The Conquest Coyotes bantam A softball team won gold at the Western Canadian softball championships this August with a near sweep over teams from across the four Western provinces.

Davidson’s Elise McJannet, 15, a shortstop and left fielder for the Coyotes, said it was nice to end the season on a winning note. She said it was her first year playing at the Western Canadian under-16 softball championships and managed to pound out a few singles in the gold medal winning effort.

“I love hitting and being with this team,” said McJannet, who has been playing ball since she was four-years-old. “I also loved the excitement of playing in this tournament.”

The Conquest Coyotes made it to the Western Canadians by finishing third at the Saskatoon softball championships in early July. That placement led them and the team they lost to in the silver medal game at the provincials, the Saskatoon Phantoms, to the Westerns.

They were joined at the Aug. 9 to 12 tournament in Strathmore, Alberta, by two teams from each of the other three Western provinces as well as the host team.

The Coyotes went 6-0 in round robin play at the Strathmore Diamonds before losing their first playoff game Aug. 12 against the Phantoms by a score of 8-0. They rebounded later that afternoon with a 5-3 victory over the Calgary Kaizens setting up a gold medal grudge match against the rival Phantoms.

The Coyotes, made up of players from towns around the area, gave it their all against the Phantoms eventually coming out with a hard fought 2-0 win and the gold medal.

“It was the most exciting baseball tournament I ever experienced,” said McJannet. “It’s great being on a team that is the best in Western Canada.”