Hockey Team won the Canada West Conference title on March 9 at Merlis Belsher Place. The Huskies blanked the Mount Royal University Cougars 3-0 in a series deciding Game 3 of the Canada West final.

For the WHL Playoffs, I was going to fall off that road once both the Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders were eliminated. I stayed on that trail as the Medicine Hat Tigers, who I have a lot of links to, marched on to win their sixth WHL championship.

The Tigers made it to the title game of the Memorial Cup tournament that determines a CHL champion. In that title clash played last Sunday at the Coliseum Sun Life Financial in Rimouski, Quebec, the Tigers fell 4-1 to the OHL champion London Knights.

I do admit my trips to Medicine Hat were super valuable on numerous levels. I don’t even think I know how many levels of my life the trips to Medicine Hat positively affected me on the personal and work fronts.

I was thinking about following the Saskatoon Valkyries 2025 campaign to a conclusion on this blog. I shot photos today of their 16-12 regular season victory over the Manitoba Fearless for the Gordie Howe Sports Complex social media lines. I also did interviews for their teams’ videos to be used on their various platforms.

The Valkyries finished the WWCFL regular season with a 4-0 record and will host a WWCFL semifinal at a date and time to be announced. I decided I needed to use the time I would put into the Valkyries on this blog into other things.  

With that said, the Valkyries are one of my favourite teams in the whole city of Saskatoon. Best part is the Valkyries players, coaches and staffers are very understanding when other things come up that take you away from the team.

The other thing I want to get back into is regular workouts. I got my regular workouts done for a week in the last week of May. Before that week, I hadn’t worked out since March.

My body physically feels like it is in the worst shape it has ever been in since I became an adult. With that said, I think I am still doing better than 80 per cent of the population.

Also, it is on my mind that the sports media industry is cut as bad as it has ever been, and there are tonnes of sports organizations that don’t get the coverage they deserve including a number of CFL teams. I also accept I can’t fill that void, and I do have to be mindful of looking out for myself.

The Valkyries do a cheer after their victory on Sunday.

Along with that, I don’t mind getting a break from all the fallout of what it will look like this off-season as players from the three CHL leagues can join hockey teams in the NCAA this coming season if that is the path they want to pursue. I’ve already seen freak outs in cases where it appeared potential returning WHL players are leaving for the NCAA for the start of the 2025-25 campaign.

Anyways, it is time to go, but I will be back. I will be involved in the sports world, but that involvement will depend upon what the cards are that life deals my way.

Elliott is forever a CHL championship goalie

Austin Elliott with the Memorial Cup. (Photo by Vincent Ethier/CHL)

With my past links to the Medicine Hat Tigers, it would come as no surprise that I really wanted to see them win the Memorial Cup to become CHL champions.

The WHL champion Tigers made the final of the Memorial Cup tournament that determines a CHL champion and fell 4-1 to the OHL champion London Knights last Sunday at the Coliseum Sun Life Financial in Rimouski, Quebec. While the Tigers didn’t win that title game, I was happy that the Knights winning goalie was overager Austin Elliott.

When the 2024-25 campaign began, I didn’t think Austin Elliott would be a WHL castoff having played two complete seasons from 2022 to 2024 for the Saskatoon Blades. In the 2024 WHL Playoffs, he lost the job as the Blades starting netminder to Evan Gardner, who would be selected in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets and would later sign an entry-level contract with that club.

If Elliott wasn’t starting for the Blades as an overager, I thought he would be a starting goalie in the WHL in the 2024-25 campaign. I believed you could argue that only about six other goalies were better than Elliott, and I likely should have pushed that point during the 2024 off-season.

I did have a couple of WHL observers come to me and say that Elliott was done as far as major junior hockey goes.

At the start of the 2024-25 regular season, Elliott made three starts with the Blades collecting wins in all three outings posting a 2.33 goals against average and a .897 save percentage. When Gardner returned from camp activities with the Blue Jackets organization, Elliott became a victim to the numbers game. He was released by the Blades and cleared WHL waivers.

In most cases when that happens to a player in the WHL, that player ultimately ends up playing junior A.

The Knights, who have been the top franchise in the CHL for the last 21 years, had other ideas. They were about to show why they are arguably the smartest organization in the CHL, which results in their continued winning ways resulting in dismay for their ever growing number of haters. The Knights haters are there, because the Knights always win.

Elliott was actually claimed on CHL waivers by the Barrie Colts, but that didn’t deter the powerhouse Knights. On October 16, 2024, the Knights dealt a 14^th round selection in the 2026 OHL Draft and a conditional fifth round pick in the 2027 OHL Draft for Elliott. The puck stopper never played a game for the Colts.

Elliott, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 180 pounds, played in 33 regular season games for the Knights posting a 32-1 record, a 2.10 goals against average, a .924 save percentage and three shutouts. Thanks to Elliott’s work, the Knights topped the OHL standings with a 55-11-2 mark and were rated second in the final CHL Top 10 Rankings released on March 25.

He started all of the 17 games the Knights played in the OHL Playoffs posting a 16-1 record, a 2.46 goals against average and one shutout as London claimed a second straight league title.

Elliott’s roll continued at the Memorial Cup tournament. During London’s five games at the Memorial Cup tournament, Elliott posted a 4-1 record, a 1.59 goals against average and a .943 save percentage. He went 55-3 including play in the WHL regular season, the OHL regular season and post-season and the Memorial Cup tournament.

When he was with the Blades, Elliott, who is from Strathmore, Alta., was an extremely likeable person. He was someone you wanted to see succeed.

It was cool to see him post a dream conclusion to his CHL career. When Elliott became an OHL and Memorial Cup champion, it showed there are times that good things do indeed come to good people.

Habscheid back in WHL with Rebels, other notes

Marc Habscheid raises the Ed Chynoweth Cup on May 13, 2019.

Marc Habscheid is back in the WHL.

On Thursday, Red Deer Rebels general manager, president and owner Brent Sutter announced that Marc Habscheid had been hired as the team’s new head coach. Habscheid, 62, replaces Dave Struch, 54, who stepped down on May 9 for personal family reasons.

Habscheid last coached in the WHL as the head coach for the Prince Albert Raiders from November 1, 2014 to July 14, 2022. He guided the Raiders to first overall in the WHL’s regular season standings in 2018-19 and WHL championship in the 2019 post-season.

He proceeded to coach two seasons of professional hockey in Austria. Last season, Habscheid had surgery on both hips, travelled a lot and bought a house in Spain.

From 1997 to 2022, Habscheid served as a head coach in the WHL for 18 seasons with the Kamloops Blazers, Kelowna Rockets, Chilliwack Bruins, Victoria Royals and Raiders. He piled up 582 career wins in 1,166 regular season games coached. Habscheid’s wins and games coached total in the regular season rank as the sixth most in both departments in the history of the WHL.

In the WHL Playoffs, Habscheid posted 75 wins in 139 games coached. He guided the Rockets to a WHL championship in the 2002-03 season and a Memorial Cup title as the tournament’s host team in 2004.

Habscheid was named the WHL coach of the year twice in the 2002-03 and 2018-19 campaigns. He claimed honours as the CHL’s coach of the year for the 2002-03 season.

In 2024-25, the Rebels posted a 26-34-6-2 mark finishing ninth overall in the WHL’s Eastern Conference and 13 points back of the Swift Current Broncos (35-30-1-2) for eighth place and the final playoff berth in the conference.

Bringing Habscheid aboard was a huge addition for the Rebels. During his introductory press conference on Friday in Red Deer, Habscheid already started setting the steps to rally the people in the city and area around the team he is coaching, which is a characteristic he successfully accomplished in his past WHL stops.

“To win in the end, it doesn’t take just one player, one line, one coach, one trainer, one owner, it takes everybody, and that includes the city,” said Habscheid. “Everybody in Red Deer and area is important, if we’re going to win in the end and be successful.

“I want the city and the fans to know that they’re going to be a part of it, and we need their support.”

Sutter was pleased that Habscheid decided to join the Rebels.

“We coached against each other,” said Sutter. “We’ve both had success as coaches, and one thing that always stuck out with me that I kept going back to was I knew when I had to coach against him that his team was going to be very well prepared.

“I’m thrilled that ‘Habby’ wanted to be in Red Deer and wanted to coach the Red Deer Rebels. There’s an identity that we have here, and his teams played with the same identity.”

• During the Medicine Hat Tigers run to winning the WHL championship and falling in the title game of the Memorial Cup tournament, I loved the work that was put in covering that run by Tigers play-by-play voice Will Bryant and Medicine Hat News sportswriter James Tubb. Just to note, I listed them by last names in alphabetical order. Anyways, both did an outstanding job. I am also proud of the fact that in the 11 years since I left the Medicine Hat News and relocated to Saskatoon that the coverage and storytelling of the sports scene in “The Gas City” is in good hands.
• On Wednesday, it was announced the Prince Albert Raiders and Saskatoon Blades will open the 2025-26 campaign playing a home-and-home series against each other. The two sides go at it on Friday, September 19 at the storied and historic Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert and on Saturday, September 20 at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon.
• On Wednesday, it was announced the defending WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers will open their 2025-26 regular season hosting the Regina Pats on Saturday, September 20, at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat.
• On Thursday, 22-year-old forward Conner Roulette committed to playing for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Men’s Hockey Team starting with the 2025-26 campaign. Last season, Roulette played for the Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL, and he posted 17 goals, 17 assists and a plus-14 rating in the plus-minus department in 59 regular season games. From 2019 to 2024, Roulette played in 259 career WHL regular season contests with the Seattle Thunderbirds, Saskatoon Blades and Spokane Chiefs posting 118 goals, 170 assists and a plus-69 rating.

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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Fun was had in 2024 but chase element specter loomed

Carter Beck hits a triple for the cycle on August 10, 2024.

I had unique plans for my first idea for a look back post on 2024.

Originally, I wanted to put together a “the year in pictures” post taking inspiration from finding some old “the year in pictures” issues from Sports Illustrated. In what seems like the days of long ago, Sports Illustrated, when it was in its prime, used to put together magazines at the end of the year that contained picture highlights the publication’s photographers captured throughout the year.

Unfortunately or fortunately in some cases, my life calendar kept getting filled up, and that idea got pushed back until it never happened. As a result, this column is being typed out in instead on January 20, 2025.

Just to time stamp on what is happening in the world as I write this, it is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States. If you have been in Platform X on this day, you realize for some it is the day of anxiety fearing it is the rise of “The Galactic Empire” with Donald Trump being inaugurated as the President of the United States of America once again. Some others are celebrating this as one of the greatest moments in the history of the human race.

For myself, I am trying to determine if Elon Musk might actually be the de facto President of the United States of America and how his political influence might shape the world. He seems to want to have political influence in a few countries. Musk might ultimately for some end up being Emperor Palpatine and Trump might just be an apprentice.

The 1995 Sports Illustrated “The Year In Pictures.”

For now, that might end up being a discussion for another day.

Outside of doing posts for the Gordie Howe Sports Complex social media lines, I have stayed off social media today. That has become more of a welcome habit for me in 2024 and one I hope to continue in 2025.

Social media breaks have allowed me to accomplish more in my day. Throughout 2024, I’ve constantly needed more hours in my day.

This hasn’t been just a 2024 thing. Since the 2023 edition of the WHL Playoffs came to an end, I feel like I have been in chase mode with my schedule. I handle whatever priority comes up in that day, and I am playing catch up on various fronts.

Due to the fact the Saskatoon Blades played and won two straight seven-game series coming out of the gates in the 2023 WHL Playoffs, I was often catching up archiving photos from all the WHL post-season games I worked. I actually finished my catch up on that front days before the 2023-24 WHL campaign started.

In 2024, I was determined to not get far behind on that front. I felt I was constantly pushing things off as I caught up on photos, but I estimate the most I ever got behind was two weeks. I spent a lot of energy staying on top of things on that front.

On top of that, I felt like I was going from busy thing to busy thing. I went from covering WHL Playoffs to covering the end of Saskatoon Valkyries season as they won a fourth consecutive WWCFL title and a ninth league crown overall.

The Berries salute their faithful on August 13, 2024.

From there, the summer came around, and I found myself around the WCBL’s Saskatoon Berries more than I expected as they played their inaugural campaign. That bled right into the Saskatoon Hilltops CJFL season and the beginning of the 2024-25 WHL campaign.

Also on the football front, I think the high school football season is the most followed season on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex’s social media lines, so that kept my calendar occupied, because you knew eyes were looking for that content. I believe at least two or three independents were covering high school football with social media content, and everything that was put out on that front was viewed, which was great for high school football.

With the sports commitments, projects around the house I wanted to get to didn’t happen. I don’t have a load of lumber that has been sitting in the basement for three or four years waiting to be used for a home renovation like I know has happened to a lot of sports coaches and administrators.

I have more things I want to display and potentially sell on the collectables front. I also have things I just want to get out of the house like an old exercise bike that has had it and has been replaced. It is still sitting in the basement taking up space.

The Warriors celebrate winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup on May 15, 2024.

Even now, I am still chasing. I am hoping tonight I can finish editing and archiving photos from a WHL game between the Portland Winterhawks and Blades as I watch the NCAA football championship game between the Ohio State University Buckeyes and the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish. While I am chasing, I still think my catch up is getting done in a timely fashion, but there always seems to be more catch up to do.

Away from that chase, 2024 had lots of highlights.

One of my favourite moments of 2024 came on August 10 in Game 1 of the WCBL’s East Division final between the Saskatoon Berries and Moose Jaw Miller Express, which the Berries took 14-1. Berries centre-fielder Carter Beck went 4-for 5 at the plate with three runs batted in hitting for the cycle at Cairns Field.

For those not familiar with baseball terms, hitting for the cycle means a hitter collected a single, a double, a triple and a home run in one game. It is one of the most difficult statistical feats to accomplish in baseball.

Warriors fans celebrate their team’s WHL title win on May 15, 2024.

In that clash with the Express, Beck needed to hit the triple to complete the cycle. I went down the third base line hoping to get Beck pictured making a milestone hit.

I was pumped to get the shot of him connecting on the triple that allowed him to complete the cycle. It was the type of moment I might never shoot again in sports, so I will always remember getting that photo.

It also might sound strange, but I was more pumped for Berries team photographer Steve Hiscock for getting Beck’s celebration reaction after sliding into third base to get the triple to complete the cycle. 

Hiscock was positioned down the first base line, which meant between the two of us we had this moment locked down in the photo department. Beck turned towards the infield after his slide into third, which meant his back was to me during the celebration, but Hiscock perfectly had the whole front view of that moment.

The Express ultimately won the best-of-three series in three games.

The Valkyries celebrate a WWCFL title win on June 23, 2024.

Another big highlight was being in the Moose Jaw Events Centre, which is also known as “The Hangar,” on the night the Moose Jaw Warriors won their first WHL title on May 15. I always had a soft spot in my heart for Warriors fans, and it was cool to see them enjoy watching their Warriors win the WHL title and raise the Ed Chynoweth Cup at home.

I also lost my hearing temporarily for a short time at the end of the game because the 4,732 spectators in attendance made that much noise. The Warriors swept the best-of-seven final 4-0 against the Winterhawks and claimed Game 4 by a 4-2 final score, which meant the Warriors faithful got to relish the championship end result that was coming as the final seconds of the clock ticked away.

An even bigger highlight came after the contest. I was staying with long time friends Bill and Carole Harris, and Bill had an involvement with the Warriors dating back to their start in Moose Jaw in 1984. He also served as the team’s president for a time.

I wrote my game stories from their home after I returned from the rink. I was on the ice for two-and-a-half hours after the time expired on the clock doing interviews and getting photos of the celebration. When I got back to the Harris’s home, a celebration was going on there too.

Danielle Girolami makes a tackle for the Valkyries on June 23, 2024.

Whitney Harris, who was one of Bill and Carole’s sons, made it home to Moose Jaw from Calgary to watch the Warriors win the WHL title in person. Whitney was there along with a gathering of friends.

Before crafting my story, I visited for an hour and drank a couple of glasses of champagne to commemorate the moment. During that visit, it was so cool to see how happy Bill was.

He put a lot of time into that team, and it was special that he got to see them win the WHL title. That is a highlight I will always remember for the rest of my life.

The champagne corks were popped in Regina on June 23, 2024 when the Valkyries downed the host Riot 36-21 in the WWCFL Championship game. Sisters in receiver Haley and defensive back Danielle Girolami had big nights in that win.

With covering the WHL and work responsibilities at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, I didn’t get to see as much of the Valkyries season as I wanted. My focused coverage came when they started their playoff run.

Zane Litzenberger reacts to his winning TD catch on June 23, 2019.

When I made it to the field for practices and games, the Valkyries were happy I was there. I’ve covered them since 2015, and I have so many long lasting ties to that group. For me, they are family, and these championship moments never get old.

The fourth big sports moment for me I will never forget in 2024 came on November 9 of that year at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. On that day, the Prince Albert Carlton Comprehensive High School Crusaders won their first ever provincial title. In an all-time classic, the Crusaders got past Saskatoon’s Bishop James Mahoney High School Saints 35-34 to take the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association’s 5A championship.

With 72 seconds remaining in the contest, Crusaders star quarterback Sullivan Smith-Windsor hit standout receiver Zane Litzenberger on a five-yard slant pass for a touchdown that put the Prince Albert side up by the 35-34 final score. I lived in Prince Albert from 2001 to 2004 working as a sports writer for the Prince Albert Daily Herald, and it was amazing to see an iconic sports moment for that city play out.

There were tough times in 2024 too with the passing of my uncle Wally Chomitzky in March and the passing of long time friend, former Raiders business executive and Prince Albert community icon Bruce Vance. Those passings make me cherish the memories made with both that much more.

As I go forward in life, I don’t try and put expectations on things. As long time late Raiders head coach and hockey executive Donn Clark told me you have to play the cards that are dealt your way the best you can in life and do the best with what you can control.

The Crusaders raise the provincial championship trophy on Nov. 9, 2024.

With that said, more of a focus turns to seeing what 2025 brings.

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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Blog hiatus time has come again

A picture of myself on the ice surface after the Warriors WHL title win.

“I’m out of here, and I hope everyone has a happy Canada Day!”

At first, that was pretty much all I wanted to write for this post. I was going to leave a quick message that I was taking a break for the rest of July from producing content for this blog, and then I was just going to take off. I thought short and sweet would be good to do the job.

Since the world started to return to action in earnest about midway through 2021 from the shutdowns due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that gripped the world, it has become common to take July off when it comes to producing content for this blog.

Actually back in 2021, I took June and July off from producing content for this blog due to the fact it kept me on social media lines more than I wanted to be. It seemed at that time there was only toxic content on social media.

Now, taking a break in July has become the annual reprieve from producing content about the sports world. Of course, my focus is on the high level amateur circuits like the WHL, CJFL, WWCFL and U Sports.

With all the cuts in Canada’s media landscape, most of the country’s sports world doesn’t get covered outside the NHL, the MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays, the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, Canada’s three MLS teams, the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. 

Riece Kack celebrates a sack for the Hilltops on Oct. 29, 2023.

When it comes to covering Canada’s sports world, there is always something going on that deserves to be covered.

For me, it feels like you have to take your moments to disconnect yourself from all of that to get a break.

Last year when I took this break, I said I wasn’t going to do any side projects just to get a real break and that the only work commitments I planned to take care of are the ones with the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. That didn’t go as planned.

Following the 2023 WHL Playoffs, I had a tonne of photos to edit and archive from the games I covered. The backlog came from the fact the Saskatoon Blades started the post-season playing back-to-back seven game series. 

The first series was against Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats and the travel and the frequency of games over the first two rounds put me behind.

Combined with doing the things I regularly do, I finished archiving those photos pretty much days before the 2023-24 WHL campaign started.

During the 2024 WHL Playoffs, I was pretty maniacal ensuring photos got done. The only outstanding photos I have on my plate to finish off are from the Saskatoon Valkyries 36-21 WWCFL championship win over the host Regina Riot at Leibel Field on June 23.

The Warriors celebrate their WHL title win on May 15.

With how busy I’ve barely done any workouts since March. I haven’t gone on a long ride with my mountain bike since summer of 2022. Physically, I feel out of shape, and I am starting to get a pot belly, which is a first for me in my life.

I do have a special look back feature project coming up due for the middle of September, and I am still planning on how I will get that done. 

Also, I have to do my annual spring clean up with my car and a few other projects around the house that I need to get to that seem to be always there.

Actually to put it bluntly, I continued to hear continually over the past 12 months that I should be doing something else opposed to what I was actually doing at that time. 

If I was doing work in one spot, I should be doing work in another spot or taking care of something at home. I’ve accepted that is just how the way life is, and you have to be you not matter what.

The 2023-24 sports season was fun for me. The Saskatoon Hilltops winning their 23^rd CJFL title in November of 2023, the Moose Jaw Warriors winning their first WHL title in May and the Valkyries claiming their ninth WWCFL title including the last four consecutive in a row are the highlights.

The Valkyries feel the joy of winning the WWCFL title on June 23.

When the Warriors clinched WHL title at home on May 15 with a 4-2 win over the Portland Winterhawks in Game 4 of the WHL Championship Series, I have to give props to the 4,732 spectators that packed the Moose Jaw Events Centre, which is also known as “The Hanger,” for that game. When final seconds of that contest elapsed, the noise in the building was so loud I temporarily lost my hearing for a short time.

The first post-game scrum was with Warriors star captain Denton Mateychuk, and I didn’t hear a word he said. I fired in a couple of questions, and I could see he was giving a response. I only learned of his answers afterwards when I played the audio back in writing that game story.

I should also add I really enjoyed and cherished every moment I was in the rink covering the U Sports Women’s Hockey Championship tournament at Merlis Belsher Place in March for The Canadian Press and this blog. I got to see a lot of old friends I hadn’t seen in some time.

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies athletics program did an outstanding job hosting the tournament, and I hope they get to host it again. It felt like old times and great to be writing about the U of Saskatchewan Huskies Women’s Hockey Team more frequently again. Life after the COVID-19 pandemic has pulled me away from that spot.

I was super impressed with the Concordia University Stingers Women’s Hockey Team that would go on to win the U Sports title. I enjoyed the mix of skill and physicality that team has. Everyone with the Stingers was a pleasure to deal with, and you develop a soft spot in your heart for them.

The Huskies veteran players picture at U Sports nationals in March.

Anyways with those nuggets noted, it is time to sign off. I am sure August will roll around lightning fast, so I’ll see you all back on this blog then.

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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Valkyries continue to write great feel good story

Nine time WWCFL champs show sports at its best

The Valkyries celebrate with the WWCFL championship trophy.

The Saskatoon Valkyries have created a space where all feels right with the world.

Definitely, all feels right in the world of the powerhouse Western Women’s Canadian Football League club. The results on the field have certainly proven for that to be true.

On Sunday at Leibel Field in Regina, the Valkyries claimed their ninth WWCFL title downing their provincials rivals the Regina Riot 36-21 in the WWCFL Championship Game. The victory was the 33^rd in a row for the Saskatoon side that went 6-0 overall in 2024. The Valkyries last loss came way back on June 24, 2018 at Mosaic Stadium, when the host Riot claimed a 14-10 victory in that year’s WWCFL title game.

The Valkyries coaches pose with the WWCFL championship trophy.

For the second time in team history, the Valkyries have won four straight WWCFL titles. They took the league title in four straight seasons from 2011 to 2014, which were the first four campaigns of the WWCFL’s existence.

The Valkyries overcame a unique challenge in their current run of winning four consecutive WWCFL championships. The run started with a 25-3 WWCFL Championship Game victory over the Riot on June 29, 2019 at Mosaic Stadium.

Kelsey Murphy returns an interception for the Valkyries.

The 2020 and 2021 campaigns were lost due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that gripped the world. The Valkyries did manage to play a three-game exhibition series against the Riot in 2021 winning all three of those contests.

When the WWCFL returned to regular action, the title wins continued for the Valkyries. On June 25, 2022, the Valkyries downed the Manitoba Fearless 36-6 in the league title game at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Another WWCFL championship came on June 24, 2023 as the Valkyries blanked the Calgary Rage 40-0 in the league title contest held at Griffiths Stadium.

The roll kept going this past Sunday with the Valkyries most recent victory against the Riot.

Alex Wojcichowsky has been with the Valkyries since 2013.

Saskatoon’s success can be attributed to the togetherness of everyone on the club. In a current world where the word “division” has become the defining characteristic of society, the Valkyries provide a space where acceptance is the defining characteristic.

It is the place where the Christian Catholic, the person in a same sex relationship, the African-American, the individual from an Indigenous background, one with Asian cultural roots and various other defining cultures and characteristics all play together. On top of that, everyone becomes best friends and family.

Unfortunately in today’s world, it is becoming more common where some in those backgrounds don’t want you interacting with others outside of the group that defines your characteristics away from the game. In some spaces, those that do are considered very, very bad people.

Alex Eyolfson has played QB for the Valkyries since 2016.

The Valkyries provide the example of where sport can bring everyone together. The family feeling on the team is one of main things that keeps bringing a core group of players together to train during the times of the COVID-19 shutdowns when it wasn’t clear when the team would next play in a real game.

The storied Saskatoon club has hit a point in its history where players from the Valkyries inaugural campaign in 2011 are coaches with the club in co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Marci Halseth, defensive line coach Beth Thompson and linebackers coach Beth Lalonde. Jaime Lammerding, who also an original Valkyries player, is on the team’s board of directors overseeing fundraising, and Rienna Rueve, who joined the Valkyries in their second campaign in 2012, is a defensive backs coach.

Emmarae Dale has suited up at MLB for the Valkyries since 2016.

The players that were once kid youngsters starting their first years after high school graduation are now veteran leaders. That includes Alex Wojcichowsky who has continuously been with the team since 2013 playing centre through most of that time and also serving for a short stint as a trainer.

The list of those who were once youngsters and are now veterans includes defensive back and kick returner Kelsey Murphy, who has played with the Valkyries since 2014, and receiver Reed Thorstad and left tackle Alyssa Funk who have both suited up with the Saskatoon side since 2015.

Haley Girolami has made big plays for the Valkyries since 2019.

The 2016 class of newcomers included quarterback Alex Eyolfson, receiver Ricki Obed and middle linebacker Emmarae Dale. These days, it is hard to imagine any of those seven players were ever rookies, because they’ve all be standouts and stars on the squad for some time.

Also, current physiotherapist Jae Gorgchuk and massage therapist Lakyn Biberdorf were rookie players on that 2016 squad.

 Running back Sarah Wright and O-line standout Lauren Ferguson came to the Valkyries in 2017, defensive back Danielle Girolami first suited up in 2018, while physical defensive end Danaye Holynski and receiver Haley Girolami came on board in 2019.

Jaimyn Mantyka became the Valkyries starting safety in 2023.

Those players have helped guide the way for the newcomers who have joined the Valkyries since 2021 including Jackie Semple-Dyck, Kaylin O’Neill, Lexi Beuker, Julia Smith, Kelli Young, Marissa Glanville, Caitlyn Spurr, Teagan Craig, Jaimyn Mantyka, Arden Kliewer, Kennedy Mann, Jacey Harris, Grace Farthing, Emry Halbgewachs, Sydney Schenn, Brenanna Allegretto, Mykayla Laroque, Kate Boyer, Mackenzie Young and Halle Hindmarsh and a host of other players.

The Valkyries also welcomed back veterans in 2024 who had past good runs with the team in defensive backs Shaylyn De Jong and Phelycia Black and Shae Dixon on the D-line.

Saskatoon has also benefitted from having stability at the head coach position. Jeff Yausie, who is also the long time defensive coordinator of the CJFL’s venerable Saskatoon Hilltops, was the Valkyries head coach from the team’s inception in 2011 through to 2016.

Teagan Craig made big plays as a rookie running back this season.

Pat Barry joined the Valkyries as a position coach in 2014 and has served as the team’s head coach since 2017. The continuity at head coach has allowed the family feeling culture on the Valkyries to continue and allows for consistency in the schemes and strategies the team uses on the field.

Also, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Wyatt Carleton usually gives some of the best pump up talks and speeches.

While there might seemingly be chaos in the world away from the game, the Valkyries continue to provide an uplifting spot for female players that want to continue or give tackle football a try. Another spinoff is a number of the Valkyries players give back coaching minor football in the community helping to bring their positive culture influence to that level of the game.

Rookie LB Jacey Harris enjoys her first WWCFL title win.

The Valkyries championship success on the field comes from all these numerous things taking place behind the scenes that builds a great forward momentum. When they capture another WWCFL championship, it really does feel for a short time in that moment that all is right with the world.

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Girolami sisters power Valkyries to WWCFL championship

Saskatoon wins fourth straight league crown, ninth overall

The Valkyries raise the WWCFL championship trophy for a ninth time.

REGINA, Sask. - If the Reklaws were in town, they would be singing “Long Live The Night” for the Saskatoon Valkyries and the Girolami sisters.

On  CFL home opening Sunday in Regina, most in the Saskatchewan capital were whooping up a 36-20 victory by the Roughriders over the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Mosaic Stadium.

Out on the southeast corner of town, the Valkyries were putting up highlights at Leibel Field that would first perfectly for a music video of the hit tune by the Canadian country duo that has become a theme song for Canada’s storied professional football Loop. Taking on their provincial rivals in the host Regina Riot in the WWCFL Championship Game, the Valkyries stormed out to a 26-0 lead at halftime and would prevail 36-21.

The Valkyries celebrate their WWCFL title win.

Sisters Haley and Danielle Girolami combined for three touchdowns in the Valkyries’ first half surge that pretty much sunk the Riot. Haley caught two touchdown passes, with one starting the scoring in the first half and the second concluding the scoring in the first half.

In between Haley’s scores, Danielle, who is standout defensive back, returned an interception for a touchdown for the Saskatoon side.

With Sunday’s win in the books, the Valkyries have now won the last four consecutive league titles. They finished the 2024 campaign with a 6-0 overall record, while the Riot finished out at 3-3 overall.

The Valkyries DBs poses with the WWCFL championship trophy.

“It feels so good,” said Haley. “I honestly don’t even know what to say.

“It feels so good to win four in a row. It feels super good.

“Our team is just amazing.”

“Obviously, I think this one was pretty special,” said Danielle. “When you can go four in a row, and I have my sister beside me and my cousin (Valkyries safety Jaimyn Mantyka) beside me, so it is kind of a whole family affair.

Haley Girolami (#17) secures her first of two TD catches on Sunday.

“I can’t complain. This one feels pretty good.”

Saskatoon has won nine WWCFL championships overall dating back to the circuit’s start in 2011.

The Valkyries also pushed their overall winning streak out to 33 games. Saskatoon’s last loss came way back on June 24, 2018 at Mosaic Stadium, when the host Riot claimed a 14-10 victory in that year’s WWCFL title game.

Before Sunday’s clash, the two clubs last met in the WWCFL title game on June 29, 2019 at Mosaic Stadium. The Valkyries took that encounter 25-3 in a campaign where they were playing to honour the memory of their late defensive position coach Justin Filteau, who passed away in a plane crash on June 1 of that same year.

Danielle Girolami returned an interception for a TD on Sunday.

Sunday’s contest started 35 minutes late due to lightning flashes in the area. When it came time to kick off after the delay, the clouds in the sky above Leibel Field cleared up leaving a strong wind blowing from south to north of the facility.

The Valkyries had the game’s first possession and put together a long drive against the wind that stalled on a third-and-one gamble at the Riot 18 yard line. The Riot countered with a short drive with the wind that stalled when the hosts failed to convert a third-and-three gamble giving the ball up on their own 49 yard line.

The visitors proceeded to drive the 49 yards down the field, and that series was capped with Valkyries star quarterback Alex Eyolfson hitting Haley Girolami with a 10-yard touchdown pass down the right sidelines for a 7-0 lead.

The Valkyries defence gang tackles Riot R Bethany O’Toole.

“We knew we had to come out early and come out strong,” said Haley. “Just to set the tone early, I think it just gives the team energy, and we took the momentum from there.”

Saskatoon took the 7-0 edge into the second quarter. At the 2:04 mark of the second quarter, Valkyries kicker Grace Moehler nailed a 29 field goal with the wind to push Saskatoon’s lead out to 10-0.

Just a little over three minutes later, Danielle Girolami made a huge play that gave the Valkyries command of the contest for the rest of the night. With the Riot pinned deep in their own end, Danielle intercepted Regina star quarterback Aimee Kowalski and ran the ball back 10 yards for a touchdown to give the Valkyries a 17-0 advantage.

Aimee Kowalski was named the game MVP for the Riot.

“They just ran an out, and I was lucky enough that when I went to kind of block it, it just popped up right into my hand,” said Danielle. “Thankfully, I was nice and close to the end zone, so I got to run it in.

“It was pretty exciting. It was my first pick six of the career, so I can’t complain.”

A short time later, the Riot were pinned again in their own end forcing the hosts to concede a safety, which increased the Valkyries lead to 19-0.

With 22 second remaining before halftime, the Valkyries added another dagger, when Eyolfson hit Haley Girolami with another 10-yard touchdown pass to give the visitors their 26-0 lead at halftime.

The Valkyries celebrate a second TD catch from Haley Girolami.

Valkyries head coach Pat Barry was pleased to see the Girolami sisters come through with three major scores.

“They’re great people,” said Barry. “They come from a great family.

“Haley and Danny, I’m big fans of theirs. I’m just so pleased that they are on our team. I hope they continue for many years.”

At the 5:04 mark of the third quarter, Moehler nailed a 23 yard field goal with the win to push the Valkyries advantage out to 29-0.

The Riot proceeded to get on the scoreboard with 3:37 remaining in the third quarter, when Kowalski hit receiver Jocelyn King-McGillivary with a seven yard touchdown pass to trim the Valkyries edge to 29-7.

Danielle Girolami makes a tackle for the Valkyries.

With the wind in the fourth quarter, any hopes the Riot had of making a miraculous comeback were dashed about seven minutes into the frame. The hosts muffed a punt return deep in their end of the field, which the Valkyries recovered on the Regina one yard line.

Running a wildcat formation, Valkyries star running back Sarah Wright took a direct snap and would hit star middle linebacker Emmarae Dale, who was lined up as a tight end, for a one-yard touchdown toss to put the Valkyries up 36-7 with 7:43 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Riot closed out the contest with Kowalski scoring a pair of one-yard touchdowns on quarterback sneaks to round out the 36-21 final score in favour of the Valkyries. On the first major with 2:28 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Riot failed to score a two-point conversion, when a Kowalski pass fell incomplete.

Alex Eyolfson threw two touchdown passes for the Valkyries.

On the second major with 20 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the Riot scored a two-point conversion, when Kowalski connected on a pass to King-McGillivary.

After the Valkyries ran out the rest of the clock with a pair of kneel downs after recovering a Riot onside kick attempt, Barry was pumped his squad captured a fourth consecutive WWCFL title.

“It is so sweet,” said Barry. “I talked to the players before the game to go out and do something remarkable today, and I think they did.

“To win four championships in a row is incredibly rare. I’ve never been a part of anything like this before. I’m so happy and so proud of these players.”

The Valkyries celebrate a TD catch from Emmarae Dale.

The Valkyries earned a spot in the WWCFL final by routing the Manitoba Fearless 48-14 in a WWCFL semifinal at home last Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. One day earlier, the Riot claimed the other WWCFL semifinal blanking the host Calgary Rage 29-0 on the road at Cochrane High School in Cochrane, Alta.

In the Valkyries WWCFL title win over the Riot at Leibel Field, veteran defensive back Kelsey Murphy had an interception for Saskatoon.

Defensive back Kat Neigum had a pair of interceptions for the Riot, while defensive back Keilyn Howie had a single interception.

Haley Girolami (#17) was the Valkyries game MVP.

Haley Girolami was named the game MVP for the Valkyries. Kowalski took game MVP honours for the Riot.

The Valkyries also won four straight WWCFL titles in the circuit’s first four years of existence from 2011 to 2014. The Girolami sisters helped the Valkyries win all of their current run of four straight WWCFL championship victories with Haley joining the Valkyries in 2019 and Danielle becoming part of the team in 2018.

Both were overjoyed to help the Valkyries win four straight WWCFL crowns.

“It just feels so good,” said Haley. “It is more special, because it is a family.

“We are with our family, and it is the best team you could imagine in the world.”

The Valkyries soak in a fourth straight WWCFL championship.

“My very first year was the first year we lost,” said Danielle. “Obviously, it was not a great feeling, but to go and win and just continue that and to make it four in a row, I don’t really have any words to say how good it feels, and how excited I am for this team.

“I’m just pumped, speechless.”

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Last dance in 2024 for Valkyries versus Riot rivalry

Provincial foes go at it for WWCFL championship

Alex Eyolfson, right, calls a play in the huddle for the Valkyries.

Alex Eyolfson believes it is fitting the WWCFL season will end with a clash between her Saskatoon Valkyries and the Regina Riot.

Since the start of the WWCFL in 2011, the Valkyries and Riot have had the circuit’s biggest and most storied rivalry. The two sides go at it one last time in the 2024 campaign in the WWCFL Championship Game being held on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at Leibel Field in Regina.

“They’re always our rivals,” said Eyolfson, who is the Valkyries star quarterback. “We expect this us and Regina.

“We just prepare hard, and we’ve prepared all season. We’re just excited, and we’re really excited for Sunday night to play them.”

The Valkyries enter the contest with a 5-0 overall record, while the Riot are 3-2 overall. Saskatoon took both regular season meetings between the two sides. On April 28, the Valkyries down the Riot 19-6 at Leibel Field, and Saskatoon rolled to a 41-7 victory at Saskatoon Minor Football Field on May 18.

The Valkyries will be trying to win a fourth consecutive WWCFL title and to keep their 32 game winning streak alive too when they face the Riot. Saskatoon’s last loss came way back on June 24, 2018 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, when the host Riot claimed a 14-10 victory in that year’s WWCFL title game.

The two clubs last met in the WWCFL title game on June 29, 2019 at Mosaic Stadium. The Valkyries took that encounter 25-3 in a campaign where they were playing to honour the memory of their late defensive position coach Justin Filteau, who passed away in a plane crash on June 1 of that same year.

“It has been a long time since we played a championship game in Regina,” said Valkyries head coach Pat Barry. “That (2019 WWCFL championship season) was an emotional year for us.

Aimee Kowalski (#12) passed for 1,093 yards in the regular season.

“It is exciting to be in this situation again. There are only a couple of teams in the country still playing, and they both happen to be from Saskatchewan. That is pretty exciting, and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

Eyolfson is one of a strong group of core players that was with the Valkyries in 2019. While they’ve experienced sizable turnover since that 2019 season, the signal caller said the veterans continue to keep Filteau’s memory alive and pass along memories to the team’s newcomers.

“We always play for Filteau,” said Eyolfson. “He is always in our hearts.

“This one, I think we just try and treat every final kind of the same. We’ve prepared all season so well. We’re just coming with lots of energy, and we’re just so excited.

“It is always a big deal.”

Last Sunday, the Valkyries routed the Manitoba Fearless 48-14 in a WWCFL semifinal at SMF Field. One day earlier, the Riot claimed the other WWCFL semifinal blanking the host Calgary Rage 29-0 at Cochrane High School in Cochrane, Alta.

Eyolfson believes her squad is climbing to a spot where everyone is peaking. She said the Valkyries were pleased with their semifinal win over the Fearless.

“I think we just want to build on that game, and we really came together as an offence,” said Eyolfson. “We had a couple of rocky games this season.

Reed Thorstad (#12) is a sure-handed pass catchers for the Valkyries.

“We’re just building on last game. We’re just practicing really hard, and we’re coming together. I think we are going to peak, hopefully, in the final. Our best is yet to come.”

Barry believes the Valkyries are in a good place on all fronts heading into the WWCFL championship game.

“We’re pretty healthy knock on wood,” said Barry. “We’ve got some experienced players.

“We’ve got some young players who are making big efforts for us, and it is really exciting to see.”

During the Valkyries four regular season games, Eyolfson completed 71-of-114 passes for 899 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. Wright has had a big season for the Valkyries carrying the ball 60 times for 326 yards.

Haley Girolami topped the Valkyries with 320 receiving yards coming off 19 catches. Reed Thorstad led the Saskatoon side with 24 catches that went for 291 yards.

Riot star quarterback Aimee Kowalski completed 104-of-184 passes for 1,093 yards and eight touchdowns, while throwing three interceptions in the regular season. 

Star receiver Shanelle Rioux had an outstanding campaign for the Riot hauling in 35 passes for 570 yards and six touchdowns.

The two squads were near even in total offensive yards in the regular season with the Valkyries posting 1,446 yards and the Riot collecting 1,442 yards. Defensively, the Valkyries gave up just 805 total yards in the regular season, while the Riot allowed 1,371 yards.

Riot R Shanelle Rioux (#16) battles Valkyries DB Jaimyn Mantyka.

Outside linebacker Sydney Schenn, who played a three game exhibition series for the Riot in 2021 before joining the Valkyries in 2022, is pumped her Saskatoon side gets to see the Riot once again.

“It is exciting, because it is a big rivalry,” said Schenn. “I came from there too, so it is really exciting.

“It is always a big week to play against them just to play against old teammates and really show what our preparation can do.”

Eyolfson said the Valkyries have a good mix of veterans and newcomers this season. The mix keeps the Valkyries driving forward.

“There is so much talent on our whole team,” said Eyolfson. “With offence, we have so many options to go to.

“If someone is not open, someone else will be. I have so much trust in our receivers and my o-line and Sarah (Wright) and Teagan (Craig) and all the running backs and Drew (Lundquist). I have trust in everyone, and it is just exciting to see all the talent we have.”

The signal caller said her squad has the right type of confidence too heading into the WWCFL title clash with the Riot.

“If we execute and we’ve prepped so hard this season this week just going in and doing what we do best it should be our game,” said Eyolfson. “You have to stay grounded too.

OLB Sydney Schenn has become a Valkyries standout on defence.

“I think it should be a good game. It will be exciting.”

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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