Fun was had in 2024 but chase element specter loomed

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 1995 Sports Illustrated “The Year In Pictures.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Berries salute their faithful on August 13, 2024.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Away from that chase, 2024 had lots of highlights.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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