Category Archives: Sports

featured, Kenaston, Loreburn, Sports

Blizzards squeak by with 6-5 win over 19ers

Kenaston’s Chris Prpich and Loreburn’s Carter Norrish battle for the puck during Wednesday’s senior hockey game at the Kenaston Arena.

By Joel van der Veen

KENASTON — The Kenaston Blizzards held on Wednesday night to claim a narrow win over the Loreburn 19ers at home.

Though the Blizzards took an early lead and were ahead 5-1 by the second period, the 19ers made an impressive recovery in the latter half.

Four goals put Loreburn within spitting distance of the lead, but Kenaston prevailed to claim a 6-5 win.

It was their first game of 2018, and only their second win of the regular season.

“We got kind of undisciplined,” said Blizzards coach Mike Hertz, noting that a string of penalties in the second period for his team allowed Loreburn to take advantage. “It got a little hairy at the end.”

With a 2-10 record for the season so far, Kenaston is in a three-way tie with Loreburn and Elrose for last place in the Saskatchewan Valley Hockey League.

Hertz acknowledged that it’s been a challenging year for the Blizzards on multiple fronts: “We’ve been dealing with a lot of stuff.”

Chief among these was the death of longtime coach and player Dean Blenkinsop on Dec. 7, following a long battle with cancer.

The Blizzards had opened their season on Oct. 28 with a ceremony honouring Blenkinsop, prior to their first game.

Upwards of 350 people, including Dean and his wife Michelle, were in attendance as the team unveiled a banner with his name and number.

“He was touched and honoured,” said Hertz. “I think he was surprised a little bit with the outpouring.”

Continue reading Blizzards squeak by with 6-5 win over 19ers →

Dundurn, featured, Sports

Car club buys jerseys for Dundurn peewees

Members of Dundurn’s peewee Wolfpack are sporting brand new hockey jerseys this season thanks to the Saskatoon Antique Auto Club. The club donated $1,000, a portion of proceeds from the 2014 SuperRun, to Dundurn Minor Hockey to purchase the much-needed sweaters. Pictured are (front left) Bud Small, president of the Saskatoon Antique Auto Club and Norm Mowles, Dundurn resident and car club member, along with members of the peewee Wolfpack with coach Gaetan Blouin (rear left) and assistant coach Dave Dowll (far right).

By Tara de Ryk

DUNDURN — Hockey players for Dundurn’s peewee Wolfpack are sporting spiffy new jerseys courtesy of antique car buffs.

The Saskatoon Antique Auto Club has purchased a set of jerseys for the minor hockey team.

The donation was made possible due to the Western Canadian car show SuperRun, an annual car show held during the August long weekend that rotates between Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The majority of the proceeds from SuperRun go to Camp Easter Seal, however, after the 2014 SuperRun in Saskatoon, organizers found themselves with extra funds. They decided that each participating car club in Saskatchewan, nine in total, would get $1,000 to donate to a charity of their choice.

Dundurn resident Norm Mowles, a past-president of the Saskatoon Antique Auto Club, made a pitch for his club’s $1,000 to go to the Dundurn Minor Hockey Association.

“I know from putting my youngest through minor hockey in Dundurn, it was tough,” he recalls of the costs of running a program.

Dundurn Minor Hockey decided to use the funds to buy jerseys for the peewee hockey team. The jerseys are a brilliant blue colour with the Wolfpack logo on the front and a Saskatoon Antique Auto Club crest on the sleeve.

This is the first peewee team in Dundurn in a few years.

Coach Gaetan Blouin said, in recent years, they haven’t had enough players to form a team, however, the population in the area is growing and the association hopes to field a bantam age team next season and possibly a midget team after that.

Besides players from Dundurn and area, kids from Hanley and Allan are also on the team.

Davidson, featured, Sports

Davidson Minor Hockey Report

Davidson Red’s Malia Johnson (left) heads up the ice with teammates Blake Manz and Kurstyn Vibert following close behind.

Novice

Following their home tournament, the Davidson Novice Red team visited Kenaston on Dec. 12, winning 7-3. Marek McIvor scored four goals for Davidson, while Blake Manz, Kacie Allan and Nevin Diakow also scored. Kenaston’s Jett Prpich scored a pair of goals, while Brady Menzies also scored.

Atom

The Atom Huskies visited Outlook on Dec. 9, suffering a 13-2 loss. Seth Johnson scored both goals for Davidson, the first assisted by Mason Berry and the second unassisted.

Peewee

Davidson visited Raymore/Strasbourg on Dec. 9, narrowly losing 8-7. The host team led 2-0 after the first period. Hayden O’Brien and Morgan Tastad both scored for Davidson in the second, but the team still trailed 5-2. Davidson made a remarkable comeback in the third period, adding five goals to their tally, while the host team scored another three goals.

Parker Ackland and Cameren Rudniski both scored in the first half of the period. Later, Evhan Allan and Hayden O’Brien each scored with roughly six minutes remaining, narrowing their opponents’ lead to 7-6. Connor Flahr scored for the host team with 2:33 remaining, moving the score to 8-6. Kaden Berry scored an unassisted goal for Davidson with 16 seconds left — close, but not enough to take the win.

Bantam

Davidson visited Humboldt on Dec. 9, where they lost 6-4. Jackson Allan and Kade McConnell scored two goals each, with assists credited to Jaden Wall, Ethan Schilling and Logan Schneider.

The next day, Davidson visited Lanigan, winning 6-3.

Zack Prpick and Hayden O’Brien scored in the first period, taking a 2-0 lead for Davidson, while a goal by Drayson Tichit gave the team a 3-1 lead in the second period. Derek Griffin, Carter Mooney and Zack Prpick scored in the third period to clinch the win for Davidson.

Assists were credited to Donta Desjarlais, Drayson Tichit, Jackson Allan, Zack Prpick, Logan Nelson-Schneider and Hayden O’Brien.

Midget

Davidson visited Muenster/Lake Lenore on Dec. 10, where they lost 3-2. Deacon Nolting scored for Davidson in the first period, assisted by his brother Kane. Kane Nolting scored Davidson’s second goal with 10 seconds left in the game, assisted by Riley Berry and Hunter Herback.

On Dec. 13 the Huskies hosted Lanigan, winning 3-1. Deacon Nolting scored in the first period, assisted by Trystan Stacowich and Riley Berry. Riley Berry scored two goals in the third period, the first unassisted and the second assisted by Connor Watt and Trystan Stacowich.

Davidson, featured, Sports

Coach: defence will be key to big year for sr. boys

Davidson’s Derek Schmiedge goes for a basket during Thursday’s senior basketball game against Watrous.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — It might be his biggest team yet, and coach Kim Rettger is hoping that means another big year on the court.

Rettger, Davidson’s senior boys basketball coach, said the team has at least four players measuring 6’4” or higher, bucking the trend of past years.

“We’re very big,” he said, adding that this year’s team also has the deepest bench in recent memory.

With the level of skill shown by each player, Rettger said he hasn’t set a starting lineup, since any of them would do well as starters.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, but I’m excited,” he said.

Davidson’s senior boys opened their season Thursday afternoon, hosting the Winston Wildcats from Watrous.

The home team established an early lead and stood ahead at 53-22 after the second quarter. The final score was 93-57 in Davidson’s favour.

Mark Rettger led the scoring with 32 points, including two successful three-point shots.

Following closely behind was Clay Murfitt, who scored 22 points, including a three-pointer later in the game.

The roster has 12 players this year, including three Grade 12 students: Mark Rettger, Parker Smith and Reegan Taylor. (Smith suffered an ankle injury early in Thursday’s game, the extent of which was not immediately clear.)

Five boys moved up from the junior team: Riley Berry, Gabe Charette, Nathan Chomyshen, Andrew Moore and Keegan Shaw.

Rettger said junior coach Garrett Bailey has done a superb job preparing the boys for senior play, using similar techniques and training.

“We’ve got like a farm team, if you will,” Rettger said. “It makes a difference.”

For the full story, please see the Dec. 4 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

Davidson, featured, Sports

Bronze-medal win ends prov. weekend on high note

Members of Davidson’s senior girls volleyball team celebrate during their semi-final game in provincial playoffs on Nov. 18.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — As they prepared for their final game Saturday, the pressure of playing in provincials was catching up with Davidson’s senior girls.

They’d travelled to Kenaston for the last of their pool games, ending with a 2-2 record.

They stayed there for their quarter-final game over Raymore, then lost in the semi-final to Île-a-la-Crosse, sending them back to Davidson to the bronze-medal game.

“They were excited and happy to be playing (for) the bronze, but they were tired,” said coach Sandra Baldwin.

But that changed when they stepped into the Davidson gym.

Music was booming, the room was full of energy, and the stands were packed with family and friends, ready to cheer them on.

“It was really powerful for the girls,” Baldwin recalled. “They were back in their gym playing their game.”

The Davidson girls defeated Birch Hills in two sets, winning the provincial bronze medal and ending the weekend on a high note.

SHSAA representative Shannon Stephenson and Affinity Credit Union’s Dixie Dean presented the girls with their medals in a heartwarming and emotional ceremony.

Davidson School was the host for the 2A senior girls provincial volleyball championships on Nov. 17 and 18, with Kenaston serving as the second gym.

The Muenster Cougars, coached by Joel Taphorn, defeated the Île-a-la-Crosse Huskies in two sets (25-7, 25-13) to win the gold medal.

For the full story, please see the Nov. 27 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

featured, Kenaston, Loreburn, Sports

Blizzards honour coach with heartfelt ceremony

At left, Dean Blenkinsop, accompanied by his wife Michelle, stands on the ice while hundreds applaud him during a ceremony at the Kenaston Arena on Oct. 28. Also pictured at right is Mark Asbjornhus.

By Joel van der Veen

KENASTON —  Hundreds filled the Kenaston Arena on Saturday night to pay tribute to a coach, teammate, neighbour and friend.

Longtime Blizzards player and coach Dean Blenkinsop was honoured with a brief ceremony at the rink, to retire his number and to recognize his years of service to hockey in Kenaston.

The ceremony was held the night of Oct. 28, prior to a senior hockey exhibition game between the Kenaston Blizzards and the Loreburn 19ers.

Introduced by former teammate Mark Asbjornhus, Blenkinsop walked onto the ice with his wife Michelle following closely behind him.

He stood quietly while the players on the ice and the crowd — estimated at more than 350 people — paid tribute with a standing ovation.

Following a slideshow of photos, a banner was unveiled at the far end of the rink, bearing Blenkinsop’s name and the number 10.

Dean then spoke briefly, thanking the team for the tribute, and saying, “Let’s have a fun night.”

Asbjornhus said the tribute was a “group effort,” calling Dean an “unbelievable guy” who has dedicated many years to the community.

“We’ve been talking about retiring his jersey for a while,” Asbjornhus said, adding as he looked over the crowd on Saturday night, “It seems to be coming together pretty good.”

Blenkinsop, 46, grew up in Hawarden and began playing senior hockey with the Blizzards in the late 1980s.

He continued with the team over the next 25 years, moving off the ice into coaching four years ago.

He was first diagnosed with colon cancer nine years ago, and has been battling the disease on and off since then.

Blenkinsop said he has been open about his fight with cancer, adding that he and his family have received plenty of support from the community.

He and Michelle have three daughters, ranging in age from nine to 13 years, while Michelle also has a 24-year-old son.

Blenkinsop said prior to the ceremony that organizers had kept most of their plans a secret.

“They just told me to show up tonight,” he said. “It’s exciting.”

Afterward, he said he enjoyed the ceremony, adding that the banner was a nice surprise touch. Continue reading Blizzards honour coach with heartfelt ceremony →