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.

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