Laroque takes unique sports path to Valkyries

Saskatoon hosts WWCFL final against Calgary on Saturday

Mykayla Laroque has settled at DB with the Valkyries.

A long and winding road from wrestling with a stop in cheerleading brought Mykayla Laroque to football with the Saskatoon Valkyries.

Laroque, who graduated with her education degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 2022, had been coaching with the wrestling team at Marion Graham Collegiate for five years and coach the wrestling team at Centennial Collegiate one year prior. In June of 2022, she was given The SSSAD Spirit of Service Award for her involvement with athletics at Marion Graham.

Prior to being a coach, Laroque was a member of Centennial’s wrestling team for her four years in high school leading to her graduation in June of 2017. While coaching wrestling this past season, the 23-year-old got the itch to be an athlete once again.

“I was coaching and then I realized I just kind of missed being around a team that I could play on and contact sports a little bit,” said Laroque. “I thought, ‘Why not football.’

“I had been interested in it in high school. For me, it wasn’t really an option. It was mostly guys’ teams.

“There weren’t a lot of girls involved in football, so I stuck with the wrestling side of things. I decided to branch out finally.”

Laroque also had the urge to play tackle football when she was a member of the Saskatoon Hilltops Cheerleading Team in 2018 and 2019. In both those campaigns, she got to see the Hilltops football team win CJFL titles and had an urge to be on the football field as a player.

“I would definitely say that being on the sidelines as a former Hilltop cheerleader did kind of ignite that,” said Laroque. “I miss being in the contact sports, being on the field and being a little bit more aggressive.

“Cheer was a wonderful, wonderful experience. Then, I just kind of watched the football and got really into it and decided that maybe in the future when I settle my education stuff a little bit it would be something I’d be interested in.”

Laroque joined the Valkyries this season as they embarked on a quest to win three consecutive WWCFL titles. She found a home at defensive back and played all the way as a rookie on defence this past Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, when the Valkyries downed their provincial rivals the Regina Riot 19-9 in the Prairie Conference Championship Game. Laroque picked up two solo tackles and a pass knockdown in the win.

Mykayla Laroque (#83) hangs behind Valkyries HC Pat Barry.

Looking back at that outing, Laroque kind of graded her play from the view of a coach.

“It was tiring,” said Laroque. “It took a lot of effort, energy and at points sometimes the mental overrides the physical a little bit more in those situations.

“I would definitely say that it took a really big defensive effort and offensive effort on everything and supporting each other as a group. Hearing the cheering on the sidelines from the ‘O’ and then cheering on the ‘O’ from the sidelines just that big team effort really helps on that.”

With the win, the Valkyries advanced to face the Calgary Rage in the WWCFL title game, which Saskatoon hosts on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium on the University of Saskatchewan campus. The Valkyries were 4-0 in regular season play and sport a 7-0 mark overall, while the Rage were 3-0 in the regular season and 4-1 overall.

Playing in the league’s championship game will be another new experience for Laroque, and it is one she wants to soak in being a part of.

“It is an unreal experience,” said Laroque. “(There are) a lot emotions obviously.

“I am nervous, excited, ready and just having my teammates’ support 120 per cent, having that close knit bond really helps.”

Valkyries head coach Pat Barry has been a wrestling coach for a lengthy stretch. When Laroque decided to join the Valkyries, Barry was curious to see what she could do in football.

“I knew her from wrestling, because I’ve coached wrestling for many years,” said Barry. “I’ve seen her around in wrestling circles as an athlete, and of course, as a coach now with her being in education.

“I was excited to see her come out to our winter practices. She is a positive person, and she does a lot of things well. She has learned the position of DB.

“We’ve kind of thrown her into the fire, and she has done well.”

Mykayla Laroque will play in her first WWCFL final on Saturday.

Barry said Laroque has picked up things quickly and was impressed with her improvement as the season has progressed.

“It is a significant amount,” said Barry about Laroque’s improvement. “I don’t think she has ever played tackle football before.

“To have someone come on to our team which is pretty veteran in a lot of places to come in and compete and contribute like she has, it is exciting for our coaching staff.”

Laroque said there are skills she learned in wrestling transferred over to football.

“I would say the tackling side of things,” said Laroque. “It is a little bit like a double leg (take down), if you look at it that way.

“I definitely say certain intensities, training hard, staying focused and both are really mental sports. Engaging the physical side and the mental side is something that I would say is the cross over definitely between the two.”

She also received extra motivation to join Valkyries after seeing one of her former Hilltops Cheerleading teammates suit up for the WWCFL powerhouse in Breanna Allegretto. Allegretto played really well substituting on to the offensive line helping the Valkyries win their seventh WWCFL title in team history last season.

Allegretto didn’t return to the Valkyries this season as she is starting a family with former Hilltops star centre Luciano Jolly.

“I did definitely see her play, and it did kind of persuade me kind of a little bit seeing one of my former cheer teammates out there getting in there,” said Laroque. “I would definitely say that she had a big impact on me getting out to the Valkyries.”

Once she was with the Valkyries, Laroque said her teammates have gone the extra mile to bring her into the group. That has provided a big lasting memory for the entire 2023 campaign.

“It was really different, but the energy was amazing,” said Laroque. “The ladies were really, really welcoming the second I walked into the change room.

Mykayla Laroque (#83) does a break down with her teammates.

“I was greeted with smiles, introductions, and they made sure that I felt comfortable and understood what I was doing taking the time to explain things. They were just taking that extra time helping me out on little things here and there or walking me through things with the help of the coaches as well. That was really, really awesome.”

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Defence delivers in clutch time for Valkyries

Saskatoon advances to WWCFL final with 19-9 win over Regina

Valkyries MLB Emmarae Dale takes down Riot R Shanelle Rioux.

The Saskatoon Valkyries lived out the cliché that “defence wins championships” on Sunday.

Taking are their provincial rivals the Regina Riot at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Valkyries took a 19-0 lead into the fourth quarter in the WWCFL’s Prairie Conference Championship game. With a strong wind at their backs, the Riot trimmed the Valkyries advantage to 19-9 with 4:30 remaining in the frame.

The Valkyries defence shut the door at that point to make the 19-9 score to hold up as the game’s final outcome and allowed the Saskatoon side to claim the conference title. The Valkyries advance and will host the WWCFL Championship game this coming Saturday against the Calgary Rage at 2 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan.

Valkyries MLB Emmarae Dale chases down Riot QB Aimee Kowalski.

“That was a really fun game honestly,” said Valkyries star middle linebacker Emmarae Dale, who led her squad with 10.5 total tackles in the contest. “I think we even kind of expected them to come out like that.

“We knew that they were going to get better. At the end of the season, everybody has made their tweaks. That was a big game for us defensively for sure.

“I think we stepped up in the ways that we needed to. We luckily were able to hold on at the end, so that was a really big game for us to kind of jell as a unit. I’m excited to go forward for the final.”

Danaye Holynski (#55) and Emry Halbgewachs (#52) team up on a sack.

The Valkyries built a 15-0 lead at halftime and saw their advantage increase to 19-0 in the third quarter after the Riot conceded a pair of safeties due to bad field position. While the Valkyries were seemingly in control on the scoreboard, their offence had stalled out in the second half.

In the fourth quarter, the Riot offensive unit started to get some confidence. With 7:12 remaining in the fourth quarter, Riot star quarterback Aimee Kowalski hit shifty receiver Shanelle Rioux on an intermediate route.

Rioux proceeded to juke her way past a host of Valkyries defenders on her way to a 37-yard catch and run touchdown play to cut the host side’s lead to 19-7.

Valkyries DT Carla Stevenson tackles Riot RB Bethany O’Toole.

The Riot proceeded to recover an onside kick. The Valkyries defence stopped the Riot offence on the ensuing series forcing a punt.

With 4:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Valkyries conceded a safety due to be trapped in bad field position trimming their advantage to 19-9.

On their ensuing series, the Riot drove to the Valkyries 35-yard line, where they turned the ball over on downs. Regina had one last series on offence, but turned the ball over on downs at the Valkyries 50-yard line with less than 40 seconds remaining on the clock.

Valkyries DB Sydney Beaudette stops Riot QB Aimee Kowalski.

As the Riot were out of timeouts, the Valkyries were able to run out the clock with kneel downs to finalize the 19-9 outcome in their favour.

“It is hard to beat a team three times in row,” said Valkyries head coach Pat Barry. “We mentioned that to our team a lot, and it came true today.

“Regina is a good football team, one of the best teams in the country, and they are well coached. They were prepared. We are happy with the win.

“We have a lot of things to fix up for next weekend.”

Valkyries star running back Sarah Wright said there were some nerves once the Riot got a touchdown, but she was confident her team’s defence was going to shut the door at that point.

Sarah Wright (#88) runs in a touchdown from two yards out.

“There were nerves a little bit, but honestly, we have the best defence in Canada I would say,” said Wright. “We always have our faith in them, and they always come out on top.

“We can always rely on them.”

Dale was proud of how her defensive unit rebounded after Rioux made her long touchdown reception.

“Those are the moments in a football game that are do or die,” said Dale. “You have to step up.

“Either you break from the pressure, or you do step up and make magic happen kind of thing. It was intense. It was nice to actually have a look like that in the season.

Sarah Wright carried the ball 23 times for 131 yards and two TDs.

“I think it was good to see that our defence can step up to that kind of pressure and those kinds of situations. We were able to adapt and handle it.”

The defences on both sides ruled the first quarter of Sunday’s contest as the game was scoreless after 15 minutes of play.

Just 59 seconds into the second quarter, Wright ran home a score from two yards out on a toss play to the right side of the field to give the Valkyries a 7-0 lead.

With 6:20 remaining in the second quarter, the Valkyries inched their lead up to 8-0 from a single on a 29-yard missed field goal attempt from kicker/receiver Grace McCorriston.

Shanelle Rioux caught 8 passes for 88 yards and one TD.

The Valkyries pushed their advantage out to 15-0 with 3:12 remaining in the second quarter, when Wright ran a toss play to the right side of the field into the end zone on a long 46-yard romp. Wright had a huge day on offense leading her team in both rushing and receiving yards.

On the ground, Wright ran the ball 23 times for 131 yards to go with her two rushing majors. Through the air, she caught three passes for 45 yards.

“We were just taking our holes hard,” said Wright, whose squad closed the regular season blanking the Riot in Regina 41-0 on June 4. “We knew that they would watch film on us.

“We knew that us showing a lot in our other Regina game in Regina they would come for us. We had to make minor adjustments, and those worked for us too.”

The Valkyries begin celebrating their conference title win.

After Wright’s long touchdown run to put the Valkyries up 15-0, that set things up where the Valkyries defence rose to the occasion to seal victory for the Saskatoon side.

Between both the regular season and post-season, the Valkyries improved to 6-0. The Riot finished out with a 3-3 record in combined action in the regular season and post-season.

Valkyries star quarterback Alex Eyolfson completed 12-of-25 passes for 119 yards and carried the ball once for 23 yards. Kowalski completed 18-of-40 passes for 166 yards and one touchdown and carried the ball three times for 22 yards.

Riot players hug after falling in the Prairie Conference final.

Rioux caught eight passes for 88 yards to go with her receiving major for Regina.

Defensive end Danaye Holynski had a pair of sacks for the Valkyries, while defensive end Emry Halbgewachs had a single sack for the Saskatoon side.

Linebacker Emilie Belanger topped the Riot with 10.5 total tackles.

Now, the Valkyries will turn their attention towards the Rage, who have a 4-0 record between both the regular season and post-season. The Valkyries go into that contest having won their last 26 games overall including two forfeit victories, and they will be looking to win a third straight WWCFL title.

“It feels really, really good,” said Dale. “It will be my first chance with the Valks for an attempt at a three-peat.

The Valkyries receive the Prairie Conference championship trophy.

“I’m really, really excited to try that. We’re all just going to keep trying to keep ourselves healthy as much as we can, but I think we are all very, very excited. We can’t wait.

“We’re excited to see what Calgary comes out with.”

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Wenatchee biggest winner in Ice off-ice saga in WHL

The Ice celebrate a goal in Game 1 of the WHL final on May 12.

The Winnipeg Ice are no more and the Wenatchee Wild era has begun.

On Friday, the WHL announced that the Winnipeg Ice franchise was sold to David and Lisa White of the Shoot the Puck Foundation. The Shoot the Puck Foundation is a non-profit organization based in California. The franchise has relocated to Wenatchee, which is located in the state of Washington in the United States.

The Whites through the Shoot the Puck Foundation own the junior A Wenatchee Wild franchise that had played in the British Columbia Hockey League since 2015. The Wild won the Fred Page Cup as BCHL champions in the 2017-18 campaign and the Doyle Cup as the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s Pacific region champion.

The Wild appeared in the Canadian Junior A national championship tournament in 2018 known at the time as the Royal Bank Cup, which was held at Prospera Centre in Chilliwack, B.C. Wenatchee posted a 2-2 record in round robin play and fell in a tournament semifinal 2-1 to the Wellington Dukes from Ontario.

Wenatchee was the only U.S. centre to have a team playing in the BCHL.

With the purchase of the Ice WHL franchise, the Whites own what was once Winnipeg’s membership in the major junior circuit. A relocation of a franchise was executed without the use of any moving trucks.

Zach Benson in action for the Ice in the WHL final on May 13.

The Wild as an entity will be promoted up from junior A to major junior. As part of the WHL, they will play in the U.S. Division that will now have six teams.

The division will provide the Wild instantly with four in-state rivals in the Everett Silvertips, the Seattle Thunderbirds, the Spokane Chiefs and the Tri-City Americans. The Portland Winterhawks, who have been one of the circuit’s elite clubs for the past 14 seasons, round out the U.S. Division.

The Wild hockey operations and business staff that is already in place will now operate the club in the WHL. The hockey operations staff is under the direction of general manager Bliss Littler, and Chris Clark is the club’s head coach and assistant general manager. After the announcement that Wenatchee was in the WHL was made, the Wild on Friday put up job postings for a full-time athletic trainer and a full-time equipment manager.

Wenatchee will play out of the Town Toyota Centre that has a seating capacity of 4,300.

The Ice roster and protected list is transferred to the Wild. The fate of the Wild’s BCHL franchise is still to be determined outside of the fact the BCHL said it won’t operate in 2023-24.

As for the players that were part of the Wild’s junior A roster, BCHL commissioner Steve Cocker told Castanet on Friday there won’t be a dispersal draft and the players are now free agents.

Matthew Savoie in action for the Ice in the WHL final in May 12.

As of June 1, the BCHL began governing its teams outside of Hockey Canada’s system. With the departure of Wenatchee, the BCHL has 17 teams all operating in British Columbia. It hasn’t been addressed if the BCHL’s decision to leave Hockey Canada’s system played a part in the Wild owners electing to leave that circuit for the WHL.

While the community of Wenatchee was the biggest winner in this development, it wasn’t a positive development on a tonne of other fronts. If you check out social media on Friday and Saturday, you can find a boatload of disappointment and hurt feelings over the sale of the Ice franchise.

In the 2010s, the WHL pursued a vision of having a team in each capital city in Western Canada. That vision was realized when the Ice franchise under the ownership of 50 Below Sports + Entertainment Incorporated headed up by Greg Fettes and Matt Cockell began playing at the 1,600 seat Wayne Fleming Arena on the University of Manitoba campus at the start of the 2019-20 campaign.

Fettes served as the Ice’s governor, and Cockell was the club’s president, general manager and alternate governor.

The Ice franchise had been relocated from Cranbrook, B.C., where the club was known as the Kootenay Ice. The Ice franchise was sold to Fettes and Cockell on April 27, 2017 by the Chynoweth family.

Carson Lambos in action for the Ice in the WHL final on May 12.

Fettes and Cockell moved the Ice to Winnipeg with the promise they would be able to build a new arena for the team to play in that was up to WHL standards.

The Ice put out a statement by Fettes on Friday and part of that statement regarding building a new arena said, “Unfortunately, we were just never able to get the project on solid footing due to the changing landscape (during and post-pandemic). Simply put, we ran out of time.”

While there has been criticism Fettes and Cockell took the WHL for a ride, it is possible to say it was true the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that gripped the world causing massive shutdowns in March of 2020 caused any efforts to build a WHL sized arena that would seat 4,500 to 5,000 spectators to go up in flames.

If anyone has seen the news cycle, stories on economic inflation dominate it, so anyone who lives in reality knows the chances of getting the funding together to build a new WHL size rink in Winnipeg were remote. It is safe to say Fettes and Cockell don’t have those types of assets in the bank to build a rink on their own.

Still, how the WHL’s situation played out in Winnipeg will invite heaps of criticism, and the criticism is deserved. The WHL does come out of this saga sporting a look that it got suckered.

Gregg Drinnan, who is still the all-time dean of WHL sportswriters, took a deep dive on his Taking Note blog of the many levels of how ugly the Ice saga is, and that piece can be found by clicking right here. He could probably wrote a longer piece than he did, and that is crazy to think about.

HC James Patrick mans the Ice bench in the WHL final on May 12.

While the Ice were a mess off-ice with their arena situation, the Ice’s on ice product was far from a mess. In fact, the Ice were one of the WHL’s best teams on ice in the four seasons they played in Winnipeg posting a 166-49-6-2 mark in regular season play.

In 2021-22, the Ice topped the WHL’s regular season standings with a 53-10-3-2 mark and advanced to the WHL’s Eastern Conference Championship Series falling in five games to the eventual league champion Edmonton Oil Kings. This past season, the Ice again topped the WHL’s regular season standings with a 57-10-1 mark and advanced to the WHL Championship Series falling in five games to the Thunderbirds.

If you were able to travel to Winnipeg, you would have found out the Ice developed a following. On the coverage priority of the local sports media, the Ice were buried well behind the NHL’s Jets, the CFL’s Blue Bombers and the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.

While the majority of the attention was on those three professional teams, it is a disservice to say the Ice had no fans in Winnipeg. They had a fan following, and that fan following got burned.

Ice head coach James Patrick is one of top first class hockey guys you will find in hockey. He is now living in his hometown without a team to coach. If the Jets do decide to go in the direction of a total rebuild, Patrick would be a perfect candidate for a potential future new head coach in a start over scenario.

Fans watch the Ice play in Winnipeg in the WHL final on May 12.

The Ice had good people on their hockey operations and business staff, and now they will all be out of work.

The Ice players will still have a chance to play in the WHL, but now they have to adjust to a new community.

The community of Cranbrook, which was home to the Ice from 1998 to 2019, still feels burned by the WHL. The Ice were successful for most of their years in Cranbrook having won WHL championships in 2000, 2002 and 2011 and the Memorial Cup as CHL champions in 2002.

During the Ice’s final season in Cranbrook in 2018-19, they finished last in average attendance in the WHL averaging 2,214 spectators per game for their 34 regular season home dates, but there were people there who still felt the team could turn around and experience brighter days again in that community.

In October and November of 2015, there was a local based group in Cranbrook that talked to Chynoweth family about possibly purchasing the Ice, but nothing came out of those talks. It is likely failure of that attempt to purchase the team and keep it in Cranbrook hurt some in the community there.

Jeff Chynoweth, who oversaw the Ice’s operations, and his family began trying to sell the Ice in 2011 and the team stayed for sale until the deal was reached with Fettes and Cockell in April of 2017. It should be noted that Cranbrook is a tourist industry town and the Chynoweth family was faced with the constant task of reintroducing the game to new fans during the Ice’s time in that centre.

Daniel Hauser in action for the Ice in the WHL final on May 12.

Life also changed for the Chynoweth family with the passing of patriarch Ed Chynoweth in April of 2008. Ed played an instrumental role as a builder in the history of the WHL. Ed’s passing and the unique challenges to marketing the team in Cranbrook had Jeff and his family looking to get out of the WHL ownership game.

Still, there were a lot of Ice supporters in Cranbrook who hold ill will toward Jeff Chynoweth over when his family sold the Ice.

Along with that, the City of Cranbrook has a lawsuit against the Winnipeg Ice and the WHL that is still before the courts regarding the arena deal the Ice had with the B.C. centre that was to run through to June of 2023.

On a sentimental front, other group that lost out in this saga are the alums of the Ice franchise. The alums especially the ones that played for the Ice during their days in Cranbrook often have great memories of the B.C. centre.

It is common for alums of other WHL clubs to return to their former teams when they are older and have families for visits. Those visits often include alums getting pictures taken with their families in their old dressing room stalls during the summer months. There are Ice alums that lament they can’t partake in doing something like that.

On top of that, the Ice franchise identity will now cease to exist on the WHL landscape. While the Wenatchee owns the Ice WHL franchise, the Wild team identity will continue to be used, and it will go on as continuation from that club’s junior A days in the BCHL.

In the end, the WHL’s experiment with the Ice in Winnipeg failed. Had True North Sports and Entertainment the parent company that owns the Jets and Moose had interest in owning a WHL franchise, the major junior circuit might still be in the Manitoba capital.

The Ice salute their fans after Game 1 of the WHL final on May 12.

Overall, at least the franchise transfer was done at this early juncture of the off-season, so all parties that have a stake in what is going on know where they stand. From an “it is what it is” perspective, the ugly is there.

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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Mawdsley is with the Saskatoon Valkyries for life

Offensive tackle pumped for conference final clash with Riot

Betsy Mawdsley sets up at right tackle for the Valkyries.

Betsy Mawdsley has pushed away football retirement once, and she would like to hold off a potential end to her playing days with the Saskatoon Valkyries as long as she can.

The veteran right tackle on the Valkyries all-star level offensive line thought last season might be the time she would ride into the sunset on a pretty good high note. In 2022, Mawdsley helped the Valkyries win their seventh WWCFL championship downing the Winnipeg based Manitoba Fearless 36-6 in the league’s title game held at Saskatoon Minor Football Field on June 25 to cap a 7-0 perfect season.

After the Valkyries season wrapped up, Mawdsley and 11 of her teammates joined Football Canada’s National Women’s Team to play in the International Federation of American Football’s Women’s World Championship, which ran July 28 to August 8 in 2022 in Vantaa, Finland. Canada closed that competition falling 19-17 to host Finland in the bronze medal game.

This week, the 35-year-old Mawdsley has the anticipation type of excitement like a child at Christmas for the Valkyries upcoming post-season clash. They host their provincial rivals the Regina Riot on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field in the WWCFL’s Prairie Conference Championship game.

The winner advances to the WWCFL Championship contest to be held on Saturday, June 24 at 2 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon.

As the Valkyries season nears a conclusion with the team down to potentially playing just two more games in 2023, the question for Mawdsley becomes will she be back in 2023?

Betsy Mawdsley makes a stop in the 2016 WWCFL final.

“I think it depends how nice I smile over the year with my partner whether I’ll be back,” said Mawdsley with a chuckle. “I think last year obviously being a national team year I thought it would be it for me.

“At gear pick up, there I was. I think year after year I’ll just have to take it as it comes.”

Mawdsley joined the Valkyries for their WWCFL championship season in 2016. She mainly played defensive end for her first couple of campaigns before transitioning over to the offensive line. Playing right tackle, Mawdsley helped the Valkyries win WWCFL titles in 2019 and 2022 and will still get some reps from time to time on the defensive line.

Both on and off the field, Mawdsley’s life has changed since joining the Valkyries in 2016, and she has enjoyed the fact the family she has built with the team has been there every step of the way as her world has evolved.

“I’d say my role has changed not because of my years on the team, but because I have gotten older,” said Mawdsley, who stands 6-foot-1. “When I started, I was unmarried and in university.

“Now, I’m married with two young children. My role on the team has changed as I have changed. I think now playing O-line I’m standing beside other people who have played forever.

“It honestly feels like all of us have been here forever. I would say my role has grown as I have grown. One complement to the program in general is that as my life has changed the program has continued to be there for me, and I’ve gotten to be able to be with the program for as long as I have.”

Mawdsley, who works as physiotherapist in Saskatoon, is one of the Valkyries veteran mainstays on the offensive line along with centre Alex Wojcichowsky, left guard Lauren Ferguson and left tackle Alyssa Funk. Ferguson and Funk played alongside Mawdsley with Canada at last year’s women’s worlds.

Betsy Mawdsley (#90) pass protects for the Valkyries in 2019.

Newcomers Brianna Hammett, Adrianne Taylor and Savanna Spendiff have played the right guard spot or have filled in at different positions on the offensive line depending how a game is playing out. Together, they’ve all allowed star quarterback Alex Eyolfson and the team’s offence to consistently have big games.

“Our O-line is really, really strong,” said Valkyries head coach Pat Barry. “It is one of the strengths of our team.

“They work together as a unit. (Offensive line coaches) Jack (Sloboda) and Ethan (Paslowski), they do a great job with those ladies. We do have some new players on our O-line, and the vets have really brought them in.

“It is just awesome to see.”

Barry said Mawdsley’s been an MVP when it comes both on the field playing on the offensive line and off the field when it comes to him look after some his own injuries from his own sports playing days.

“I’m a big fan of Betsy,” said Barry. “She does a lot of things for us.

“She is a great person. She is actually my physio. She takes care of my injuries that I have, so she is a great person to have around.

“I’m just so pleased that she continues to be an athlete on our team.”

Betsy Mawdsley (#90) takes part in WWCFL title celebration in 2019.

Mawdsley is looking forward to the heightened excitement that comes from playing the Riot. The Valkyries topped the Prairies Conference in the regular season with a 4-0 mark, while the Riot finished second in the conference with a 2-2 record.

The Valkyries and Riot last met in the post-season in the 2019 WWCFL final that Saskatoon claimed 25-3 in Regina.  Saskatoon has won its last 25 games overall including two forfeit victories.

The Riot handed the Valkyries their last loss way back on June 24, 2018 by at 14-10 final in Regina in that year’s WWCFL final. That result allowed the Riot to cap a perfect 7-0 campaign in 2018.

Sunday’s encounter will also mark the first time the Riot and Valkyries have gone head-to-head in a playoff game in Saskatoon since June 19, 2016, when the Valkyries prevailed 29-14 in the Prairie Conference final. Eyolfson threw four touchdown passes in that game as an 18-year-old rookie.

“I really enjoy playing Regina,” said Mawdsley. “It is always a hard game.

Betsy Mawdsley (#90) make a block in the 2022 WWCFL final.

“One thing you can guarantee is if you see Regina three times in a year you’re going to see three different teams every single time. It is always a really exciting game and a really exciting week leading into it. It doesn’t matter what happened with the last game.

“You can’t sleep on them. You have to show up and get ready, because you know they’re going to show up ready and different.”

The winner of Sunday’s game between the Valkyries and Riot will face the Calgary Rage, who were 3-0 in the regular season, in the WWCFL final. On Tuesday, the WWCFL announced the Edmonton Storm had elected to forfeit the league’s Western Conference Championship game that was slated to be played either this Saturday or Sunday in Calgary.

With that announcement, the Rage advance to the WWCFL title game for the first time since 2017, when they fell to the Regina Riot in Saskatoon.

As the Prairie Conference final between the Valkyries and the Riot approaches, Mawdsley is enjoying being in the present. Once the 2023 campaign is done, she will start thinking about potential plans for 2024.

“I want to say it is not my last year, but it also realistically could be,” said Mawdsley. “I think one of the things Pat (Barry) always says is enjoy every moment.

Betsy Mawdsley will decide in the off-season about returning in 2024.

“You don’t know when it is your last game, and that is what I’m trying to do. I’m lucky to have played as long as I have and hope that I get to keep showing up year after year.”

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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Outlaws dynasty heads to Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame

Outlaws shortstop Lyndsay Koscielski, centre, smiles at a presser.

The Saskatoon Outlaws are the picture perfect example of the cliché, “Win today and walk together forever.”

In 2011, the Outlaw cemented a softball dynasty winning their third Canadian Junior Women’s Championship in four years. They captured gold with a 4-3 title game victory over the Ontario champion Guelph Junior Gators at nationals hosted in Windsor, Ont. They claimed their two previous Canadian championships in 2010 at home in Saskatoon and in 2008 in Summerside, P.E.I.

The run of national titles could have been four in a row, but at the 2009 nationals hosted in St. Catharines, Ont., the Outlaws were missing four of their top players due to commitments with the nursing program at the University of Saskatchewan. The team finished fifth at that national championship tournament.

While it has been 12 years since the Outlaws last Canadian championship win, the players from those teams still carry tight friendships and keep in touch on a regular basis into the present day. Those bonds have carried on even through those players’ lives are much different than when they played for the Outlaws when they were between the ages of 19 and 23.

“It is pretty cool, and now we all have kids,” said Outlaws shortstop Lyndsay Koscielski. “Now, our kids play sports together.

“We still get together at Christmas. We still hang out.”

On Wednesday, another accolade came the Outlaws way. During a press conference in the main hall at the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds, it was announced that all three of those Canadian champion Outlaws squads will be inducted as part of the 2023 class into the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremonies will be held in the evening on Saturday, Nov. 4 at Prairieland Park. The 2023 class includes the three Outlaws teams, five athletes and three builders.

“It is pretty cool,” said Koscielski about the upcoming induction. “It is something we never expected.

Outlaws coach Ben Garchinski, left, shakes hands with Derek Bloski.

“I never ever would have thought of this.”

The majority of the players on the Outlaws grew up through Saskatoon’s minor softball system playing against each other as either members of the Phantoms or the Hustlers. Those players came together to start the “Outlaws Era” as members of the midget A Outlaw Selects in 2006.

The Outlaw Selects won provincial titles in the midget A ranks in 2006 and 2007 leading up to the team’s core graduating to the junior A ranks in 2008 becoming the Outlaws. The Outlaws captured the junior A provincial title in 2008 and followed up with as the surprise winner of the 2008 Canadian championships in Summerside, P.E.I.

The Outlaws 2008 Canadian title win marked the first time a team from Saskatchewan won the junior women’s championship.

Following the 2008 campaign, the Outlaws won the junior A provincial title in 2009 and again in 2010. The second Canadian championship win came in 2010 on home turf. With Saskatoon hosting junior nationals, the Outlaws downed the Guelph Junior Gators 7-4 at Bob Van Impe Stadium for their second Canadian title.

After winning another provincial junior A crown in 2011, the Outlaws moved on to down the Gators for a second straight season in the Canadian championship game with nationals being held in Windsor, Ont. That win completed the run of winning three national junior A titles in four years for the Saskatoon squad.

Jon Equina, who has coached softball in Saskatoon for 23 over years and has had an even longer playing career, was one of the Outlaws assistant coaches during those junior A championship seasons. He considers those four seasons he coached with the Outlaws as some of his most memorable times in the sport.

“To be honest, it was one of the greatest teams or dynasties that I’ve ever seen or been a part of in softball here in Saskatoon,” said Equina. “I’ve been through a lot of teams, and this was a pretty special team just the way they were put together and how good they were as friends off the field.

“The way they played it was something special, and it was something people loved to watch. It was a show every time they came out, and they made sure of it. It was softball at its finest.”

A total of eight players were on all three of the Outlaws Canadian championship teams including Koscielski, Stacey Boldt, Lauren Bourdon, Lindsay Garchinski, Katherine Guenther, Anne Kelly, Sydney Marquart and Natalie Woodside. Earle Woodside and Equina were on the coaching staff for all three national title wins.

Some of the members of the Saskatoon Sport Hall of Fame’s class of 2023.

Equina said it was surreal for the Outlaws Canadian championship teams will be going into the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame.

“It is unexplainable,” said Equina. “I’m speechless.

“It is something that is pretty special that I hold to my heart to be able to say that we were a part of this very exclusive class. Especially for me to be able to go into the Hall with all this company that I have and with what I do for a living in softball, this is something that I can’t explain how I feel to be honest.”

Joining the Outlaws in the 2023 class includes in the athletes category Jeff Adamson in wrestling, Kelly Parker in Soccer, Kathy (Rollo) Seaman in diving, Adrianne Vangool in athletics and Heather Witzel in basketball. Entering the Hall in the builders category are Derek Bloski in hockey and softball, Dave McCullough in softball and Ivan Tam in athletics.

The WHL’s Saskatoon Blades were honoured by the Hall as the Sports Organization of the Year.

Following the 2011 Canadian title win, the “Outlaws Era” came to an end with an epilogue that saw the team win two provincial Senior A titles in 2012 and 2013. The Outlaws played one final season in 2014 winning a Saskatchewan Amateur Softball Association league title but did not enter provincials. With the nucleus of the players pursuing work life careers, the Outlaws disbanded after the 2014 campaign.

Still, Equina said it is heartwarming that the players have stayed in touch now over a decade after that last junior A Canadian title win.

“To see these girls now, they are coaching with me, they are coaching their own daughters, some of them are still playing and a lot of them are still involved with softball,” said Equina. “Most importantly, they are all still best friends.

“They’ve all attended each others’ weddings. They’ve attended every sort of ceremony, graduation. They seem to all be there for each other.

“To have us along for the ride, it has been pretty special for me to be able to say I was a single part of this team.”

Koscielski said she has numerous great memories from her time with the Outlaws. Looking back on those years, Koscielski said team was able to roll due to some of the most simple and pure reasons.

The Outlaws celebrate their Canadian title win in 2010.

“We just did a lot together,” said Koscielski. “We really liked to hang out with each other and play.

“It was just fun.”

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com. The Outlaws team picture from 2010 is courtesy of Stacey Boldt.

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McCorriston arrives at perfect time for Valkyries

Grace McCorriston hauls in a TD catch for the Valkyries.

Grace McCorriston was ready for the opportunities the hand of fate sent her way in the kicking and receiving games with the Saskatoon Valkyries.

McCorriston played flag football when she was really young before moving over to play soccer for a lengthy period of time. After graduating from Centennial Collegiate, McCorriston started studying in the education program at the University of Saskatchewan.

She wanted to get back into football after watching her boyfriend and now fiancé in Zach Moehler play receiver for the CJFL powerhouse Saskatoon Hilltops. Moehler was with the Hilltops from 2018 to 2021 helping them win CJFL championships in his first two seasons.

McCorriston decided she wanted to join the Valkyries, who are a powerhouse squad in the WWCFL. Originally, McCorriston focused on playing receiver like Moehler. She wanted to wear number 81 like Moehler did with the Hilltops, but she elected to wear #82 as #81 was taken by Valkyries star veteran receiver Rachelle Smith.

Along with becoming a receiver, McCorriston decided to give the kicking game a try with the place kicker and punting positions due to her soccer background.

“I found that when I was younger I could catch the ball quite well,” said McCorriston, who recently graduated from the U of S with her bachelor of education. “I thought I would give it a try.

“That was how I got into receiving. Kicking, definitely the soccer background I knew that I could kick that ball if I needed to and get good at it, if I practised.”

Now in her third season with the team, the 22-year-old is a starting receiver and the squad’s main place kicker and punter. McCorriston first joined the Valkyries for their winter workouts at the start of 2020.

Grace McCorriston (#82) boots a field goal for the Valkyries.

Things came to a halt on that front in March of 2020 as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic gripped the world. The 2020 WWCFL campaign was ultimately cancelled.

The Valkyries got back to practising in 2021, and while the WWCFL campaign was again cancelled that year, they were able to face the Regina Riot in a three-game exhibition series in July of that year. McCorriston said the practices and those contests provided a valuable opportunity to learn and gain experience playing the game.

“It was very new,” said McCorriston, who stands 5-foot-6. “I had a lot to get used to.

“I think the hardest part was blocking and also memorizing all the different calls and what everything meant and different positions and what they meant and how to do those. It was a big eye-opener for me, because tackle football is very much different than soccer and very much different than flag football. It was a huge adjustment, but so far it has turned out pretty good.”

McCorriston received a sizable amount of reps in the kicking game along with running back Drew Lundquist and played receiver during that three-game series in 2021. At the time, Valkyries all-time great running back Sam Matheson and veteran star defensive back Rienna Rueve were penciled in to be part of the kicking game having done those roles at various times during their playing careers with the Valkyries.

When the WWCFL returned to full regular season play in 2022, Matheson was lost to a season ending knee injury in the team’s second regular season game and elected not to return to the club this season. Rueve only played half of the regular season games in 2022, but suited up for all the team’s post-season contests.

Due to some minor nagging injuries, Rueve didn’t take part in the kicking game as much as she did in the past where she often handled the majority of the punting duties. As a result, McCorriston and Lundquist handled a bigger part of the kicking game, where McCorriston took the majority of the field goal opportunities.

“It was definitely something that someone had to step up,” said McCorriston. “I feel like anybody would have, but I think I knew that I had it in me that I could do it.

Grace McCorriston unload a punt for the Valkyries.

“With that when I take things on, I tend to work at it and push to achieve what I want to achieve. Doing that in that season, I used a lot of Rienna’s techniques and all her advice. She helped me quite a bit in the start, and then she kind of eased off more and more.

“I used her words of kindness and wise words to help me out.”

Valkyries head coach Pat Barry said the fact McCorriston could handle all the field goal kicks played a big part in helping the team win a seventh WWCFL title in 2022. As both Matheson and Rueve didn’t rejoin the team this season, McCorriston has handled the Valkyries punting and field goal kicking.

With the departure of team’s two star veterans in Matheson and Rueve, Barry was thankful McCorriston became as proficient in the kicking game as quickly as she did.

“It was a big deal,” said Barry. “She is working her way to being an excellent kicker.

“She is doing punting and place kicking. Drew (Lundquist) still does our kickoffs. It is something to see her (McCorriston) grow as a kicker.

“It is just impressive.”

McCorriston said another thing that helped her with her skills in the kicking game was the fact she got to practise with the Rylan Kleiter, who was the Hilltops proficient kicker who graduated from the team following their 2019 CJFL championship win. Moehler helped set up McCorriston’s practice sessions with Kleiter, when McCorriston was starting out with learning the kicking skills in football.

“Kleiter gave me some pointers and tips on how to properly kick the ball,” said McCorriston. “So far, I’ve taken what he has told me and taught me and rolled with it and it has worked pretty well.”

The highlight of playing for the Valkyries so far for McCorriston was helping them win the WWCFL title game last year. In the Valkyries 36-6 WWCFL title game win over the Winnipeg-based Manitoba Fearless on June 25, 2022 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, McCorriston caught a 16-yard touchdown pass and booted a field goal from 30 yards out.

Grace McCorriston (#82) took on kicking upon joining the Valkyries. 

“It was unreal,” said McCorriston. “It is amazing to be part of this team and the dynamic that we have.

“The winning is also very fun. I’ve never experienced a loss with this team, so if that were to ever happen, I’m not even sure what kind of feelings I would feel.”

McCorriston believes she has had an overall better season 2023 due to the game experience she gained in her previous two years with the team. With the Valkyries having topped the WWCFL’s Prairie Conference with a 4-0 record in the regular season, McCorriston is looking forward to the post-season.

The Valkyries host the Prairie Conference final against the Regina Riot, who were 2-2 in regular season play, at Saskatoon Minor Football Field on either Saturday, June 17 or Sunday, June 18 at a time to be announced. Saskatoon advanced to the Prairie Conference title game thanks to a forfeit victory over the Winnipeg Wolfpack.

The Riot downed the Fearless 26-13 in a quarter-final contest on Saturday at Mosaic Stadium in Regina to get to the Prairie Conference final.

The Western Conference final will see the Calgary Rage, who were 3-0 in the regular season, host the Edmonton Storm, who were 2-1 in the regular season, on either Saturday, June 17 or Sunday, June 18 in Calgary at a place and time to be announced.

The conference championship game winners will advance to the WWCFL Championship Game that will be hosted in Saskatoon on Saturday, June 24 at 2 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium.

McCorriston wants to help her club finish out the 2023 campaign with anther league title win.

“It feels like the stakes are a little bit higher,” said McCorriston. “I know that we have a good support system and the fans are great.

Grace McCorriston (#82) makes a TD catch in the 2022 WWCFL final.

“I think that we have a good chance going in. I think that if we keep playing our game and we keep our heads held high and play football how we know how to play I think we will do just fine.”

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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Blades juggle roster, close to cementing 20-year-olds

The Blades traded Justin Lies on June 6.

The Saskatoon Blades have put in some early work to clear up how their roster will look this coming season.

The 2022-23 campaign turned out to be one of the best the Blades have had in some time. They finished fourth overall in the WHL regular season standings with a 48-13-4-3 record.

Saskatoon advanced to the WHL’s Eastern Conference Championship Series for the first time since 1994 falling in four games to the Winnipeg Ice. In a WHL Eastern Conference semfinal series in the 2023 playoff run, the Blades fell behind 3-0 to the Red Deer Rebels before rallying back to take the series 4-3. The Blades joined the 1996 Spokane Chiefs and the 2013 Kelowna Rockets as only teams to fall behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven series and rally back to take the set in WHL history.

Naturally, the Blades in a perfect world would like return as many players as possible from last season who gained valuable experience from that post-season run. Plus, the rosters of the clubs that finished first to third overall in the WHL regular season in the Ice, league champion Seattle Thunderbirds and Kamloops Blazers are going to look a lot different this season due to their decisions to load up.

The Ice do have the potential to bring back seven core players from their 2022-23 team in Daniel Hauser, Jonas Woo, Zach Benson, Evan Friesen, Carson Latimer, Conor Geekie and Matthew Savoie, but there will be a lot of changes around that group.

With that noted, the Blades have to deal with their share of the cyclical nature of junior hockey. Gone due to graduation having exhausting their major junior eligibility playing out there 20-year-old seasons are captain and offensive-defenceman Aidan De La Gorgendiere, defenceman Blake Gustafson and centre Josh Pillar.

One of the decisions the Blades had to make was in between the pipes. Did they want to return two goalies in their 19-year-old seasons in Austin Elliott and Ethan Chadwick?

The two netminders rotated starts for pretty much the entire campaign last season. Elliott appeared in 37 regular season games in 2022-23 posting a 25-6-3 record, a 2.20 goals against average, a .911 save percentage and two shutouts. He was named a second team WHL East Division all-star and was named to the CHL’s all-rookie team.

Chadwick appeared in 34 regular season contests in 2022-23 posting a 23-9-2 record, a 2.61 goals against average, a .899 save percentage and two shutouts.

On May 11, the Blades traded Chadwick to the Everett Silvertips for a second round selection in the WHL Prospects Draft that was held that day and originally belonged to the Kamloops Blazers and a fourth round pick in the 2025 Prospects Draft. Saskatoon used the second round selection to pick 15-year-old netminder Ryley Budd, who played with his hometown Calgary Northstars Under-15 AAA team last season.

The Blades traded Conner Roulette to the Chiefs on May 31.

In 20 regular season appearances in the Alberta Elite Hockey League, Budd posted an 8-10 record, a 3.34 goals against average, a .916 save percentage and two shutouts.

With that move, Elliott will likely be the Blades starter next season and a younger goalie in their system will be an apprentice backup. Chadwick will have a good shot to be the Silvertips start for the upcoming campaign.

After trading Chadwick, the Blades started to narrow down the players that could take the three 20-year-old spots they are allowed on their roster. Upon being eliminated from the 2023 WHL Playoffs, the Blades had seven potential players that could fill those 20-year-old spots.

On May 31, they dealt right-winger Conner Roulette to the Spokane Chiefs for a second round selection in the 2024 Prospects Draft and a third round pick in the 2027 Prospects Draft. Appearing in 60 regular season games in 2022-23 with the Blades, Roulette collected 24 goals and 38 assists for 62 points to go with a plus-19 rating in the plus-minus department.

On June 3, the Blades traded rugged right-winger Justin Lies to the Victoria Royals for a conditional third round selection in the 2026 Prospects Draft. Lies appeared in 56 regular season contests for the Blade in 2022-23 posting career highs in goals (nine), assists (14), points (23) and plus-minus (plus-six).

Having completed those two moves, the Blades are down to five potential players who could fill their three 20-year-old spots. Out of that group, left-winger Jake Chiasson has a signed three- year NHL entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers and could potentially be assigned to one of the Oilers’ minor professional affiliates.

Chiasson played 70 regular season games in 2022-23 split between the Blades and the Brandon Wheat Kings posting 20 goals and 38 assists. The Blades acquired Chiasson in a trade on January 10.

If Chiasson is assigned in the Oilers system, the Blades would be down to four potential players that could fill their three 20-year-old spots. Skilled centre Trevor Wong is highly likely to fill one of those spots as he topped the Blades in regular season scoring in 2022-23 posting 86 points coming off 27 goals and 59 assists to go with a plus-23 rating appearing in all the club’s 68 regular season contests.

Defenceman Charlie Wright seems like a solid choice to fill a second 20-year-old spot. Appearing in 66 regular season contests with the Blades in 2022-23, Wright posted career highs in goals (eight), assists (32), points (40) and plus-minus (plus-33).

That would leave the third spot to go to either centre Jayden Wiens or utility player Spencer Shugrue, who are both popular in the Blades dressing room. Wiens battled an injury during the regular season being limited to 42 games, where he posted 17 goals, 10 assists and a plus-one rating.

The Blades dealt Ethan Chadwick to the Silvertips on May 11.

Shugrue mainly played defence last season, but his versatility to play up front or on the back end has become valuable. In 55 regular season appearances in 2022-23, Shugrue collected one goal, six assists and a plus-two rating.

In the 2023 WHL Playoffs, Shugrue earned the nickname “Mr. Game 7” for his heroics in the team’s two Game 7 victories over Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats and the Rebels collecting three goals and an assist in those clutch performances.

Unless a deal comes up the Blades can’t turn down, they will likely sit on their 20-year-old situation as is until training camp comes around.

With all that noted, they’ve done well to find good potential landing spots for Chadwick, Roulette and Lies for the upcoming campaign.

Valkyries receive bye in WWCFL playoffs, other notes

QB Alex Eyolfson (#15) and her Valkyries had this weekend off.

For a second straight year, the Saskatoon Valkyries have advanced to the final four of the WWCFL Playoffs thanks to a forfeit victory.

This past Tuesday, the Valkyries, who topped the WWCFL’s Prairie Conference with a 4-0 record, were informed the Winnipeg Wolfpack, who were 0-4 in the regular season, were forfeiting their WWCFL quarter-final to the Saskatoon powerhouse squad. The Wolfpack also forfeited a quarter-final contest last season to the Valkyries, who advanced on to win their seventh WWCFL championship.

The Valkyries and Wolfpack met in a regular season contest on May 28 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Saskatoon blanked Winnipeg 59-0 in a game that was called at halftime due to injuries that had piled up for the Wolfpack.

The Valkyries weren’t the only squad to advance in the WWCFL post-season thanks to a forfeit win. This past Thursday, the Lethbridge Steel, who were 0-4 in the regular season, informed the Edmonton Storm, who were 2-1 in the regular season, they were forfeiting their quarter-final contest to club from the Alberta capital. That contest had originally been scheduled for a 2 p.m. local start in Edmonton on Saturday.

With the forfeit win, the Storm advance to the WWCFL’s Western Conference Championship game to take on the Calgary Rage, who posted a 3-0 record in the regular season. This contest will be played on either Saturday, June 17 or Sunday, June 18 in Calgary at a place and time to be announced.

The Storm and Rage met once in the regular season with the Rage pulling out a 33-14 victory way back on April 29 in Calgary. The two sides were to have played on May 20 in Edmonton, but that contest was outright cancelled due to heavy smoke from the wildfires burning all over Western Canada.

The only quarter-final game that was played came on Saturday as the Winnipeg-based Manitoba Fearless traveled to Regina to face the Riot at Mosaic Stadium. Both squads were 2-2 in regular season play.

The Riot downed the Fearless 26-13 to advance to play the Valkyries in the WWCFL’s Prairie Conference Championship game. That contest will be played at Saskatoon Minor Football Field on either Saturday, June 17 or Sunday, June 18 at a time to be announced.

The Valkyries head into that contest having won their last 25 games overall including two forfeit victories. Saskatoon’s last loss came seemingly a lifetime ago back on June 24, 2018 falling 14-10 in the WWCFL Championship Game to the Riot in Regina at Mosaic Stadium.

This year’s WWCFL Championship Game will be hosted in Saskatoon on Saturday, June 24 at 2 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium. The Valkyries need to beat the Riot in the Prairie Conference final in order to play in the WWCFL final as the host squad.

• On Thursday, the junior A Battlefords North Stars, who are the defending SJHL champions, announced they had signed head coach and general manager Brayden Klimosko, who is 35-years-old, to a five-year contract extension. Klimosko joined the North Stars before the start of the 2018-19 campaign as head coach and took on duties as the general manager before the start of the 2019-20 campaign. This past season, the North Stars top the SJHL regular season standings with an impressive 48-5-2-1 record. They rolled through the SJHL Playoffs posting a 12-1 record to claim the league championship and advance to the national junior A Centennial Cup Championship Tournament in Portage la Prairie, Man. The North Stars advanced to the title game of the Centennial Cup tournament falling to the Alberta-based Brooks Bandits 4-0. The Bandits have won the Centennial Cup the last three times it has been awarded.
• On Thursday, Rob Vanstone received his Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for his extraordinary leadership and service to local sports. Vanstone had worked full-time for the Regina Leader-Post as a sports writer and columnist from late July 1987 to this past February. He left the Leader-Post to join the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders as their Senior Journalist and Historian. When it comes to the sports scene in Regina, Vanstone has covered it all. His stories on minor sports were as good as the ones he would produce on the Roughriders and WHL’s Regina Pats. The effort he gave to all the stories and columns he wrote was outstanding. He was a deserving recipient of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal.
• On June 9, I had new content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I put together a piece on Callie Steen, who is a rising star in track and field. Steen is finishing up her Grade 12 year at Hanley Composite School in Hanley, Sask., and she has committed to join the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks Women’s Track and Field team in the NCAA Division I ranks this fall. The piece on Steen can be found by clicking right here. I also put together a photo roundup that shows the track and field season in top gear and the spring season at the Complex rolling on. That post can be found by clicking right here.

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