Stars’ number retirement further cements Clark as hero

Emily Clark, centre, with Anica Gauthier (#22) and Bridget Rezansoff (#17).

    For little girls in Saskatoon and area, Emily Clark is a larger than life hero.

    On Friday, Clark’s hero status received another big boost upwards when the Saskatoon Stars retired her #13 before their 4-3 Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League regular season setback to the league leading Regina Rebels.

    The skilled forward played three seasons for the Stars from 2009 to 2012 appearing in 82 regular season games collecting 45 goals and 46 assists for 91 points.

    Her best season came in her final campaign in 2011-12. During that season with the Stars, Clark appeared in 26 regular season game collecting 26 goals and 34 assists for 60 points.

    Clark’s 34 helpers are still a Stars record for most assists in one regular season. Her 60 points is still a team record for most points in one regular season, but it was matched in the 2017-18 campaign by Mackenna Parker, who tallied a club record 33 goals and 27 assists in 23 regular season games.

Emily Clark, left, and her father, Del Clark, watch her number get raised up.

    Little girls know Clark best from playing with Canada’s senior national women’s hockey team, which included winning a silver medal at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in February of 2018.
    They also know about her being a member of the University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team that won an NCAA championship last season.

    When Clark makes appearances back in her hometown of Saskatoon, it helps connect the 24-year-old to her local area fans and makes her more real to them. As an added bonus, Clark is really good when it comes to interacting with children.

    The Stars did a great job with Clark’s jersey retirement night. Her young fans would have been in awe of her highlight package that was shown on the video scoreboard that was supplied by the Badgers communications department.

Emily Clark, centre, shakes hands with Rebels captain Sydney Pedersen.

    Clark’s goals on that video were incredible.

    It is hoped that one day number retirement ceremonies for female athletes like Clark will be a more common thing. At the moment, it isn’t common to see a sports team retire a number for a female athlete.

    During my time in media dating to beginnings in student media back in 1996, Clark’s number retirement was the first one I have attended for a female athlete. For as long as I have physically walked on Earth, Clark’s number retirement ceremony is the only one I have seen in person or on a video broadcast for a female athlete.
    Despite coming a long way over the last 20 years, female sports still fights an uphill battle for exposure. With the media cuts that have come down in Canada over the last 20 years, the will by management to cover female sports is close to nil unless a legend defeating tennis player like Bianca Andreescu comes along.
    Mainstream outlets are more concerned these days with focusing resources on conflicts in government politics.

Emily Clark, left, interacts with a couple of young fans.

    Even in Saskatoon, it is easy to list female athletes who should have a bigger following.

Libby Epoch, who is a fourth-year point guard for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s basketball team, should be a household name. She has been part of Canada’s national team system, but you would be hard pressed to find someone outside of Huskie Athletics who knows who she is.

    Berit Johnson is a third-year member for the U of S Huskies women’s wrestling team. Last season, she won a silver medal at the U Sports nationals and won a junior national title at the Canadian championships.

    At age 20, she has the potential to make big waves in her sport, but barely anyone knows anything about her outside her sport.

Emily Clark, left, is pictured with one of her fans.

    Netminder Jessica Vance from the U of S Huskies women’s hockey team has a big following from her hometown in Prince Albert, Sask., but she should still have a bigger profile than she does in Saskatoon.
    When any of these ladies does something significant and it gets attention, little girls see it and believe they can do that too and also have a positive impact on society.

    Locally, Clark is the female athlete from Saskatoon and area who has the biggest following.

    When little girls in Saskatoon and area encounter Clark, it is a big “oh wow” experience for them.

    That even goes for girls in their teenage years. Parker was a ball of happy mush when she equalled Clark’s Stars record for most points in one regular season, because Clark is her hero.

    After the Stars retired Clark’s number on Friday night, you can be sure there were a number of little girls who left Merlis Belsher Place that night believing they could do something great and special too.

Focht hits 60 in Rebels 5-2 victory

Lauren Focht scored her 60th career goal on Sunday.

    Lauren Focht hit another big career milestone before her Regina Rebels embarked on their Christmas break.

    On Sunday at the Art Hauser Centre, Focht netted her 60^th career regular season goal in her Rebels 5-2 victory over the host Prince Albert Northern Bears in a SFMAAAHL regular season contest. The 17-year-old star forward netted her milestone goal on a power play in the third period, which gave her club a 4-2 lead at that point in the contest.

    Alexis Petford and Neena Brick picked up assists on Focht’s 60^th career tally.

    Focht becomes just the 12^th player in the history of the SFMAAAHL to score 60 or more goals and just the third member of the Rebels to pull off that feat.

    Emma Waldenberger scored 60 career regular season goals in four campaigns with the Rebels from 2010 to 2014. Waldenberger also posted 61 career assists for a total of 121 points in 109 career regular season contests.

    She is the Rebels all-time leader in regular season points.

    Kennedy Bobyck scored 63 regular season goals over three campaigns with the Rebels from 2014 to 2017. She collected 57 assists for 120 points in 80 career regular season games.

    Focht is in her fourth full season with the Rebels, and has collected 45 assists and 105 points in 90 career regular season games with her hometown team. She is one of 19 players in the history of the SFMAAAHL to record 105 or more regular season points.

    In Sunday’s clash with the Bears, the Rebels took a 1-0 lead in the opening frame with a goal from Allee Gerrard.

Lauren Focht has 105 points in 90 career regular season games.

    Bears forward Paris Oleksyn replied with a pair of goals in the opening frame to give the host side a 2-1 advantage.

    Before the first period expired, Shaelyn Myers scored for the Rebels to force a 2-2 tie.

    Brick scored the only goal in the second period to give the Rebels a 3-2 advantage. Focht and Megan Hayhurst sealed a Regina victory with power-play goals in the third.

    Chantel Weller stopped 18 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Rebels, who top the SFMAAAHL standings with a 14-0-1 record.

    Janae Neufeld turned away 26 shots to take the setback in goal for the Bears.

    The Bears, who will host the Esso Cup national female midget AAA championship tournament in April of the new year, fell to 9-7-1, but they continue to sit third in the SFMAAAHL.

    Sunday’s contest finished off a stretch for the Rebels where they played three contests in less than 48 hours. They won all three of those games in regulation time.

    Both the Rebels and Bears now depart on their respective Christmas breaks.

    The Rebels return to regular season action on Saturday, Jan. 4 in the new year when they host the Battlefords Sharks (7-9) at 8 p.m. at the Co-operators Centre in Regina.

    The Bears return to regular season play on Friday, Jan. 3 in the new year when they host the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats (11-1) at 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre.

    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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Bears’ Herner aims to top sister she idolizes

Jessie Herner has anchored the Bears defence.

    Jessie Herner never had to look far to find her hockey hero.

    Growing up in Kindersley, Sask., Jessie always wanted to be like her older sister Kori, who is seven years Jessie’s senior. Jessie discovered her passion for the game by going to rink to see Kori play.

    “I followed my older sister Kori,” said Jessie. “I used to watch her, when I was younger.

    “I just wanted to be like her.”

    Jessie was able to make it to the rink to see Kori play for the Saskatoon Stars of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League for two seasons from 2011 to 2013 and for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team for five campaigns from 2013 to 2018.

    These days, Jessie is a sturdy 17-year-old defender for the SFMAAAHL’s Prince Albert Northern Bears. On Saturday at Merlis Belsher Place, she had her team’s winning goal and an assist as the Bears downed the host Stars 4-1 in a regular season clash.

    Kori is now one of the 24-year-old assistant coaches with the Stars.

    Jessie is skating through her fourth full season in the SFMAAAHL spending her rookie campaign in 2016-17 with the Battlefords Sharks before joining the Bears.

    When it comes to playing the game, Jessie has a confident admission when it comes to grading where she is at compared to Kori.

Jessie Herner, left, battles for a puck in the corner.

    “I loved watching her,” said Jessie, who stands 5-foot-4. “I always wanted to be like her, but I know I am a better hockey player than her now.”

    With that said, Jessie saw what could be accomplished in hockey by following Kori’s career. Jessie was in the ancient Rutherford Rink on March 2, 2014, when the Huskies won a series deciding Game 3 of the Canada West championship series 2-1 in double overtime against the University of Regina Cougars.

    That victory came in Kori’s rookie year with the Huskies.

    “It was awesome seeing her win something like that,” said Jessie. “She was my idol out there, so I loved watching her.

    “Now that she is done, I get to play against her now, so that is also pretty cool.”

    During the summers, the two were often together on the softball diamonds in Kindersley and area. Kori often coached the teams Jessie pitched for.

    “We won two provincial titles together, so that was pretty cool,” said Jessie. “For her ball team, I play up with her sometimes.

Jessie Herner had a goal and an assist for the Bears on Saturday.

    “I was the bat girl when she was with Unity, when they won the one year.”

    Coming up through the minor hockey ranks in Kindersley and area, Jessie played hockey in boys leagues until her first year of bantam hockey, when she suited up for the West Central Wheat Kings girls’ team.

    Jessie said she still carries friendships from her time in boys’ hockey into the present day.

    “You are always with your best friends every day, and you start playing with the boys,” said Jessie. “I was with one of my best friends Ty Bahm.

    “He plays for the (Prince Albert Midget AAA) Mintos now. I was always with him, and we just had a good time together.”

    Jessie enjoyed all the friendships she has made in hockey throughout the years. A number of friendships were formed from attending tryout camps for various Saskatchewan provincial teams.

    At age 14, Jessie figured she had to play in Saskatchewan’s female midget AAA league, if she was going to move on to skating in the post-secondary ranks. When the chance came to join the Sharks, Jessie took it.

    “I was pretty nervous to move away,” said Jessie. “I was also excited, because I got to live with Kori that year in Saskatoon.

Jessie Herner has been solid for four SFMAAAHL seasons.

    “I just knew that if I wanted to get somewhere I needed to start moving on and not staying at home. I needed to get somewhere where I could be shown out there.”

    Jessie lived with Kori in Saskatoon and commuted up to Battlefords to play for the Sharks. As a 15-year-old sophomore in 2017-18, she elected to join the Bears, who entered that campaign as the defending SFMAAAHL champions.

    During that first campaign with the Bears, Jessie continued to live with Kori in Saskatoon and commuted up to Prince Albert to join the Bears.

    Jessie lived with a billet family for half of last season in Prince Albert, and is staying with a billet family through to the end of the current campaign.

    During her time in the SFMAAAHL ranks, Jessie believes she has grown as a player.

    “I’ve improved a lot over the last four years I’d say,” said Jessie. “My first year I was a little shaky out there, because I was one of the youngest girls out there.

    “This year, I’ve just brought my confidence right up, and I’m feeling really good.”

Jessie Herner will join the U of Saskatchewan Huskies next season.

    Next season, Jessie will continue to follow in Kori’s footsteps and join the Huskies in the U Sports ranks.

    “I wanted to stay close to home,” said Jessie. “I knew Kori was once here, and she loved it.

“I thought I would follow her and try it out.”

    Before she joins the Huskies, Jessie is looking forward to suiting up for the Bears as the host team for the Esso Cup female midget AAA national hockey championship tournament. It runs in “Hockey Town North” from April 19 to 26 in the new year.

    “It is just bringing us all closer together,” said Jessie. “We’re just building up to be ready for that and show that we’re actually a team that deserves to be there.”

    Against the Stars on Saturday, the Bears jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first period. Emma Tremblay, Paris Oleksyn and Taylor Leitch all had singles along with Jessie.

    Sydney Mercier replied for the Stars in the third.

    Janae Neufeld made 22 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Bears, who improved to 8-6. Kaitlyn Cadrain started in goal for the Stars turning away 6-of-10 shots in the first period.

    Arden Kliewer played the final two frames in relief stopping all 23 shots sent her way. The Stars fell to 5-8-2.

The Bears celebrate their win over the Stars on Saturday.

    The Bears and Stars go at it again on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at Merlis Belsher 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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    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.