‘Sarge,’ Yausie, Hilltops coaches face unique challenge in 2023

Saskatoon club young, inexperienced in resetting PFC

Jeff Yausie and Tom Sargeant are the Hilltops dynamic coaching duo.

Tom Sargeant and Jeff Yausie – you seemingly can’t have one without the other when it comes to coaching the Saskatoon Hilltops.

Sargeant was named head coach of the storied and historic CJFL club in December of 1997 having served as an assistant coach for seven seasons from 1991 to 1997. Yausie is going into his 22^nd season as a linebackers coach with the Hilltops and 13^th campaign as defensive co-ordinator.

Through the Hilltops run of winning nine CJFL championships in a span of 10 years that included three consecutive wins from 2010 to 2012 and six straight titles from 2014 to 2019, Sargeant and Yausie have come to the forefront in the minds of football followers in Canada as the dynamic duo of the Hilltops coaching staff.

Both are quick to add the Hilltops success comes from the work the team receives from the entirety of the club’s veteran coaching staff. The coaching staff includes offensive coordinator Shane Reider, special teams coordinator Andre Lalonde, Brent Turkington, Donnie Davidsen, Dave Fisher, Barclay Schlosser and Bruce Rempel.

Turkington has been on the staff for 24 seasons, while Lalonde, Schlosser and Rempel are the relative newcomers entering their eighth, seventh and sixth seasons with the team respectively.

Tom Sargeant has been the Hilltops HC since Dec. 1997.

In 2023, Sargeant, Yausie and the Hilltops coaches face a unique challenge of guiding a more youthful and inexperienced team through a CJFL campaign. A reality check about the work that needs to be done came during in the Hilltops Alumni Game played Thursday at Ron Atchison Field, when the Alumni Team rolled to a 32-1 victory.

Sargeant said the coaches are going to get to work and grind as hard as ever to correct things. He said the Hilltops coaches have high trust in each other.

“It is a brotherhood,” said Sargeant. “We all roll up our sleeves.

“The good thing is we’re all embarrassed. We’re all not feeling very good about ourselves. We’ll have the tough conversations, the critical conversations, the open conversations, and we’ll grind and grind and make sure by next week we coach a better team and more importantly they come out and play better.

“You can do whatever you want, but once they get between the lines they have to go play the game. We have to instill a lot of energy, a lot of passion and the smarts.”

The Hilltops had 20 players exhaust their CJFL eligibility at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign including four starters on the offensive line in Jordan Bisson, Luciano Jolly, Jayson Kehler and Ethan Paslowski along with three starters on the defensive line in Jaxon Funk, Daylen Hartz and Dylan McNutt. The graduations included star weak side linebacker Konner Johnson, who won the CJFL’s Larry Wruck Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022.

Jeff Yausie is entering his 22nd season on the Hilltops coaching staff.

“We miss our studs and veterans, but it is really fun to coach new guys and new faces,” said Yausie. “We have to help build what they are going to be.

“They have to learn how to play hard and play fast and to celebrate and play for each other and to be a great team. Our offence needed our help on defence (in the Alumni Game). We had zero turnovers in the first half.

“Our offence needed a couple of turnovers to give them a short field and to give them some life. They absolutely needed that, and we didn’t do it.”

The Hilltops open their regular season schedule on Sunday, August 13, at 1 p.m. when they host the Edmonton Wildcats at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Sargeant and Yausie both said the focus turns to making the Hilltops game ready for that contest.

Sargeant said he thought the Hilltops had a good week of practice heading into the Alumni Game. Alumni quarterback Jordan Walls, who played for five straight CJFL championship winners from 2014-18, showed he could still shred a defence like NFL all-time great Tom Brady.

Jordan Walls fires a pass downfield for the Alumni Team.

The Hilltops offence was stuck in quicksand going against an Alumni defence that had standouts everywhere like linebacker Cody Peters, who won the CJFL’s Larry Wruck Defensive Player of the Year award in 2018. Peters also played on five straight CJFL championship winners from 2014 to 2018.

“It was a great alumni effort with high-end talent – the hearts and the smarts,” said Sargeant. “They were so smart out there.

“They just made us look like a real young and immature football team, which I guess maybe I thought we were but didn’t want to think that. At least now I know. If this is ground zero, then we will be OK.

“If not, then we’re in a lot of trouble.”

While the Hilltops are finding their way, it appears they won’t be alone in that department in 2023. Due to the fact the 2020 CJFL season was lost due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that gripped the world, the circuit’s leaders elected to give 1998 and 1999 born players an extra year of eligibility.

That decision resulted in two classes of players graduating following the conclusion of last season with players born in 1999 and 2000 exhausting their eligibilities at the end of the campaign. Clubs in the Prairie Football Conference the Hilltops play out of are seeing significant turnover making the 2023 season a big reset one.

QB Trey Reider and the Hilltops struggled against the Alumni Team.

Yausie said the Hilltops coaches will put in the effort to get the club going in an upward direction on the field.

“We’re such good friends that we’ll not accept what we saw,” said Yausie. “I know ‘Sarge’ is a great competitor.

“I know he’ll push us as hard or harder than he will push the kids. We’ll get in and watch our film and get ready to play an unknown opponent really against the Wildcats. There are a lot of unknowns about our league this year.

“I don’t know who the quarterbacks are, and there are some new coordinators. The one thing I know is we will work extremely hard to get better.”

At age 58, Sargeant said he is still as motivated and passionate as ever when it comes to coaching the Hilltops. When it comes to facing the challenges of the 2023 campaign, he is pumped he gets to do it with Yausie and the rest of the Hilltops coaching staff.

“I know what their pride is all about,” said Sargeant. “As I said, there were some good discussions during this game.

HC Tom Sargeant knows his staff has a lot of work ahead of them.

“I know the pride of that group, and I know that at the end of the day we’ll embrace this challenge. We have way more work than maybe I thought we did. I’m just trying to do all that processing now, because I said this was an old fashioned butt kicking that as I said didn’t see coming.

“We have to figure out how to react and respond properly.”

At age 57, Yausie said his love for football is still there. He loves coaching with Sargeant and the rest of the Hilltops coaching staff and helping the players grow. Yausie said that love for everything about the game keeps the Hilltops coaches coming back year after year.

“I think you have to love what you do,” said Yausie. “When you love what you do, it is easy to come to practice.

“I love the guys I coach with, and Tom (Sargeant) has built that in a bunch of different ways. I never thought that I would be coaching at this age. I still got the zip.

Jeff Yausie believes the Hilltops coaches will get the team rolling again.

“I still got some life and energy. I just have fun, and coaching these young guys keeps you young.”

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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Out of here, but “I’ll be back”

A picture of myself on the road on the WHL post-season trail.

There won’t be any side projects on the go as I take this break.

This break I am going to try and make it an actual break from producing content for this blog. The last time I typed out a post that I was taking a break back on July 9 of last year I typed out a notebook of thoughts too. The post ended up being around 3,123 words in length.

This time there won’t be any notebook items as I type this out late at night on Canada Day. That is how low the batteries have gotten.

Actually, I have enough energy to get one notebook thought in. I’m happy a deal has been made to bring the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association and Premier Hockey Federation – formerly the National Women’s Hockey League - together to start a new women’s professional hockey league that will begin play this coming January.

The PWHPA had been working with the Mark Walter Group and Billie Jean King Enterprises over the past 14 months in a bid to launch its own league.

On Friday, it was confirmed Walter’s firm had purchased the assets of the PHF. Mark Walter, who is the co-owner of the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers, his wife Kimbra, team president Stan Kasten and tennis legend Billie Jean King will help run the league.

While there are still a lot of details to be worked out before this league gets going, I think it is going to be great for women’s hockey in the long run. The NHL already released a statement that discussions with representatives of the unified group have already been initiated regarding working together to grow the women’s game.

The PHF is being swallowed up basically, but I hope some of the success that group had with branding won’t be discarded. For example, the team in Toronto should still be called the Toronto Six, because that team has done well in making inroads in that city.

The Six will go down as the last PHF champions having won the Isobel Cup championship game 4-3 in overtime this past March 26 over the Minnesota Whitecaps at the Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona. Following that win, the Six have been honoured by various organizations and bodies in Toronto, which included being honoured at an MLB Blue Jays game.

I guess I should have noted earlier I am basically shooting from the hip as I type this post.

Charles Sawi (#18) jets home on a TD run for the Hilltops.

The 2022-23 sports season for me has been a fun one. Covering the Saskatoon Hilltops in their 2022 season remained fun even if the campaign didn’t finish with a CJFL championship win. It would have been great had they won a CJFL title, but even for the Hilltops, those types of results don’t happen every year.

The 2022-23 WHL season was really fun, and I loved seeing things through to working games in the WHL Championship Series for the first time since 2019. I had as much fun as I ever had in the 24 seasons I have covered that circuit.

Of course, the Saskatoon Valkyries 2023 WWCFL season was really fun. It was a blast to cover them winning a third consecutive WWCFL title and an eighth league championship overall.

Where my batteries got drained was away from the work world. Since August of 2022, it seemed like something was always coming up on the family front, which ultimately drained me on all fronts. Basically, mole hills kept constantly being turned into mountains.

To keep up physical and mental health, I’ve worked out regularly since high school. Since March of this year, I’ve worked out only twice due to how busy things have been.

In August of 2022, I found out there was a health situation in the family that needed to be taken care of, and that kept me stapled close to home as much as I could be for most of September and October of 2022. Dealing with the health situation was a spectacular success and things on that front were much better than when the situation came to surface.

Since then, there seemed to be a stream of what I would call minor crisis that would keep coming up on the family front. Once those challenges were dealt with, they weren’t really that bad, but it seemed when challenges first came up there was an end of the world feeling.

There also seemed to be reoccurring spots where it seemed it was a problem that I was going out to cover games, and that was something that never came up in the past. There were a couple of stretches where I covered four WHL games in seven days where that seemed to be a problem all of sudden.

I had worked those stretches constantly since January of 2000 and any reaction of there being a problem with me going out to cover games stunned me. This past season there seemed to be problems in those stretches.

Connor Bedard put on a show every time he stepped on the ice.

Those stretches are busy, but they are easily manageable busy and shouldn’t induce a panic. They are no near as busy as stretches of covering three games in three nights, or three games in a 48 hour time span. I actually haven’t done a stretch of three games in three nights since everything got going after all the shutdowns that happened with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

On one road trip in the WHL Playoffs, I was out in Regina covering Games 3 and 4 of the first round series between Connor Bedard and the Pats taking on the Saskatoon Blades. I spent two nights in a hotel in Regina covering those games, which is normal when you are on the playoff trail.

When I left Saskatoon for Regina, everything was great at home. When I got home, there seemed to be another end of the world crisis that came up while I was gone. All of a sudden, it seemed like I was a bad guy because I was in Regina covering WHL post-season games when this crisis happened.

The crisis was another thing that didn’t seem that big once the challenge was met. With that said, all these constant hiccups end up taking their toll over the course of year even thought pretty much all of them ended up not being big deals when the dust settled.

I have had times where I have asked myself if I should pull myself out of the sports world if it would be better on the blood family front.

It also crossed my mind that when the COVID-19 shutdowns started in March of 2020 my life changed over a period of 18 months. Through that stretch of time, I had pretty much all those weekends off. I was at home on a regular basis, and I pretty much didn’t leave Saskatoon.

It seemed like an impression developed on the family front that how my life was during the COVID-19 shutdowns would be how my life would be going forward.

With that noted all those things are fluid and are constant works in progress.

I’m hoping taking time away from the blog will help me step back and evaluate things with a clear head. When you are involved and hooked in with everything, it is hard to maybe see things at times with a clear head.

The Blades salute their fans at the end of their 2023 playoff run.

The break I took in July and early August of 2022 wasn’t much a break. I was working on a side project at that time, and the side project consumed all the time I usually spent creating content for this blog.

For this July, the only work commitments I plan to take care of are ones with the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I am hoping that will give me ample time off to recharge.

Also, I do have what seems like and endless list of tasks to take care of around home. I’m sure the tasks I have on the home front will make July fly by.

On top of that, I want to take time to get a better handle on the feud the Government of Canada is having with Meta and Google with regards to the Canadian media industry.

Speaking of the Canadian media industry, sports coverage has been gutted in the mainstream. You wouldn’t believe how many inquiries I received from sports groups asking if I could cover something, and a lot of the reach outs came from groups I hadn’t dealt with in the past.

When the Saskatoon Blazers went on their run to win the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League title and bronze at the Men’s Under-18 National Club Championship, they did a great job spreading work via their social media channels. I was talking with a long time media industry friend where we talked about it would have been great covering the Blazers day to day journey and lamented how cuts slashed coverage for that, female hockey, U Sports, high school sports, softball nationals, curling, golf and the list never ended.

Through the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, I’ve seen young pitching ace Jorde Chartrand play for Softball Canada’s senior national women’s team, Saskatoon Minor Football run an excellent academy league, been impressed with the action in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League and seen speed skaters and track and field athletes accomplish big goals. I’m sure I missed some things on this list, but all of these things used to get bigger play in mainstream media and all are an afterthought now.

It is still a joy and fun to get out to all the happenings in the sports world that no longer get the media attention they once did. The lack of coverage makes it harder to attract casual fans and make athletes or teams household names.

Because the effort is gone to get out and cover the sports world in Canada, I’ve streamlined my blog to the point it focuses on WHL, Hilltops and Valkyries to avoid getting spread too thin. The reality is a day only has so many hours in it.

When the Hilltops get going with their training camp for their 2023 season, I plan to get back at it with this blog.

It is always fun to cover the exploits of the Valkyries.

For now, I must bid you all adieu. I am looking forward to having a good sleep long into Sunday.

I’m out of here, but I’ll be back.

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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2023 NHL Entry Draft will be memorable for WHL

Connor Bedard went first overall in the NHL Entry Draft.

The 2023 NHL Entry Draft will be remembered as two of the WHL’s best days.

Of course, the 33 players who were selected from the WHL in the NHL Entry Draft on Wednesday and Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee, still have to skate out careers in hockey’s top professional league. With that said, it wouldn’t be a surprise to look back on this year’s NHL Entry Draft a couple of decades from now, and one would reflect on it being a great one for the WHL.

No matter what happens in the future, this NHL Entry Draft will be known as the one where Regina Pats phenom centre Connor Bedard, who will turn 18-years-old on July 17, was selected first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks. The North Vancouver, B.C., product might have been the most watched junior aged player ever over the three campaigns he played with the Pats.

In his three seasons with the Pats, Bedard, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 185 pounds, appeared in 134 career regular season games posting 134 goals and 137 assists for 271 points to go with a plus-48 rating in the plus-minus department. That included recording 71 goals and 72 assists for 143 points to go with a plus-39 rating for this past regular season. His goal and point totals were tops in the WHL and his assist total equaled Prince George Cougars star centre and Saskatoon area product Riley Heidt for the league lead.

Bedard proceeded to have a monster post-season series posting 10 goals, 10 assists and a plus-eight rating in the WHL Playoffs as the Pats fell in seven games in a best-of-seven first round series to the Saskatoon Blades. The Blades claimed a 4-1 victory in a series deciding Game 7 on April 10 at the SaskTel Centre before a sellout crowd of 14,768 spectators.

Connor Bedard had 271 points in 134 WHL career regular season games.

His stock really took off at this past world juniors held in Halifax, N.S., and Moncton, N.B. Bedard set numerous Canadian team records helping Canada take the gold medal final 3-2 in overtime over Czechia this past January 5 in Halifax.

Bedard was named the most valuable player at world juniors along with picking up accolades being named the event’s best forward and a tournament all-star.

His tallies for assists (14) and points (23) were new Canadian records for a single world juniors along with setting a new record for points in a tournament by any player aged 18 or younger. In 16 career games played at world juniors, Bedard set new Canadian career records at the event for goals (16) and points (36).

Upon returning to the Pats, Bedard usually played in front of sold out rinks or record crowds wherever he was during the final four months he played in the WHL. There were public appearances in Regina where he would spend six hours signing autographs. Bedard experienced characteristics of fandom that were unheard of for junior hockey and often things you only saw in the NHL in Canadian cities for players like Oilers phenom centre Connor McDavid in Edmonton.

Bedard handled the fandom that came his way in humble and spectacular fashion, which is something most his age wouldn’t be able to do.

Brayden Yager is a first round selection of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Bedard headed a 17-year-old class in the WHL this past season that might be the deepest the circuit had ever seen with that age group. Two potential big future NHL stars from the Saskatoon area include centres Brayden Yager and Heidt.

Yager, who turned 18-years-old in early January, piled up 28 goals and 50 assists in 67 regular season games for the Moose Jaw Warriors in 2022-23 to go with a plus-six rating. He went in the first round and 14^th overall to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Yager just might be one of those star players that leads the Penguins in an era after Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

Heidt appeared in all 68 regular season games with the Prince George Cougars in 2022-23, and he had 25 goals to go with his 72 assists for 97 points. He was selected in the second round and 64^th overall by the Minnesota Wild.

Due to the fact it is not easy to travel to Prince George, Heidt, who turned 18-years-old in March, wasn’t seen by scouts as much as the other players taken in the NHL Entry Draft. Had he been seen more playing on a team located on the Trans-Canada Highway, he likely would have been selected earlier in the draft.

Tanner Molendyk is a first round draft pick of the Nashville Predators.

One of the most astute picks in the first round might ultimately belonged to the Nashville Predators, when they took Saskatoon Blades defenceman Tanner Molendyk. Molendyk, who turned 18-years-old in February, appeared in 67 regular season games in 2022-23 with the Blades posting nine goals, 28 assists and a plus-31 rating.

He is one of the smoothest skaters among those in the 17-year-old age group this past season, and he has steadily improved as his WHL career has progressed. In the 18 games the Blades played in the 2023 WHL Playoffs, Molendyk posted three goals, five assists and a plus-two rating.

Where Molendyk really turned heads was in the Blades seven game first round series win over the Pats. Molendyk and defensive partner and Blades captain Aidan De La Gorgendiere, who turned 21-years-old in February, were matched up against Bedard every time the Blades coaching staff could get them out against the Pats captain.

While Bedard put up impressive point totals, Molendyk handed that challenge better than anyone could in junior hockey, and he came out of that series with just a minus-one rating despite the offensive numbers put up by Bedard. For anyone that saw Molendyk play in those games, they had to believe he was someone they needed to draft.

The Anaheim Ducks drafted Egor Sidorov in the third round.

Blades import right-winger Egor Sidorov was one of the players from this past season’s 18-year-old class that heard his name called at the NHL Entry Draft. A year ago, Sidorov was passed over in the NHL Entry Draft. He ensured he wasn’t going to be passed over this year.

During the 2022-23 campaign, Sidorov appeared in 53 regular season games with the Blades recording 40 goals, 36 assists and a plus-25 rating. He posted nine goals, 10 assists and a plus-three rating appearing in 16 games in the 2023 WHL Playoffs for the Blades.

Sidorov, who turned 19-years-old on June 18, was selected in the third round and 85^th overall by the Anaheim Ducks.

On the more gritty front, Prince Albert Raiders defenceman Terrell Goldsmith was taken in the fourth round and 102^nd overall by the Arizona Coyotes. Goldsmith, who turned 18-years-old in May, appeared in 58 regular season games with the Raiders in 2022-23 recording three goals, six assists, a minus-six rating and 102 penalty minutes.

Goldsmith is a defensive-defenceman that brings an imposing physical game that is aided by the fact he stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 220 pounds. NHL teams are looking for players to make life miserable in front of their net for opposing players, and Goldsmith can certainly do that.

Terrell Goldsmith was drafted by the Arizona Coyotes.

A number of other players from the WHL taken in this year’s NHL Entry Draft have the potential to be outstanding picks. They include centre Zach Benson of the Winnipeg Ice who are now the Wenatchee Wild going to the Buffalo Sabres in the first round and 13^th overall.

Other astute selections included the Predators selecting centre Kalan Lind of the Red Deer Rebels in the second round and 46^th overall, the Seattle Kraken picking defenceman Caden Price of the Kelowna Rockets in the fourth round and 84^th overall, the San Jose Sharks nabbing defenceman Luca Cagnoni of the Portland Winterhawks in the fourth round and 123^rd overall, the Wild getting defenceman Kalem Parker of the Victoria Royals in the sixth round and 181^st overall and the Washington Capitals selecting left-winger Brett Hyland of the Brandon Wheat Kings in the seventh round and 200^th overall.

One of the coolest moments was seeing the Winnipeg Jets take netminder Thomas Milic of the Seattle Thunderbirds in the fifth round and 151^st overall. Milic, who turned 20-years-old in April, was overlooked due to his lack of size as he stands 6-feet and weighs 179 pounds. NHL clubs often look for a goaltender who stands usually about 6-foot-3 minimum and will pass up smaller goalies including ones that can stop the puck.

Milic backstopped the Thunderbirds to the WHL Championship Series in each of the past two seasons. The Thunderbirds captured the WHL title this past season downing the Ice in five games in a best-of-seven championship series. 

Zach Benson was a first round pick of the Buffalo Sabres.

In the Memorial Cup tournament that determines a CHL champion that was held in Kamloops B.C., Milic backstopped the Thunderbirds to the event’s championship game this past June 4, where they fell 5-0 to the QMJHL champion Quebec Remparts.

On top of his post-season success with the Thunderbirds, Milic backstopped Canada to its gold medal win at this past world juniors.

During the 2022-23 regular season, Milic, who is from Coquitlam, B.C., appeared in 33 games for the Thunderbirds posting a 27-3-2 record, a 2.08 goals against average, a .928 save percentage and four shutouts. He appeared in all of the Thunderbirds 19 games in the WHL Playoffs posting a 16-3 record, a 1.95 goals against average, a .933 save percentage and one shutout.

At the Memorial Cup tournament, Milic played in all the Thunderbirds five games at that event posting a 3-2 record, a 2.41 goals against average and a .915 save percentage.

In Canada’s run to winning gold at this past world juniors, Milic appeared in six games posting a 5-0 record, a 1.76 goals against average and a .932 save percentage. Voted the WHL’s Top Goaltender and a first team CHL all-star, Milic has pretty much done almost all you can do at the junior level and more than most will ever do.

Thomas Milic was selected by the Jets in the NHL Entry Draft.

It would have been a crime had he not gotten an NHL shot. It is heartwarming to see he will get his chance to make his NHL dream come true.

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.

Valkyries overcame adversities in perfect 2023 campaign

QB Alex Eyolfson (#15) calls a play in the Valkyries’ huddle.

In no particular order, leadership, depth and coaching saw the Saskatoon Valkyries through to a perfect season in 2023.

Saskatoon’s powerhouse women’s football team never seemed to lose a step navigating towards an 8-0 overall record. The Valkyries concluded the campaign on Saturday blanking the Calgary Rage 40-0 in the WWCFL Championship Game at Griffiths Stadium.

The win marked the third consecutive time the Valkyries claimed the WWCFL title and the eighth time overall since the league’s inception in 2011.

The Valkyries were challenged along the way in 2023. On May 14, they traveled to Winnipeg and grinded out a 26-14 victory over an inspired Manitoba Fearless side. On June 18 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Valkyries had to hold off their provincial rivals the Regina Riot 19-9 in the Prairie Conference final.

Michelle Duchene, left, has put in countless hours building female football. 

As the Valkyries were going about their business in a convincing win over the Rage, another realization hit looking at the Saskatoon sidelines at Griffiths Stadium on Saturday. There were some important star players helping out on the Valkyries bench area wearing their game uniforms over their street clothes.

That was a sign that those players were kept out of game action due to various injuries. Some of those players who were out missed a sizable part of the campaign due to their injuries.

HC Pat Barry and his staff have kept the Valkyries rolling.

Arguably, the biggest missing player was star fourth year receiver Haley Girolami, who might be the best pass catcher in the women’s game in Canada. In the Valkyries regular season opening 34-7 win over the Riot on May 7 at SMF Field, Girolami hauled in nine passes for 111 yards and one touchdown.

She was so impressive in that game one wondered just how good of a season she was going to have in 2023. Just seven days later in the Valkyries road win over the Fearless, Girolami was lost for the rest of the season due to a knee injury.

The Valkyries were also without star receiver Rachelle Smith for the entire regular season and post-season. The WWCFL veteran is a big time playmaker who was on all three of the Riot’s WWCFL title winning teams before joining the Valkyries for their WWCFL Championship season in 2019 and has remained with the Saskatoon side since.

The loss of Haley Girolami to injury was a big blow to the Valkyries.

On defence, star linebacker Jamie Wingate missed the entire regular season and post-season due to injury. Her absence left a sizable hole on the defence.

Rookie defensive back Kaylin O’Neill went down with a leg injury in the Valkyries regular season win over the Fearless. Savanna Spendiff was excelling in her first year playing on the Valkyries offensive line, but she went down with a knee injury in the Prairie Conference final win over the Riot.

Those types of injuries would have put any other team’s championship aspirations on ice. The Valkyries were able to march on due to their depth.

QB Alex Eyolfson gave positive leadership to the Valkyries offence.

That depth partially came from the work of the only general manager the Valkyries have ever known in Michelle Duchene and the countless hours she has spent building women’s football in Saskatoon. The female flag football system operated through Saskatoon Minor Football has helped funnel players to the Valkyries. Duchene’s leadership helped make that possible.

The Valkyries coaching staff under the direction of head coach Pat Barry has brought newcomers up to speed quickly when it comes to learning the game. That has helped build the Valkyries depth.

Emmarae Dale, left, gave upbeat leadership to the Valkyries defence.

Barry is aided by an astute staff that includes defensive coordinator Wyatt Carleton and Marci Halseth and Jack Sloboda, who shared in the offensive coordinator duties. The coaching staff has ensured new players are ready to step in and make an impact when injuries happen.

On the field, the Valkyries have been able to rely on the leadership of a couple of players who joined the club as youngsters in the team’s 2016 WWCFL title winning campaign in quarterback Alex Eyolfson and middle linebacker Emmarae Dale.

Sarah Wright continued to pile up big yards for the Valkyries.

Right from when she joined the Valkyries, Eyolfson has and continues to radiate a vibe that makes you feel like everything is going to be alright even if things go wrong. She quickly mastered guiding an offence, and she might be the best quarterback in the women’s game in Canada.

Dale immediately displayed an uplifting vibe and a positive demeanor. She still displays an explosive athletic ability that turns heads and saw her join the CJFL’s storied and historic Saskatoon Hilltops for the 2021 campaign. Dale might be the best in the women’s game in Canada today.

The presence of Eyolfson and Dale everything on the field stays sorted out and in order. They were aided by a good core group that has been together since 2019.

Makayla Sader has become part of the Valkyries core group.

On offence, the Valkyries were still able to turn to star running back Sarah Wright and veteran star pass catchers Ricki Obed and Reed Thorstad to make plays. The offensive line is anchored by four star veterans in right tackle Betsy Mawdsley, centre Alex Wojcichowsky, left guard Lauren Ferguson and left tackle Alyssa Funk.

On defence, Danaye Holynski continues to create havoc for the opposition at defensive end. The defence has been bolstered with a couple of veteran receivers switching over to defensive back in Kelsey Murphy and Danielle Girolami.

The Valkyries are progressing to the point where a large group of players in their second and third years with the team can now be considered as steady veterans who are part of the core group. That group includes receiver/kicker Grace McCorriston, running back/kicker Drew Lundquist and utility player Arden Kliewer.

Grace McCorriston (#82) has become a solid receiver and kicker.

Defensive back Makayla Sader, linebackers Jackie Semple-Dyck, Kennedy Mann and Sydney Schenn are now part of that core group too along with Emry Halbgewachs and Grace Farthing on the defensive line. 

Returnee defensive tackle Carla Stevenson has become part of that core group too. She helped the Valkyries win a WWCFL title in their second year of existence in 2012, took a leave of absence from the team before rejoining the club in 2021.

Rookies came through for the Valkyries too in 2023. Brianna Hammett on the offensive line, Michaella Applin on the defensive line, Mykayla Laroque at cornerback and Jaimyn Mantyka at safety all stepped in to give the Valkyries big performances.

Thanks to leadership, depth and coaching, the Valkyries were able to overcome some fairly key injuries and preserver in a couple of tough games that could have sent the season in another direction. The undefeated Valkyries ended becoming better in their journey of overcoming the adversity they faced.

The Valkyries celebrate a third straight WWCFL title on Saturday.

It is expected they will return a strong core of players in 2024. That should give them a good start in their quest for a four-peat, which the team accomplished in the WWCFL’s first four years of existence from 2011 to 2014.

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 already thinking WWCFL title four-peat

The Valkyries O-line crew poses with the WWCFL championship trophy.

As the realization of a three-peat settled in, the Saskatoon Valkyries already had visions of a four-peat dancing in their heads.

On Saturday, the Valkyries concluded their 2023 campaign with a perfect 8-0 overall record blanking the Calgary Rage 40-0 in the WWCFL Championship Game at Griffiths Stadium. The win allowed the Valkyries to improve their overall winning streak to 27 games including two forfeit victories and capture the WWCFL title the last three times it has been up for grabs including 2022 and 2019.

Alex Eyolfson fires a pass downfield for the Valkyries.

The WWCFL title wasn’t contested in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that had gripped the world. In the 11 times a WWCFL champion has been crowned since the league’s inception in 2011, the Valkyries have claimed eight of those titles.

Now, the Valkyries have their sights set on winning a fourth consecutive WWCFL title in 2024. Saskatoon won the WWCFL title the first four times it was awarded from 2011 to 2014. Star running back Sarah Wright, who has played in the Valkyries last three WWCFL championship winners, said it hasn’t been hard to keep the motivation fresh going into each new season.

“I think we all do in a sense,” said Wright, who has been with the Valkyries since 2017. “I think we’ve got the best core group of girls that all are so competitive that want to get the next championship.

Sarah Wright (#88) has piled up big yards as the Valkyries star RB.

“We all feed off of each other, so I think it has never been an issue. We kind of keep each other up to that elite level.”

The Valkyries run of three straight WWCFL title wins has been powered by the fact they have strong group of veterans who have played for a number of years. Alex Eyolfson has been the team’s regular quarterback since her rookie year in 2016, when the Valkyries won their fifth WWCFL title. She has become a star as her playing career has gone on.

She is surrounded by a good veteran crew in Wright and talented group of receivers that includes Haley Girolami, Reed Thorstad, Ricki Obed and Rachelle Smith. Girolami and Smith were out with injuries for most of the 2023 campaign.

Alyssa Funk has been a stellar left tackle for the Valkyries.

The Valkyries offensive line has a quartet of veteran stars in Alyssa Funk, Lauren Ferguson, Alex Wojcichowsky and Betsy Mawdsley.

Saskatoon’s defence has been anchored by star middle linebacker Emmarae Dale, who joined the squad in 2016. Defensive end Danaya Holynski and defensive tackle Carla Stevenson have provided the Valkyries valuable experience. Kelsey Murphy and Danielle Girolami both started out as receivers before converting to defensive back, but have shown their versatility for a long time.

Valkyries head coach Pat Barry said the veteran presence helps, but the Valkyries have also benefited from newcomers who have joined the team each year and have been quick learners.

Valkyries star MLB Emmarae Dale makes tonnes of big plays.

“We have leadership,” said Barry. “I’ve mentioned before more than half of our team wasn’t on the team in 2019 when this run started.

“It is pretty exciting.”

Barry said the Valkyries still faced adversity even with being undefeated this season. During the regular season, the Valkyries traveled to Winnipeg on May 14 and battled out a 26-14 victory against an inspired Manitoba Fearless side.

The Valkyries also had to hold off their provincial rivals the Regina Riot 19-9 in the Prairie Conference final held on June 18 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field in another tough outing.

“We had a 10-point game (against Regina in the Prairie Conference final),” said Barry. “Earlier in the season, we went to Winnipeg and had a very close game with them.

The Valkyries defence was pumped to get a shutout on Saturday.

“Those are challenges, but they were able to achieve their goals.”

Wright said the Valkyries don’t settle for anything less than reaching the top. She said the feeling after a championship win is still an ultimate topper that gets better as the title count grows.

“I think it just keeps getting sweeter,” said Wright. “We’ve been making a really good core group, and it is just so much fun to play with all of them.

“We’re always so excited for the next year.”

Grace McCorriston (#82) boots a 21 yard field goal on Saturday.

Wright said the players on the Valkyries usually start thinking about next season fairly quickly. She said the majority of the players on the team play in adult flag leagues, and that helps keep the tackle season on everyone’s mind.

“A lot of us play a lot of flag, which is awesome,” said Wright. “It kind of keeps us kind of in shape and obviously thinking football all throughout the summer and winter.

“When we come back to Valkyries, you can just tell how much it translates over.”

Barry said the Valkyries will star holding training sessions in January to start preparing for the 2024 campaign. He said they would like to get an early exhibition game in that would double as a team bonding trip in part way to the lead up to the 2024 WWCFL season.

The Valkyries celebrate a second TD on Saturday from Ricki Obed (#28).

“We’re hoping to do maybe an interesting trip somewhere,” said Barry. “We’re not sure where.

“We might go somewhere hot in the winter time and play an exhibition game. That is our goal.”

While attention is turning towards 2024, Wright is still soaking in the accomplishments from 2023.

“The next one is always the best one,” said Wright. “I’m so proud of our team.

“They (the coaches) said something like 160 days we’ve been playing together this year, so it is so nice to come win 40-nothing on our last one.”

Nose surgery didn’t keep Sader from WWCFL final

Makayla Sader came up with two turnovers on Saturday.

Makayla Sader was pumped to finish her 2023 season with the Saskatoon Valkyries on the field.

Following the team’s first three regular season games, Sader had surgery on her nose for a non-football related medical issue. The third year defensive back resumed regular practice in the week leading up to the WWCFL final.

On Saturday, Sader took the field starting at her customary boundary cornerback position wearing a visor on her helmet. She recorded an interception, one fumble recovery and one solo tackle in her team’s 40-0 victory over the Calgary Rage in the WWCFL Championship Game at Griffiths Stadium.

The win marked the second time Sader was a part of a WWCFL title win with the Valkyries having helped the storied squad win a league title last year.

“This year was hard for me having that nose surgery, because I did miss the last few weeks,” said Sader. “Involvement wise, it was hard to be around the last few weeks before championship, but definitely, I think the DBs got closer as a team as we progressed through the season.

“We all became super close. Defence is always all buddy, buddy and best friends.”

Valkyries head coach Pat Barry was pleased to see Sader return and have big game.

“It was exciting,” said Barry. “Makayla just came off of a surgery on her nose.

“She had a visor on. We were awful worried about her, but yeah, I’m just pretty proud of how touch she is.”

Sader said she got winded after getting hit on her seven-yard interception return against the Rage. Still, she said that play gives her a great story to tell for years to come and a championship winning day she will never forget.

“It was definitely worth it,” said Sader. “I think that was my first pick.

“It fricken felt awesome. I can’t wait to get another one.”

Girolami’s switch offence to defence results in memorable pick

Danielle Girolami (#10) runs back an interception on Saturday.

Danielle Girolami showed she still has a good set of pass catching hands in the WWCFL Championship Game.

Girolami started out as a receiver with the Valkyries in 2018. She developed into an accomplished pass catcher helping the Valkyries win a WWCFL title in 2019.

Following that season, Girolami switched over to defensive back as the 2020 and 2021 WWCFL campaigns were ultimately lost due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that gripped the world. The Valkyries did play a three-game exhibition series against their provincial rivals in the Regina Riot in 2021.

Girolami debuted as a defensive back in that three-game series. As a defensive back, Girolami helped the Valkyries win a WWCFL title in 2022.

On Saturday, Girolami recorded an interception and a team leading six total tackles as the Valkyries blanked the Calgary Rage 40-0 in the WWCFL Championship Game at Griffiths Stadium for a third consecutive league championship.

“I have to say this one is pretty exciting,” said Girolami. “I started as a receiver, so coming over to defence, every year I think we are able to just get more confident and work together.

“To get the third win in a row, it is pretty exciting, because I don’t think it happens too often. It is great.”

While Girolami’s comfort level in playing defensive back is the highest it has ever been, she is more proud of the success the Valkyries have had as a team. For the defensive unit, she was pumped they were able to get a shutout in the WWCFL final against the Rage.

“It was awesome,” said Girolami. “We’ve been working hard all year.

“When you practice against our offence who are just great to be able to work all year and show what we have in this last game and keep them to zero was pretty great.”

Girolami is no stranger when it comes to winning championships. Before joining the Valkyries, Girolami played defence for the Saskatoon Stars Under-18 AAA Hockey Team for three seasons from 2013 to 2016. She helped the Stars win provincial titles in 2015 and 2016.

Girolami remembers all her championship winning days and said Saturday’s win over the Rage will be one she will always recall.

“I don’t think I will ever forget it,” said Girolami. “I won’t forget this team that is for sure.”

Murphy, “Biscuit” holdovers from 2014 title win, other notes

Alex Wojcichowsky (#61) pass protects for the Valkyries.

Kelsey Murphy and Alex Wojcichowsky hold a unique distinction due to their longevity with the Saskatoon Valkyries.

On Saturday, the veteran pair of players helped the Saskatoon Valkyries win the WWCFL title blanking the Calgary Rage 40-0 at Griffiths Stadium. The win gave the Valkyries a third consecutive WWCFL championship.

The two players are the only holdovers from the last Valkyries team in 2014 to win a WWCFL title at Griffiths Stadium. When the Valkyries blanked the Lethbridge Steel 53-0 to claim the WWCFL title at Griffiths Stadium on July 5, 2014, Murphy was a rookie and Wojcichowsky, whose nickname is “Biscuit,” was in her second year with the club.

Murphy remained a member of the Valkyries roster since her rookie season. She started out as a running back, switched over to receiver for a number of years before becoming a defensive back. On special teams, Murphy has returned kicks for a lengthy part of her career.

In 2023, Murphy had a strong campaign that included a couple of memorable interceptions in the regular season. In the WWCFL final, the Rage mainly avoided going to Murphy’s area of the field resulting in her making one solo tackle. She returned two punts for 33 yards on special teams.

Kelsey Murphy has won five WWCFL titles with the Valkyries.

Murphy has played on five Valkyries WWCFL championship teams with the title wins coming in 2014, 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2023.

Wojcichowsky started playing with the Valkyries on the offensive line in 2013. In her rookie campaign, the Valkyries captured the WWCFL title with a 27-13 victory over the Lethbridge Steel on June 15, 2013 at historic Taylor Field in Regina.

Wojcichowsky continued to play for the Valkyries finding a regular role at centre on the offensive line through to the end of the 2017 season having been a member of the WWCFL title winning teams in 2014 and 2016. She became one of the team’s trainers and was on the training staff for the 2019 WWCFL championship win.

The urge to play came once again, and Wojcichowsky suited up to play on the offensive line for the Valkyries starting with their three game exhibition series against the Regina Riot in 2021. She helped the Valkyries win WWCFL titles in 2022 and 2023 to be a part of five WWCFL championship wins as a player and one as a trainer.

Away from football, Wojcichowsky was a trainer for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Women’s Hockey Team for two seasons from 2015 to 2017. For the fun fact in the Valkyries 2016 game program, Wojcichowsky said she was trying to master the art of skate sharpening referring to her role with the Huskies.

• Valkyries defensive tackle Carla Stevenson played for the team when they won their second WWCFL title with a 64-21 victory in the league championship game on July 14, 2012 at Griffiths Stadium. Following that season, Stevenson departed the team and rejoined the Valkyries after a lengthy absence in 2021 for their three-game series against the Riot. Stevenson proceeded to help the Valkyries win WWCFL titles in 2022 and this past Saturday.
• The Valkyries won last year’s WWCFL title game 36-6 over the Winnipeg based Manitoba Fearless on June 24 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.
• The Rage’s roster on Saturday contained two of the all-time greats in women’s football in Canada in Erin Walton and Lisa Gomes. Walton has played running back, quarterback, receiver and on the offensive line during her lengthy career. She suited up for Canada at the International Federation of American Football’s Women’s World Championship tournaments in 2010 and 2013. Gomes played running back for most of her career. She has also been a receiver and played defence. She represented Canada at the IFAF Women’s World Championship tournament in 2017. Canada won silver medals in the 2010, 2013 and 2017 tournaments.
• In the Valkyries 40-0 WWCFL Championship Game victory over the Rage on Saturday, the Valkyries had a 311-62 advantage in net offensive yards. The Valkyries also had a key edge in the punt return game that helped set up some short fields. They had 100 total yards in punt returns, while the Rage had 29 yards on punt returns.
• Valkyries star left tackle Alyssa Funk got to carry the ball once for three yards in Saturday’s WWCFL Championship Game win. Funk first started playing with the Valkyries in 2015. She was a member of Canada’s teams that played at the IFAF Women’s World Championship tournaments in 2017 and 2022. Canada won silver in 2017 and fell 19-17 to host Finland in the bronze medal game in 2022.
• The Valkyries had a number of alums turn out to Griffiths Stadium on Saturday to watch their 40-0 victory over the Calgary Rage in the WWCFL Championship Game. One of the alums that made the longest trip was former receiver/kicker Carly Dyck, who came from Lethbridge, Alta. Dyck, who is from Lethbridge, started playing for the Valkyries in 2015 when she was attending the University of Saskatchewan. Dyck remained with Valkyries through the end of the 2018 campaign. She helped the Valkyries win a WWCFL title in 2016 with an 81-6 victory over the Edmonton Storm in Lethbridge. Dyck played for Canada’s silver medal winning team at the IFAF Women’s World Championship in 2017. Before joining the Valkyries, Dyck played three seasons from 2012 to 2014 for her hometown Lethbridge Steel.

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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