Davidson, Sports

Cyclones knocked out of LLHL playoffs

The Davidson Cyclones senior men’s hockey team are out of the Long Lake Hockey League (LLHL) playoffs, but still have a chance to advance to the provincial final.

The Cyclones lost their third straight game in a best-of-five LLHL semi-final series 6-4 to the LeRoy Braves last Tuesday at the LeRoy Rink nullifying their opportunity to repeat as league champions this year. The Cyclones still are the defending LLHL champions, for another few weeks at least, until the new crown is handed to either LeRoy, Watrous or Lanigan later this month.

“We got off to a bad start and got down early (to the Braves),” said Cyclones head coach Jason Shaw. “Then we worked our way back and had a lot of chances to score, but just couldn’t.”

The Braves stepped up the pressure early on the Cyclones jumping up to a 4-0 lead by the 14-minute mark of the first period, but Davidson clawed back. At the end of the first, the score was 5-1. At the end of the second, it was 5-3, but once again this season a short bench for Davidson sealed their doom in the third.

“We only had 12 guys, eight forwards and four defence,” said Shaw. “For what we had, we played well. They had a full lineup. That’s pretty tough in playoffs. You can get away with a short bench in league games the odd time, but in playoffs it’s a lot tougher.”

The lack of a full lineup was not the case in the Cyclones first game of their provincial “C” south final against the Radville Nationals March 2 at the Davidson Rink. Davidson matched the swift-skating Nats throughout the match-up coming out on top with a 4-3 win.

Shaw said the Nats caught them off guard scoring in the first minute of the opening period, but the Cyclones stood up and “worked hard” to gut out the win.

“It was a tough game,” he said. “They’re a good team. When you get down to the last four teams in provincials, they are all going to be decent.”

Davidson had to win another this past weekend either March 8 in Radville or March 10 at Davidson to take the best-of-three provincial series and move on to the provincial finals to be played later this month against Hudson Bay.

Results of Friday and Sunday night’s games against the Nats were unavailable at press time.

Obituary

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Edwards
Douglas Grant
February 22, 1929 – February 16, 2013
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father and grandfather. Surrounded by his family, Doug passed away on February 16, 2013 at the Moose Jaw Union Hospital.
Dad was born on February 22, 1929 at the Edwards Homestead in Craik. He was predeceased by his wife, Eunice; his parents, William and Maggie Edwards; his brothers, Bill and Bob Edwards; sisters-in-law, Sylvia Edwards, Freda Edwards, Faye Seiveright, Evelyn Dezotell, Doris Renaud, Shirley Manz, Laurie Craib; brothers-in-law, Cecil Dezotell, George Renaud, Bill Bearss, George Byrd, Martin Manz, Bob Craib, Warren Bogart and niece, Hilda Manz.
Doug will lovingly be remembered by his children, Rob (Norene) Edwards, Gail (Lawrence) Prill, Brenda (Colin) Reich, and Doug Edwards; his grandchildren, Heath Edwards (Christie), Laird Edwards, Tyler Prill (Lauren), Tristine Prill, Katelyn Reich (Jordan), Allie Reich, Levi and Selina Edwards. He is also survived by his sister, Peg Bogart; sisters-in-law, Anne Bearss and Audrey Byrd and by many nieces and nephews.
Dad married our mother, Eunice Craib September 26, 1955 and they made their home on the Edwards Homestead where they farmed and raised cattle. Mom passed away October 14, 2003. In November, 2010, due to health issues, Dad moved off his farm and into Craik where he made his home at the Craik Manor.
A funeral service was held February 22, 2013 at the Craik United Church with Anne Marie Francis presiding. Interment was at the Craik Community Cemetery.
He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.
Hanson’s Funeral Home in care of arrangements.

Obituary

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Robert Francis Dulle
1922 – 2013
(Gopher)

With sadness we share the passing of our 90-year-old Dad, Grandpa and Great-Grandpa which occurred on Thursday, February 21, 2013 at the Davidson Health Centre in Davidson, Sask.
Dad was born on April 17, 1922 in Veurne, West Flanders, Belgium to Florent and Camilla Dulle. He was a tiny little guy weighing two pounds at birth; his mom would often recall how she would wrap him up, put him in his dads’ wooden shoe then place Dad in the oven to keep him warm. In 1926, at age four, Dad and his parents immigrated to Canada and made a home in the Davidson district, later relocating to a homestead in the Simpson area.
Dad married Mom (Estella Luypaert) on October 23, 1944. They made their first home in a converted grain bin on Robert’s parents’ homestead. In 1945 they purchased land, started a family and were blessed with 12 children. Dad and Mom retired from farm life and built a new home in Davidson in 1975; Dad loved to talk about how with the help of the boys, family and friends they built the house in one day. Until his retirement Dad worked in the construction trade with Con’s Construction, he was always happiest when he was working and had a very hard time sitting still. Dad’s family was the most important thing to him; he always had time for the grandchildren, he loved every opportunity to spend time together catching up on everyone’s busy lives, the annual Reunion was the highlight of his summers. In his younger days he went to every sporting event his kids were participating in or just volunteered his time to organize the events. Dad enjoyed playing cards especially with his family and the “hit” he would get from his wife when she thought he was cheating! Dad was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Davidson Seniors; he really enjoyed the winter games, bingo, shuffle board, almost anything that would involve visiting with his family and many friends.
Dad was predeceased by his wife of 66 years, Estella (2011); and his eldest daughter Florence (1995).
Dad leaves to cherish his memory daughter Eileen (Gordon), Davidson, Sask.; sons Ron (Audrey), Abbotsford B.C.; Jim (Diane), Medicine Hat, Alta.; Jerry (Valarie), Craik, Sask.; Dennis (Vivian), Medicine Hat, Alta.; Wayne (Mona), Saskatoon, Sask.; Larry (Debra), Regina, Sask.; David (Connie), Medicine Hat, Alta.; Randy (Lenore), Saskatoon, Sask.; Calvin (Tracey), Saskatoon, Sask.; Carmen (Kathy), Medicine Hat, Alta.; son-in-law Lawrence McRae (MaryLynn), Craik, Sask.; 29 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.
A celebration of remembrance was held on March 7, 2013, in the Sacred Heart Catholic Parish, Father Eugene Warnke officiated. For friends so wishing memorial donations may be made to either the Alzheimer Society or Cancer Society.
Interment in the Davidson Cemetery will take place at a later date.
Arrangements were in care of Hanson’s Funeral Service, Davidson, Sask.

featured

Moose captured and collared along Hwy. 11

Moose numbers have increased dramatically in the past 30 years in Southern Saskatchewan farmland areas and a new research project spearheaded by the University of Saskatchewan is trying to find out what these animals are up to.

Ryan Brook, moose project director and assistant professor in the U of S College of Agriculture and Bioresources, said his group was capturing and collaring moose in the area along Highway 11 between Dundurn and Chamberlain during the month of February in an effort to understand their movements, diet, home range, what kinds of habitats they use and when and where they cross roads and highways.

He said the capture of the moose lasts a maximum of 30 minutes and the collars have a built in GPS unit enabling the researchers to know the movements of the moose every hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

“We have a short chase time,” said Brook. “We shoot a net out of a helicopter and the net immobilizes the moose. We hobble the legs together, put a blindfold over their eyes, so it calms the animal down, and then we put a collar around the neck.

“We then draw a blood sample for assessing health of the animal, take a poop sample to look for parasites and disease, and take just a pinch of hair from around the tail, so we can look for genetics and diet of the animal.

“As soon as that’s done, we take off the hobbles, remove the blindfold and just let her go.”

Brook said the collar would stay on the moose for two full years and then fall off on its own meaning the group never has to bother the animal again. He said they managed to capture and collar 17 adult female moose over the span of a day and a half last month, with one animal dying from a broken neck suffered during the fall after being netted.

“That’s unfortunately just a challenge of capturing large animals,” he said, noting the capture adheres with guidelines laid out by the Canadian Council on Animal Care. “There is a risk during capture because they go down in a net. That would be with any capture (of any large animal).”

The project will focus on adult males next February and has an end goal of capturing and collaring 50 moose in total if they can find more funding support.

To read more please see the March 4 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

Davidson

Golf Club and R.M. settle taxing issue

The Davidson Golf Course board of executives and the RM of Willner council have agreed to a settlement for the municipal property taxes paid by the course to the RM.

Kirk Johnson, board member with the Davidson Golf Course, said the two sides reached an agreement a few weeks ago that will see the course pay $3,000 in annual municipal taxes until 2016 in addition to the annual school tax of approximately $6,600. He said the course settled the 2012 taxes two weeks ago and the deal with the RM will cover the next four years on top of that.

The course was facing an annual municipal tax bill from the RM for over $10,000 on top of the school tax portion bringing the course’s annual tax bill to $17,458, which Johnson said would have killed the course.

“I don’t think we could afford to operate and pay $17,000,” said Johnson. “That would probably have finished us. It wouldn’t have done us much good. The deal we worked out between the RM and us I think is a pretty good deal. It’s something that we both could live with.”

Len Palmer, Reeve of the RM of Willner, said the settlement is a “fair deal for everyone” involved and he is glad that they have come to an agreement. He said it is unfortunate that it took so long to get this done, but he is still happy that everyone was able to come to an agreement in the end.

The municipal tax issue arose in 2011 when the RM informed the golf course board they had decided to stop abating the money owed by the course to the RM starting with the 2012 annual taxes. In lieu of the tax abatement, the RM said they would provide the course with a $4,000 recreation grant instead.

Palmer said the RM wanted to stop abating taxes and go to a straight grant system because it is a “better and safer” way to operate. He said this decision was made due to the way taxes have been increasing over the last few years.

The course has been previously receiving abatement on municipal taxes owed to the RM from approximately 2006 to 2011.

Johnson said the taxes are so high due to the provincial government zoning golf courses in RMs as commercial property, which are taxed at 100 per cent of their value.

“Ours is not a commercial (course),” he said. “Ours is kind a non-profit organization that provides a service and recreation. We’re trying to keep the doors open and anything we do get or make we invest back into the course. It’s not like it’s a business.”

Johnson said the course used to receive abatement on municipal taxes from the RM because the course was forced to pay a school tax, which came to $6,753 for 2012, after the Davidson School Division amalgamated with the Sun West School Division. Before the amalgamation, the course also received abatement on education taxes as well.

“We’re a little course just trying to provide a service to the community,” he said, noting the purpose here was just to pay reasonable taxes. “We just want to try and make a go of it and get along with everybody and come up with some kind of agreement and we did.”

Davidson, Sports

Cyclones head to south final with win over Elks

Playoff hockey is not for the weak.

It is physical, demanding, gutsy and flawed.

Last week, the Davidson Cyclones senior men’s hockey team put on display all four of those characteristics in an outstanding 7-0 provincial “C” quarter-final win over the Kyle Elks Feb. 23 and a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to the LeRoy Braves last Wednesday in semi-final Long Lake Hockey League (LLHL) playoff competition.

Both games featured hard-hitting end-to-end action where all players involved gave their best, but in the end it was a goalpost that stopped the Cyclones from completing a perfect playoff week.

“We played well enough to win, but we never got the bounces our own way,” said Cyclones forward Brett Siroski on the Braves game.

One of those bounces was a shot by Davidson defenceman Zack Sim that rang off the post with 25 seconds left in the third and would have tied the game at fives. That post stopped a comeback tie for the Cyclones, which would have forced the game into extra frames and given Davidson a chance at tying the series at one game apiece.

With the loss, the Cyclones fall to 0-2 in the best of five LLHL series.

Leading up to that post, the Cyclones were dominating the Braves continually pushing the play into the LeRoy defensive zone and peppering Braves goaltender Blair Miskolczi with shots.

“He made a lot of good saves,” said Siroski, adding Miskolcki also did the same thing to them in game one, a 9-1 Braves victory Feb. 22 at the LeRoy Rink.

Carter Smith, scoring his second of the night at the 11-minute mark of the third and Cyclones captain Derek Allan potting one with 1:38 left to go in the game made it close, but Miskolczi and his post made sure that would be all.

“It was a good game,” said Cyclones head coach Jason Shaw. “We had lots of chances to score, but we just hit posts and crossbars. LeRoy is a good team and I thought we were right there to the end.”

To read more please see the March 4 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

The Davidson Leader, Davidson, Saskatchewan