Happy return to Medicine Hat, but I miss my buds who passed

Back in Medicine Hat, I had to stop and visit The Arena.

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – Tonight from the home of one junior hockey’s legacy franchises in the Medicine Hat Tigers, I bring you a self-serving column, because I need to do it.

On Saturday at 7 p.m. at Co-op Place, the Tigers will open a best-of-seven WHL Eastern Conference semifinal series against another legacy junior hockey franchise – the Prince Albert Raiders. In my 26 seasons covering the WHL, the Tigers and Raiders are the two teams I am linked to the strongest.

To be honest, the Tigers and Raiders are family. I’ve got so many great links with both teams that I am truly blessed on that front.

Now comes the challenging and heavy part. I miss my buds from the Hat who are no longer with us in this world.

The last time I was in the Hat was back in July in 2019 to take care of a personal matter. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic ruined a return planned for March 14, 2020 to take part in the celebrations of the iconic Bob Ridley calling his 4,000^th game as the Tigers play-by-play voice. I wasn’t able to get back to Hat until today.

The summer of 2020 during all the restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic is known as the summer of the suicides in Medicine Hat, which made the national news. I remember seeing names of six to seven men come up who took their lives, and I pretty much knew them all.

A lot were alums of the Medicine Hat Junior B Cubs Hockey Team. The pressures of that time in the pandemic played a part in what happened.

Out of the suicides in 2020 in Medicine Hat, Mitch Serr and Mike Engel were two that I built tight friendships with when I lived in the Hat from 2004 to 2014. We shared lots about our personal lives with each other.

When the Raiders blanked the Edmonton Oil Kings 5-0 on Tuesday at the storied and historic Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert in Game 7 to conclude a first round series, I was happy the Raiders were advancing to play the Tigers. Following post-game interviews, I went up to the Ches Leach Lounge to visit some friends before writing my game story for this blog and editing pictures.

On one of the big screens, the two teams’ logos popped up to tease the Eastern Conference semifinal matchup. All of a sudden, I froze. The memories of the men who passed away in 2020 came back to me.

When I got back to Coronet Hotel, I started to tear up. I had talked with Nathan Reiter, who is the sports reporter for the Prince Albert Daily Herald, after the Raiders win at the Hauser about seeing if I could drive him out to the Hat with me.

After the tears came in the hotel room, I messaged Reiter and let him know what the deal was. I said in the message I believe I better head to Medicine Hat solo to be able to deal with emotionally what I needed to deal with.

I felt bad about doing that, because I believe he has developed a best friend type bond with James Tubb, who is the sportswriter for the Medicine Hat News. I believe it would be special, if they could work this series together.

Before I sent Reiter that message, I was checking out a CBC documentary from 2020 that I had seen before on the suicide deaths of Brandon Niwa and Ryan Pancoast. The stories of Niwa and Pancoast led off the documentary about the multiple suicide deaths. Even now, it was gut wrenching to see interviews from people I knew in the Hat talking about all the suicide deaths.

I had dread of what it would be like to arrive in Medicine Hat physically for the first time knowing those buds are no longer with us. A scenario ran through my head where I imagined myself freezing up while covering the games.

On Thursday afternoon or two days after the Raiders first round series win, I messaged the Tigers that I would be in the Hat two work Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinal. Normally, I would have sent a message the next day.

CDs that helped me on the drive to Medicine Hat.

The drive down on Friday afternoon helped settle the mind. I was also playing CD’s from MacKenzie Porter and Mahoney which was helping bring back good memories of the Hat.

At a gas stop in Oyen, I got a message that one of my old friends from Winnipeg passed away in his sleep of natural causes.

That was a gut punch, but on that front, good memories went through my mind of how that friend in Winnipeg lived life pretty much on his own terms, which at the end of the day is all any of us want. I might have compartmentalized that passing too quickly, so it might still hit me more later on. It also went through my mind on the drive it 11 years to the day my uncle Art Steinke passed away.

With the passings of my friends in 2020 in the Hat, I remember Serr and Engel really loved the Tigers. There is a story on each front there that is a good memory I feel like I can share.

First, I will start with Serr. This one makes me chuckle now.

This memory happened after the Tigers blanked the Red Deer Rebels 5-0 at The Arena in Game 2 of a first round series in the 2007 WHL Playoffs. The win evened the series at 1-1.

That series was really rough and the Tigers had taken some hits from Rebels players that were borderline. Actually, Tigers star right-winger and agitator Derek Dorsett said some of the hits were cheap looking back in recollection.

Serr was still playing for the Cubs at that time, and I saw him at one of the Hat’s night spots following Game 2. Serr was mad at hits the Tigers players were taking. He told me he wanted me to tell Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins that he wanted to gather a couple of his toughest buds from the Cubs and wanted to be dressed as a line to go send a message to the Rebels.

Serr said they would all be junior B guys, so it didn’t matter if they got suspended. Serr said he knows the Tigers players, who were his friends too, could handle anything that was thrown at them, but he said they shouldn’t have to deal with what they had been dealing with from the Rebels.

I chuckle every time I think of that moment. The passion was priceless.

Engel, who was also a Cubs alum, would come up and visit me from time to time in the press box at The Arena. At Tigers games, he was always into what was happening on the ice. He always had really good observations about the game and thought Desjardins was the best.

One time at his house, we were having a few pops, and I am hoping I remember this right. I remember him telling me he got invited to Tigers training camp, and he was so pumped for that opportunity.

At camp, he said he knew playing hockey in the WHL wasn’t going to work out for him, but he said the team still treated him really well through that process. He said he was thankful for that chance.

I think a short time after that visit was when Engel gave up drinking. I support all my friends who made that choice.

He did it cold turkey and stuck with it. I will always be proud he was able to do that.

Another thing that crossed my mind on the drive down was what was I was going to do for the upcoming playoff games between the Tigers and Raiders as far as suit and tie combos go. Of course, one of my favourite looks is wearing an orange dress shirt with a black tie. I copied that look after I saw Desjardins wear it one game, and I thought it looked super cool.

I often wear that look when I am covering big WHL games and especially games in the Memorial Cup tournament as a call back to remembering all the big Tigers regular season and post-season games I covered during my time at the Medicine Hat News from 2004 to 2014. I’ve worn that suit and tie combination for a number of big Raiders victories including their WHL title win in 2019 even though their colours are green, white, gold and black.

The players on both the Tigers and Raiders truly believe they have the best fans in the WHL. The fans of both teams are extremely passionate, and they do let you know if they don’t agree with something you have written and are protective of anyone being biased against their squads. It is all in a good way on that front too.

Out of respect for my friends who are no longer here, I feel like I have to wear the orange shirt and black tie combination for Game 1 here in the Hat. I hope my buds enjoy the series up there.

Rest easy guys and remember you are missed.

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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Heartbreak for Huskies again in Vanier Cup

Rouge et Or prevail 30-24 in showcase U Sports title game

Mason Nyhus played his final game with the Huskies on Saturday.

If you told the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team in training camp that they’d be in position to make a two-minute drill drive at the end of the fourth quarter to win the Vanier Cup, they would take it.

If you told the Huskies they would have to make that drive against the forever powerful Universite Laval Rouge et Or, the Dogs would still take it.

That was the position the Huskies were in on Saturday playing before 8,420 spectators at Western Alumni Stadium in London, Ont. They were actually in that position twice.

Trailing the Rouge et Or 30-24, the Huskies had the ball at their own 18 yard line with 1:44 remaining in the fourth quarter with two timeouts. They needed to drive 92 yards to win the game, but it was something that could be realistically done and had been done in the past.

The Huskies got 21 yards downfield on four plays before turning the ball over on downs. The drive ended when Huskies star fifth-year quarterback Mason Nyhus hit sophomore star second-year running back Ryker Frank with a pass on a third-and-six situation.

Frank initially caught the ball six yards downfield, but took a step backwards looking to make a cut for additional yards. Because of that step backwards, Frank was stopped short of the first down marker and the Rouge et Or took over at the Huskies 39 yard line.

Connor Delahey had 8.5 total tackles for the Huskies.

After the Rouge et Or offence went two and out, they punted the ball to the Huskies, who had the ball at their own 20 yard line with 34 seconds remaining with no timeouts. Needing chunk plays, the Huskies went three and out to turn the ball over on downs.

The Rouge et Or took two kneel downs to end the contest and begin the celebration of their 30-24 victory, and the fact they won the Vanier Cup to become U Sports champions for the 11^th time in team history. Before Saturday’s game, the last time the Rouge et Or won the Vanier Cup was in 2018.

Overall, U Sports football was the biggest winner on Saturday. The 57^th Vanier Cup played between the Huskies and Rouge et Or was an outstanding showcase of the sport of football at the Canadian university level. The fact it was shown live on CBC’s national network made it even better, because people who wouldn’t have normally watched the game would have been pulled in by a compelling encounter.

When the dust settled, the two teams combined for 975 yards of total offence. The Huskies had 469 total yards, and the Rouge et Or had 506 total yards.

Nyhus, who was playing in his final U Sports game, completed 34-of-43 passes for 344 yards and three touchdowns, while throwing one interception due to a tipped pass. Rouge et Or star second year quarterback Arnaud Desjardins connected on 27-of-36 passes for 397 yards. Nyhus was the U Sports second team all-Canadian all-star quarterback, and Desjardins was the first team all-Canadian all-star quarterback.

Daniel Perry had five catches for 85 yards on Saturday.

Ultimately, Saturday’s contest was one of those games that could have gone the Huskies way had the result of two or three plays changed.

The teams were trying to gage what they could do in the first quarter and traded field goals. David Solie hit a 20 yard field goal for the Huskies, and Vincent Blanchard replied with a 15 yard field goal for the Rouge et Or to create a 3-3 tie after 15 minutes.

Early in the second quarter gambling on a third-and-goal situation, Nyhus rolled right and hit third-year receiver Everett Iverson with a three-yard touchdown toss to put the Huskies in front 10-3.

The Rouge et Or answered back on their ensuing offensive series with first-year running back Kalenga Muganda running in a touchdown from three yards out taking a direct snap in the wildcat formation to force a 10-10 tie. The Rouge et Or proceeded to take their first lead when Blanchard booted the ensuing kickoff through the end zone for a rouge and an 11-10 edge.

The Huskies retook the lead on their ensuing offensive series, when Nyhus hit star second-year receiver Rhett Vavra with a three-yard touchdown pass for a 17-11 advantage.

Before the second quarter came to an end, Blanchard hit a field goal from 28 yards out to cut the Huskies lead to 17-14 and knocked home a field goal from 49 yards out with 0.2 seconds to play in the frame to force a 17-17 tie at halftime.

Everett Iverson had the Huskies first TD catch on Saturday.

With 9:07 remaining in the third quarter, the Rouge et Or caught a positive break to avoid falling behind again on the scoreboard. Solie launched a long punt, which Rouge et Or returner Alex Duff allowed to bounce into his own end zone playing the situation like the punt return rules in the United States were in play.

Duff circled back into his end zone to get the ball. As soon as his fingers grabbed the ball, he was hit by Huskies long snapper Jayden Engel. The ball popped out of Duff’s hands and Huskies backup running back Kody Gutek recovered the ball in the end zone for an apparent touchdown.

 The officials correctly called a no yards penalty on Engel, which negated the major score and even the opportunity to pick up a single point.

After surviving that mishap, the Rouge et Or accounted for the only points in the third quarter with a 10-yard field goal from Blanchard to take a 20-17 lead.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Rouge et Or went into the bag of tricks to pull out a major score. Facing a first and goal situation from the Huskies one yard line, star receiver Kevin Mital lined up behind centre in the wildcat formation. Mital faked like he was going to run the ball and looped a one-yard touchdown toss to second-year fullback David Dallaire to increase the Rouge et Or’s lead to 27-17.

Ryker Frank had 65 yards rushing and 30 yards receiving on Saturday.

The Huskies looked like they were going to trim the Rouge et Or’s advantage on their ensuing offensive possession. U of S got the ball down to the Rouge et Or six yard line for a first-and-goal situation.

Nyhus threw a pass in the end zone to third year receiver Caleb Morin. Morin wasn’t able to hold on to the high pass and the ball slipped through his hands into the arms or Rouge et Or defensive back Felix Petit for an interception with 9:27 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The result of the play was an unfortunate one for Morin, who had a strong game leading the Huskies with seven catches for 97 yards.

After the interception, the Huskies defence forced the Rouge et Or offence to go two-and-out. Following a 35-yard punt return by Vavra, U of S started a drive on the Rouge et Or’s 51 yard line.

The Huskies quickly drove the short field and Nyhus hit sure handed second-year receiver Daniel Wiebe with a three-yard touchdown pass to cut the Rouge et Or lead to 27-24 with 4:58 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Nick Wiebe had six total tackles for the Huskies on Saturday.

The Rouge et Or pushed their lead out to 30-24 on their ensuing offensive series with Blanchard hitting a 25 yard field goal with 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter. That field goal was set up mainly by Desjardins hitting Rouge et Or fourth-year receiver Antoine Dansereau-Leclerc with a 55-yard pass. Blanchard made all five of his field goals on the afternoon.

That set the stage for the Huskies final two failed drives as the Rouge et Or made the 30-24 score hold up as the game’s final outcome.

Mital, who won the Hec Crighton Trophy as the player of the year in U Sports football on Thursday, was awarded the Ted Morris Memorial Trophy as the Vanier Cup game MVP. Mital hauled in eight passes for a game high 142 yards to go with his touchdown toss.

The Bruce Coulter Award for the defensive player of the game went to second-year linebacker Charles-Alexandre Jacques. Jacques made 5.5 total tackles for the Rouge et Or in the win.

The Huskies piled up 125 yards rushing as a team in the first half and only nine yards rushing as a team in the second half. Frank carried the ball 12 times for 65 yards and caught five passes for 30 yards.

Teb Kubongo had two carries for 65 yards for the Huskies.

Third-year running back Ted Kubongo ran the ball twice for 65 yards and caught two passes for five yards.

Huskies star fourth-year receiver Daniel Perry had five catches for 85 yards, and Vavra had six catches for 66 yards.

Muganda topped the Rouge et Or in rushing with 19 carries for 76 yards to go with his major score. Dansereau-Leclerc finished the contest with eight catches for 119 yards.

Defensive end Connor Delahey led the Huskies with 8.5 total tackles, while linebacker Nick Wiebe had six total tackles.

Defensive back Maxym Lavallee topped the Rouge et Or with 7.5 total tackles, while defensive lineman Jean-William Rouleau had a quarterback sack.

Rouge et Or head coach Glen Constantin picked up his 10 Vanier Cup win as the team’s head coach and increased his U Sports record for career head coaching wins to 202 with Saturday’s result.

Huskies head coach Scott Flory saw his team’s overall record conclude at 10-2, while the Rouge et Or close out at 11-1 overall. The Huskies went into the game rated fourth in the final U Sports Top 10 rankings, while the Rouge et Or were rated second.

HC Scott Flory saw his Huskies fall after a strong effort.

When Saturday’s game reached its conclusion, it was another lesson in heartbreak in the Vanier Cup for the Huskies. The Dogs were in last year’s Vanier Cup, and they fell 27-21 to the University of Western Ontario Mustangs at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec.

The Huskies last won the Vanier Cup in 1998 downing the Concordia University Stingers 24-17 at the venue then known as the Skydome and now Rogers Place in Toronto. 

The Huskies have returned to the U Sports title game six times since dropping five of those contests by six or fewer points.

One of these years, you have to think the Huskies persistence will result in a U Sports championship. Still with how most of amateur sport in Canada isn’t followed that closely anymore by mainstream media outlets, it was big the Huskies could play well and make the Vanier Cup a showcase game before a national television audience.

The Huskies finish the 2022 campaign with a 10-2 overall record.

If Saturday’s Vanier Cup gets more people talking about U Sports football, that is a big victory for the sport as a whole.

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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Beloved Sasakamoose leaves great trailblazing legacy

Fred Sasakamoose 1933-2020

Fred Sasakamoose, right, at the 2018 Memorial Cup.

When I first met Fred Sasakamoose way back on February 25, 2004, he was underestimating the epilogue of his life.

We had a long visit in the old conference room on the second floor of the Prince Albert Daily Herald office building. I was interviewing him for a story for the next day’s paper.

Sasakamoose had recently been in Shaunavon, Sask., as a guest at the Hockey Day in Canada festivities. He attended on an invite from CBC.

During a banquet at that event, longtime Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Dick Irvin Jr. introduced Sasakamoose to the crowd. Irvin summarized Sasakamoose’s place in hockey history.

He was one of the first Indigenous players to play in the NHL. He made his NHL debut on November 20, 1953 with the Chicago Blackhawks playing against the Boston Bruins.

Sasakamoose played one more game with the Blackhawks before being sent back to the junior Moose Jaw Canucks.

With the Canucks in 1953-54, Sasakamoose appeared in 34 regular season games collecting 31 goals and 26 assists. In February of 1954 after the Canucks season finished, Sasakamoose was called back up to the Blackhawks.

The centre played in 11 games in total with Chicago collecting no points and six penalty minutes.

Irvin’s father, Dick Irvin Sr., coached Sasakamoose in Chicago.

At the time I interviewed Sasakamoose in February of 2004, he was 70-years-old. He thought at that time what took place in Shaunavon was a high point in his life.

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A post shared by Brigette Lacquette (@briglacquette)

“That put the icing in my life,” said Sasakamoose. “The finishing touch of the cake.

“The finishing touch on my life, when they put on the icing by Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, by CBC Hockey Night in Canada, (and) by the people of Shaunavon for the invitation. I hope they read this in Shaunavon, and what I finished saying.

“It was the greatest moment of my life.”

Little did Sasakamoose know, his story took on a bigger life from that point.

He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. The Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation member became a member of the Order of Canada in 2018.

On top of those honours, Sasakamoose has been inducted into the Saskatchewan First Nations Sports Hall of Fame, the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame, the Meadow Lake Wall of Fame, the FSIN Circle of Honour and the Canadian Native Hockey Hall of Fame.

Today we are sadden to hear the passing of @FredSasakamoose. You will be greatly missed by our indigenous communities. You have paved the way and allowed us to believe in our dreams. #warrior #leader #Inspiration #nativepride pic.twitter.com/B7pvNFHhCC

— Jordin Tootoo (@Jtootoo22) November 25, 2020

He continued to be an incredible positive influence on young Indigenous athletes and that developed into lifelong friendships into adulthood.

Sasakamoose spoke on the real hard subjects too. Much of his childhood was spent at the St. Michael’s Indian Residential School in Duck Lake, Sask. During a Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing in Prince Albert in 2012, he publicly acknowledged that he was sexually abused by other children at the school when he was nine years old.

At age seven, he and his brother, Frank, were whisked away by the government to the school.

Sasakamoose overcame all of that adversity to make it to the NHL. Following his time in the NHL, Sasakamoose’s playing career concluded with time spent in various minor leagues.

When he was done playing, he became a band councilor with the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation and served one six-year term as Chief.

He spent a large amount of time developing sports programs for Indigenous children.

On Tuesday, Sasakamoose passed away at age 86 after recently being hospitalized for COVID-19.

So sorry to hear about @FredSasakamoose today. Thank you for being a leader and paving the way for all of us indigenous hockey players and helping us dream big. You will be missed. pic.twitter.com/SYAYozKDEs

— Theo Fleury (@TheoFleury14) November 24, 2020

Tributes poured in from all over the hockey world, especially from the Indigenous community.

Because of Sasakamoose’s exploits, it allowed the sport of hockey to be blessed with the likes of Bryan Trottier, Theo Fleury, Jordin Tootoo, Brigette Lacquette, Ethan Bear, Brady Keeper, Justin Nachbaur and Jaydon Dureau to follow in the strides Sasakamoose made.

Sasakamoose watched those youngsters grow with great pride and was someone they could always turn to.

A lot of Sasakamoose’s biggest impacts on a number of those individuals came after I did my interview with him back in February of 2004. During that visit, I could tell I was only scratching the surface of the wisdom Sasakamoose, who was born on December 25, 1933, had to share.

It is safe to say some great wisdom was shared with various Indigenous athletes after my visit with him in Prince Albert.

Fred Sasakamoose (#21) in Saskatoon in Jan. 2018.

During the initial aftermath of the news of his passing, it feels like Sasakamoose should have had more opportunities to continue to have a profound impact on people. He was truly a gem of a person.

If each of us could emulate a fraction of who Sasakamoose was, this world really would be a better and more understanding place.

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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Cononavirus scare results in weird and eerie week

At work in the home office on Saturday night.

    If I need a quick reminder of how the world has changed, all I have to do is turn on my mobile phone.

    The first thing that comes up is an emergency services warning stating that due to the COVID-19 pandemic anyone who has returned to Saskatchewan from outside the country must mandatorily self-isolate for 14 days and failure to do so will result in a $2,000 fine.

    A short time ago back on Friday, March 6, I was covering a WHL regular season game that saw the host Saskatoon Blades down the Regina Pats 2-1 in overtime at the SaskTel Centre. Sophomore left-winger Kyle Crnkovic scored the winner 74 seconds into the extra session to allow the Blades to lock up a berth in the WHL playoffs.

    At that time, life was proceeding as normal.

    Tuesday, March 10 seemed like the last normal day. From that day until now, you will likely be able to find a number of posts on social media lines that didn’t age well due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
    Because of the scare it has created, most people in Saskatoon are virtually living in lockdown and self-isolating at the time I am making this post go live.

The Huskies sign autographs for little fan on March 11.

    Looking back at March 10, I suspect I’m not the only one who has made social posts that said things that didn’t age well. I stumbled on a CBC timeline story about COVID-19, and it showed a Saskatchewan provincial government press conference from Wednesday, March 11.

    During that press conference, it was said the party was on for the Juno Awards, which are Canada’s national music awards, slated for this past Sunday in Saskatoon. Words of reassurance were offered noting there was low risk in Saskatchewan with regards to COVID-19.

    The conference occurred before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization and the NBA suspended play that same day.

    The Junos were cancelled the next day as cancellations and postponements poured in across the sports world.
    On March 11, there were a total of 110 COVID-19 cases in Canada and one death. At the time of making this post go live, there were 1,328 COVID-19 cases in Canada and 19 deaths.

    On March 12, the Saskatchewan government confirmed its first presumptive case of COVID-19. As of today, Saskatchewan has 25 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 19 presumptive cases.
    The Saskatchewan government declared a state of emergency this past Wednesday. Since that time, more and more measures have been taken to shut down society in the province, which has been mirrored in the rest of the country.

The Huskies pose for a picture at the March 11 rally.

    Over the past 10 days, it is safe to presume most in Canada have seen video of what has taken place in Italy, where that country of just over 60-million people has seen its health care system overrun by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    At the time this post went live, Italy leads the world in COVID-19 deaths at 4,825. In a 24-hour period on Saturday, Italy had 793 deaths due to COVID-19.
    The drastic measures in Canada and Saskatchewan have been taken to try and prevent the health system from being overrun like Italy’s has.

    In my view, we are faced with the options of bad and less bad. The decision makers in Canada have decided to go the less bad route and try and not let COVID-19 run wild through the country.

    When this scare does ultimately pass, it will likely leave behind a devastating economic toll. At the moment, we are all in this together, so we will all face that reality when it comes.

    Knowing how it seems a lot of people have short memories, I can already see people being upset when we are in economic shambles when the COVID-19 pandemic passes. The fact death was escaped all of sudden gets forgotten.

    If you search hard enough, you will likely find a person or two that prefers to die now than face life after the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The reality is the world will be a much different place after the COVID-19 pandemic passes. Still, it is unhealthy to dwell on what the future can be even a month or two down the road.

I made Thursday a hockey jersey day.

    As for me, I have really only started to full out process what has gone on since March 11 starting on Friday. I had to get caught up on work related projects that were started before all the craziness began to occur.

    Strange as it sounds, this past Monday and Tuesday were basically normal work days for me. I had been tracking the developments of closures and cancellations and new restrictions brought in by governments during those normal work days too.

    As of Thursday night after I was all caught up, I began to wonder what Friday would be like, when I had more time to think about what all has happened.
    My mind began to worry for old friends I made over my life who have gone into the nursing profession.

    I remembered how fun it was to attend the celebration rally for the U Sports national champion University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s basketball team at the Physical Activity Complex during the lunch hour on March 11. The gold medal winners from the Huskies track and field and wrestling teams were also honoured.

    All that occurred before the NBA suspended play.

    I do wonder what different things I would have done had the COVID-19 pandemic not happened. For a short time when cancellations or postponements happened, there were other things on the go that filled the time that was committed to what I was originally going to go to.
    On Saturday, March 14, I was to have been in Medicine Hat, Alta., to celebrate Bob Ridley calling his 4,000^th game as the play-by-play voice of the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers.

    Tonight was to have been a special night in Saskatoon, as the Blades were to honour their long time former head coach and general manager Lorne Molleken, who always treated my family unbelievably well. I had been looking forward to tonight at the SaskTel Centre.

I have been working out in my basement dungeon.

    I don’t think I have totally comprehended how odd and eerie the world is at the present time in the shadow of COVID-19.

    I have spent more down time with my mom. We took a drive to downtown Saskatoon, and it was unsettling to see that part of the city be basically abandoned.

    As downtown Saskatoon neared, there seemed to be less and less life out in the street.

    I’ve had moments where I was thankful I was no longer working in the mainstream media, because I know reporters would be working 18-hour days when something like the COVID-19 pandemic breaks out. The sports staffers all of sudden end up helping the news staffers.

    I’ve had moments where I’ve gone emotionally in the tank. I’ve had other moments where I have felt good thinking about all the special moments I have covered in my career covering sports.

    In a lot of ways, I have had way more good experiences than most will ever have in their lives.

    I am glad there are things that have run their normal course. The NFL has been business as usual with that league’s free agency period underway.

    I will note it feels uncomfortable to hear all-time great quarterback Tom Brady signed a two-year $50-million US guaranteed contact with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at age 42. You could divide that figure and give out $50,000 US to 1,000 persons in these challenging times and it would be more of a benefit to society than giving all that cash to one person to throw a football.

Some of my mementos that have been collected over the years.

    With that noted, the NFL is not immune to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sean Payton, who is the star head coach of the New Orleans Saints, has been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, and he is self-isolating at home.

    At the moment, the only certainty is uncertainty.

    As I said before, all anyone can do is take things one day at a time and remember we are all going through this difficult time right now together.

    Hopefully by following self-isolation and other directions by the governments in Canada, we will get to the other end of this sooner than later.

Watson goes Rocky IV training in self-isolation, other notes

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Today I put my at home gym together in my family’s shop! Had to get creative with some of my exercises but I got the workout done! Currently I am in self-quarantine after traveling home last week and since all the gyms are closed I thought it would be a great time to finally buy/make the at home gym I always wanted. I’m still preparing and training no matter what happens. Sending love and positivity to everyone, let me know if you want more workout videos! ⁣ #higherlove #positivity #training #weights #athome #quarantine

A post shared by Sage Watson (@sagewatson) on Mar 17, 2020 at 6:02pm PDT

    One of the most inspiring videos I saw this week came from the Instagram account of elite Canadian track and field athlete Sage Watson.

    The 25-year-old, who holds the Canadian record for the women’s 400-metre hurdles, returned home to her family ranch near Seven Persons, which his just southwest of Medicine Hat in Alberta. Watson came back home after training in Arizona and has put herself in self-isolation for 14 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    She competed at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    Watson is currently training to go to the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, which are slated to start on July 24 and run through to August 9.

    At her family ranch, Watson has been running on gravel roads and working out in a gym she created.

    She posted one of her gym workouts, which included doing box jumps on hay bales. That scene was reminiscent of the fictional character in boxer Rocky Balboa training in the snowy countryside of Russia in the movie Rocky IV.

    Watson does a great job of creating a lot of inspiring posts on her Instagram account, and I would encourage you to give her a follow @sagewatson like more than 55,300 others already have.

• When the SFMAAAHL handed out its league awards on March 13, Regina Rebels forward Neena Brick was named the winner of the league’s Hayley Wickenheiser Most Valuable Player award, the Kelly Bechard Top Scorer award and a first-team all-star. Brick piled up 30 goals and 28 assists for 58 points to help the Rebels top the SFMAAAHL regular season with a 27-2-1 record. The female midget AAA playoffs across Canada were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Saskatoon Stars graduating goaltender Arden Kliewer was named a second team SFMAAAHL all-star. On a young rebuilding Stars team, Kliewer posted a 6-10-1 record, a 2.78 goals against average, a .921 save percentage and one shutout. Over her four seasons with the Stars, Kliewer posted a 44-13-2 record, a 1.91 goals against average, .923 save percentage and 11 shutouts. She sits second in the history of the SFMAAAHL for career regular season wins. Kliewer helped the Stars win the SFMAAAHL title and appear in the Esso Cup national female midget AAA hockey championship tournament in 2018 and 2019. The 18-year-old will join the University of Regina Cougars women’s hockey team next season.
• With the WHL having cancelled the rest of its regular season game due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 18-year-old Spokane Chiefs left-winger Adam Beckman won the regular season scoring title. The Saskatoon product appeared in 63 games with the Chiefs piling up 48 goals and 59 assists for 107 points. He posted a plus-44 rating in the plus-minus department.
• The Dog’s Breakfast fundraiser for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team originally scheduled for April 30 has been postponed until Thursday, September 3 at Prairieland Park. The Huskies made the postponement announcement on Friday. Jim McMahon, who was the quarterback of the NFL’s famed 1985 Chicago Bears that won the Super Bowl, will be the guest speaker. Glen Suitor, who was a safety with the CFL’s 1989 Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders, will be the master of ceremonies. Tickets for the Dog’s Breakfast can be found by clicking right here.
• Now graduated Saskatoon Hilltops left guard Ryder Klisowsky has elected to continue his post-secondary football career in the U Sports ranks joining the University of Manitba Bisons, Klisowsky, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 310 pounds, played with the Hilltops for the past five seasons helping the storied club win the CJFL national title in each of those campaigns. The Hilltops have won the last six straight CJFL titles overall.

    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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Good out of the gate – Derbas vaults to star status with Huskies at age 18

Ramsey Derbas has made an immediate impact with the Huskies.

    Ramsey Derbas is the first to note he wasn’t a starter right from day one for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team.

    The 18-year-old rookie linebacker dressed as a defensive substitute that came off the bench and a special teams player, when the Huskies fell in their U Sports regular season opener 43- 19 against the University of Manitoba Bisons in Winnipeg, Man., on Aug. 30. The graduate of Saskatoon’s powerhouse Holy Cross Crusaders football team recorded four tackles in that setback.

    Derbas started the Huskies very next game on Sept. 6, when they dumped the visiting University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 40-7 at Griffiths Stadium. He equalled fifth-year veteran Huskies outside linebacker Ben Whiting for second on the team with six total tackles in that contest.

Ramsey Derbas, right, takes down a Thunderbirds receiver.

    Derbas has remained a starter since that time, and in the Huskies eight regular season games, he topped the squad with 43 total tackles and added in a half sack and an interception.

    “It is just everything I could have asked for,” said Derbas, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 210 pounds. “It has been really good.

    “The players have accepted me, and the coaches have given me opportunity to play and make mistakes and learn and grow, so it has been great.”

    On Saturday, Derbas and his Huskies, who are 6-3 overall, will travel to Calgary, Alta., to face the University of Calgary Dinos, who are 7-2 overall, in the Canada West Conference championship game – the Hardy Cup. The two sides met in last year’s Hardy Cup that was also held in Calgary, which the Huskies romped to a 43-18 victory in.

Ramsey Derbas sizes up an opposing offence.

    In his first U Sports playoff game last Saturday, Derbas came through with a big play for the Huskies. He had the second of three interceptions the Huskies had on the Golden Bears first three offensive possessions to start the second half.

    The Huskies scored 10 points off those turnovers to post a 28-23 victory.

    Early in his time with the team, Derbas got a notion from the Huskies coaches that he could have a chance to gain a starting position as a rookie.

    “I knew I would have an opportunity to come in early and play,” said Derbas. “I wasn’t sure if that would be starting or how I would manage my way into playing.

    “I just knew I would be able to play and contribute.”

    He was happy the Huskies coaches had faith in how quickly he could contribute this season.

Ramsey Derbas, in back, sets to hit a U of Regina Rams receiver.

    “It is just everything I could have asked for,” said Derbas. “It has been really good.

    “The players have accepted me, and the coaches have given me opportunity to play and make mistakes and learn and grow, so it has been great.”

    Huskies head coach Scott Flory said the team’s coaching staff was still tinkering with the roster going into the team’s first game, where Derbas didn’t start. Following that first game, Flory said the coaches knew that Derbas had to be on the field playing.

    “We definitely knew he (Derbas) was a talented player that is why he was very high on our priority list to sign as a recruit,” said Flory. “I know how talented he was and how good of a young man he was.

    “When we got a glimpse there in the spring of just what he could do, we knew he could make the transition quickly, and we knew it wouldn’t be long before he was a big contributor. He has adjusted very well.”

Ramsey Derbas, left, celebrates an interception in a Canada West semi.

    Flory said Derbas has a natural feel for the game.

    “He is around the ball,” said Flory. “He has a nose for it

    “He really does. He has a knack, and football players do. He is a football player.

    “He has just got a knack to find the ball.”

    Derbas said he felt a sense of accomplishment, when the Huskies coaches told him he would be starting. He has enjoyed being in the starting linebacker group with brothers Ben and Tom Whiting, who is in his third-year with the team.

    “Obviously, Ben is a fifth-year, and he has so much knowledge,” said Derbas. “He has been great.

    “Tom is awesome. They are an awesome linebacking combo.”

    Derbas said he was able to hit the ground running with the Huskies thanks to the tutelage he received from his high school head coach in Scott Hundseth at Holy Cross. 

Ramsey Derbas led the Huskies in total tackles.

    Hundseth played for the Huskies first Vanier Cup U Sports national championship winner in 1990.

    “It (playing at Holy Cross) definitely helped a lot just with coach (Scott) Hundseth, and how he does things,” said Derbas. “He is the head coach of that program, and he was the linebacker coach.

    “He helped me out a tonne. It definitely got me prepared to take on new challenges that presented themselves here.”

    On the academic front, Derbas said he regularly maintained an 85 per cent average at Holy Cross. He is in his first year of studies as a business major at U of S and believes he has adapted well to the work required in university.

    “It is definitely an adjustment at first,” said Derbas. “(Special teams) coach (Jerry) Friesen with his study hall, he has great resources for us, so it has definitely helped the transition.”

Ramsey Derbas (#26) aims to enjoy more big plays with the Huskies.

    Of course, Derbas is hoping to make a big impact for the Huskies in the Hardy Cup.

    “I am just super excited,” said Derbas. “There are only eight teams in the country get to be practising right now, so I am just trying to enjoy the moment and do everything I need to do to be ready to play.”

    While he is focusing on the present, Derbas is anticipating hitting bigger heights in the future. He is looking forward to crushing his off-season workouts to hit the field as a sophomore even stronger and faster than he is now.

    “I am definitely eager already for the off-season,” said Derbas. “I think there are a lot of things I need to get better at for next year.

    “I am looking forward to just all that time to being able to get my body to where it needs to be.”

Hilltops sweep player awards in CJFL semifinal win

Connor Graham hit the CJFL record books in the Hilltops last playoff win.

    A lopsided win in a CJFL semifinal contest allowed the Saskatoon Hilltops to take all the individual player awards from that contest.

    Last Saturday, the Hilltops, who are the five-time defending CJFL champions, traveled to London, Ont., and hammered the host Beefeaters 51-1. The Hilltops claimed the player of the game awards on offence, defence and special teams, which the CJFL dubbed as player of the week awards for the game on Tuesday.

    Hilltops fifth-year receiver Connor Graham was named the top offensive player for hauling in four passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 38.5 yards per catch to set a new CJFL interconference playoff game record for highest yards per reception average.

    The old record of 36 yards per catch was held by Rick Price of the now defunct Vancouver Meralomas that was set on Oct. 21, 1973. Price had seven catches for 252 yards in that contest.

Rylan Kleiter (#7) hit three field goals in the CJFL semifinal.

    Graham equalled the record for most touchdown receptions in a CJFL interconference playoff game with his three touchdown catches. 
    The record had been achieved on five previous occasions.

    The last of those occasions came on Oct. 27, 1984, when Geoff Hainstock caught three touchdown passes for the now defunct St. Vital Mustangs, who were based in Winnipeg, Man.

    Hilltops defensive end Tristan Hering was named the top defensive player recording three sacks, three defensive tackles and one special teams tackle.

    Hilltops receiver/kicker Rylan Kleiter took honours as the top special teams player for the game. He made all three of his field goal attempts and all six of his converts in the win. Kleiter kicked off seven times for 322 yards for an average of 46 yards per kick.

    On top of his efforts on special teams, Kleiter caught a pass for 36 yards on offence.

    The Hilltops, who are 11-0 overall, will attempt to win a sixth straight CJFL title, when they travel to Langley, B.C., on Nov. 16 to take on the host Rams, who are 12-0 overall, for the Canadian Bowl.

“Sarge” cracks on to CBC with 209^th win

News of Tom Sargeant’s milestone 209th win is spreading.

    The praise and congratulations seems to be raining down from everywhere for Saskatoon Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant after he recorded his 209^th career win.

    Sargeant picked up the milestone last Saturday, when the Hilltops thumped the London Beefeaters 51-1 in a CJFL semifinal in London, Ont. The total of 209 wins moves Sargeant ahead of retired Regina Rams head coach Frank McCrystal for the most wins in Canada’s amateur post-secondary football ranks.

    Sargeant has a 209-30-2 career record in CJFL regular season and post-season action since becoming the Hilltops head coach before the start of the 1998 campaign.

    McCrystal was the head coach of the Rams from 1984 to 2014, and they played 15 seasons in the CJFL and 16 campaigns in U Sports over that time as the University of Regina Rams. Over those 31 seasons, McCrystal compiled a 208-104-2 record as head coach in the regular season and post-season in both the CJFL and U Sports.

    The Hilltops, who are 11-0 overall, will attempt to win a sixth straight CJFL title, when they travel to Langley, B.C., on Nov. 16 to take on the host Rams, who are 12-0 overall, for the Canadian Bowl.

CBC in Saskatoon picked up on the story of Sargeant’s accomplishment. I was interviewed by Jen Quesnel for CBC Saskatoon’s radio morning show on Tuesday.

    I was also interviewed for a CBC web story by Scott Larson, who has worked in Saskatoon’s media scene for a long time as a savvy sports scribe. As usual, Larson did a great job.

    Larson’s piece 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.