Davidson’s Clay Murfitt (20) goes for a shot as Eston’s Harrison Gardner (5) attempts a block during Tuesday’s junior boys basketball game.
By Joel van der Veen
DAVIDSON — An exhibition game against Eston gave Davidson’s junior boys basketball team their first win of the season.
The Raiders hosted the Eston Mustangs on Tuesday night, winning 68-58 in their season opener.
Clay Murfitt scored a total of 36 points for Davidson, while Derek Schmiedge contributed 18 points to the team’s tally.
The Raiders were in a deficit position for much of the game, trailing 52-38 at the end of the third quarter.
The team pulled ahead in the final minutes, thanks to a late scoring rally by Murfitt and Schmiedge and a push by the defence to block Eston.
Davidson coach Garrett Bailey said he has 14 players in grades 7 through 9 on the roster this season, a large team compared to many of their competitors.
“I think our goal is to probably win districts,” said Bailey, noting that while some growth will be needed between now and then, the victory is well within the realm of possibility.
For the full story, please see the Dec. 14 edition of The Davidson Leader.
Scott Sigfusson, left, and Logan Kadlec display the buckles they received at the Canadian Cowboys Association finals rodeo in November.
By Joel van der Veen
REGINA — It was Scott Sigfusson’s best rodeo season yet — and considering how he’s done in past years, that’s no small feat.
The local cowboy ended the year as the Canadian Cowboys Association (CCA) high-point champion for the third time, receiving his buckle on Nov. 27 following the finals rodeo at Canadian Western Agribition.
“It’s super exciting to have that good of a year,” said Scott, the son of Ross and Jannice Sigfusson of Davidson.
As usual, Sigfusson had a full season, competing in close to 60 events, and enjoying plenty of success.
In October he competed in the Manitoba Rodeo Cowboys Association’s finals rodeo in Brandon, taking top honours in tie-down roping and also earning the high-point championship there.
Sigfusson took part in three events in the CCA finals, finishing first in tie-down roping, second in steer wrestling and second in team roping with his partner Jim-Bob Gomersall.
He said the year was his best so far in terms of results, adding that it’s the kind of season he used to dream of having.
Sigfusson added that he finished the year in good physical shape as well, with only a few minor bumps and bruises.
Having spent the season as a rider on the community pasture at Kerrobert, he is now back in Davidson for the winter, working with ranchers David and Juanita Esmond.
Sigfusson said he purchased some young horses this fall and plans to continue practising and training throughout the winter.
“I want to keep doing it as long as my body will let me,” said Sigfusson, who turned 27 this month.
Another local rider, Logan Kadlec, also shared the spotlight during the CCA finals rodeo as one of two bullfighters working during the event, protecting bullriders from the animals during the competitions.
Kadlec, 24, the son of Murray and Gloria Kadlec of Bladworth, said he’s been riding bulls for several years, but this was his first full season as a bullfighter.
He said he was “tired of getting hurt” and added that bullfighting offers multiple benefits, including both a great adrenalin rush and a regular paycheque.
For the full story, please see the Dec. 7 edition of The Davidson Leader.
Parker Smith of the Davidson Raiders attempts a shot during Thursday’s game against the Central Butte Bulldogs.
By Joel van der Veen
DAVIDSON — It’s been almost a decade since Kim Rettger began coaching basketball with a team of Grade 3 boys.
Rettger, who also coached the senior boys team then, said the younger kids would come along on a weekend tournament and, after the competition was finished, challenge the older boys to a scrimmage.
“They saw a group of guys who were just enjoying the sport for the love of the sport,” he recalled Thursday.
Roll the clock forward a few years, and those young boys — now in Grade 12 — make up the nucleus of Davidson School’s senior boys team.
Heading into a new season, Rettger said he’s got great expectations for the senior Raiders, most of whom have years of playing experience under their belts.
“They had a lot of coaching when they were younger,” he said, adding that the boys learned the fundamentals early on and were able to focus on playing the game once they reached high school.
The senior Raiders kicked off their season Thursday night with a 93-19 win over the Central Butte Bulldogs.
Alex Rettger was the high scorer for Davidson with 15 points, while Trevor Nelson and Parker Smith scored 14 points each.
Coach Rettger said he was pleased with the result but noted that with younger and less experienced players, the Bulldogs did not put up an especially challenging game.
Still, he said, instead of playing a hard, aggressive game, the Raiders were able to use the opportunity to try players in different positions and focus on strategies like moving the ball.
The Raiders were scheduled to travel to their first tournament in Langham over the weekend, at which Rettger anticipated a more competitive level of play.
He is being assisted as coach by Dave Nykiforuk, as well as several former Davidson players, including Ian Kadlec, Kattlyn Williams and Luke Edwards.
For the full story, please see the Dec. 7 edition of The Davidson Leader.
Helen Margaret Dougan was born on Nov. 11, 1924 in Birsay, Sask., to Don and Lena Cameron. Helen grew up with her older brother Don and younger sister Marguerite. After graduating from Grade 12 in Birsay, Helen attended Normal School and then proceeded to teach in Moose Range and Hudson Bay, Sask.
On July 9, 1948 she married the love of her life, Wilmot Dougan, and moved to the family farm northeast of Davidson. Three children joined this union — Barbara, Stuart and Carol.
Helen was very involved in her children’s education and other activities such as ballet, choir, 4-H and Scouts. As her children graduated and began to leave home Helen continued her own education by correspondence. In 1983 she graduated from the University of Saskatchewan obtaining her bachelor’s degree in sociology.
In 1978 Helen and Wilmot retired from the farm and moved into Davidson. This enabled Helen to become involved in many organizations in town. When her grandchildren arrived she enjoyed teaching them to read, sew and do many crafts. She also enjoyed watching their sporting events whenever she could. Her grandchildren and later her great-grandchildren were her pride and joy.
After Wilmot passed away in 2007 she remained active in the Davidson Seniors and always enjoyed a great game of bridge. Helen lived independently until March 2015 when she moved into the Davidson Health Centre. Helen often commented on how glad she was to be living there and how well everyone was looking after her.
Helen passed away on Nov. 21, 2015. She was predeceased by her parents Don and Lena Cameron, her brother Don and her husband Wilmot, along with other family members. She is survived by her loving family: daughter Barbara (Charlie) Goldie and daughter Leslie; son Stuart (Pat) Dougan and family Erin (Billy) Gust and their children Will, Eva and Georgia; Andrew and Jarrett (Chandra) Dougan; daughter Carol (Hugh) Jordan and family Ellis and Kalea; also her sister Marguerite Gallaway and sister-in-law Ruby Phillips.
The celebration of Helen’s life was held on Thursday, Nov. 26 at the Davidson United Church with Rev. Ursula Wiig preceding. Interment held at the Davidson Cemetery with Hanson’s Funeral Home in charge.
Arlene Low’s character was in for quite a shock when she discovered the true identity of her online amour, played by Jim Cross, at the conclusion of “Well… Here’s To Us?”
By Joel van der Veen
DAVIDSON — Guests to a gala evening held in support of Davidson’s new swimming pool got to enjoy two great acts in one night.
Local thespians performed a comedy play — Well . . . Here’s to Us?, written by Jason and Arlene Low — that earned plenty of laughs during the fundraiser, held the evening of Nov. 21 in the Davidson Town Hall auditorium.
Also well received was a performance by comedian, magician and ventriloquist Doug Arden of Regina, who invited several audience members to serve as participants or, occasionally, victims in his magic tricks.
Jessica Foster, one of the swimming pool committee members who organized the gala, said it was a tremendous success and one of the more profitable events the committee has hosted this past year.
A fundraising total was not available at press time, but tickets for the event sold out in advance, with just over 200 attending on Saturday night.
Anne Willner and her staff catered the meal, including meat provided by local butcher shop JMR Meats, while members of the Kinsmen Club worked the bar.
As well as the meal and entertainment, a wide variety of donated items were sold through a silent auction.
The hall was decked with wintery decorations, including lights, trees and table centrepieces, many of them donated by Shayla Diakow.
For the full story, please see the Nov. 30 edition of The Davidson Leader.
The RaiTec’s Miranda Farrell (14) reaches for the ball during a match against Porcupine Plain.
By Joel van der Veen
DAVIDSON — All season long, the Davidson/Loreburn RaiTec have been proving over and over again that they’ve got what it takes.
Last weekend, they got to prove it on the provincial stage.
The senior girls volleyball team capped a successful season with a win in the 2A provincial championships at Porcupine Plain on Nov. 20 and 21, defeating Invermay in the final on Saturday night to claim the title.
Close competition made it a tight victory for the RaiTec, with coach Tony Baldwin saying the girls’ team spirit was a major factor in their success.
“They supported each other right to the end,” he said. “These guys were just rock-solid teammates for each other, all 14 of them . . . They deserved to win.”
After winning at regionals in Arcola the previous weekend, Baldwin and his fellow coaches had high hopes for the RaiTec in Porcupine Plain.
The girls began the weekend with round-robin play on Friday afternoon, defeating Langham (25-13 and 25-20), the host team (25-18 and 25-21) and St. Walburg (25-14 and 25-20) in Pool A.
The RaiTec met a stronger challenge in their final round-robin game in Kelvington on Saturday morning, losing two straight sets to Invermay (25-16 and 25-23).
Baldwin said the girls had had the chance to watch the team in action the night before and sought to anticipate the oncoming attack.
“We tried to do some tinkering with the defence,” he said, taking the blame in retrospect for what he called “a coaching error on my part.”
The team quickly recovered from its disappointment, returning to Porcupine Plain in the afternoon for playoffs and defeating Kerrobert in two sets to advance (25-23 and 25-20).
A win over Foam Lake in two sets in the semifinal (25-10 and 25-21) qualified the RaiTec for the gold-medal game.
Baldwin said that power Maddy Vollmer’s performance was a highlight of those matches, observing, “They couldn’t get a block on her . . . It was the Maddy Vollmer show, it was amazing.”
The RaiTec were up against Invermay in the final, in which Baldwin said they returned to a full-on offensive strategy: “just pound the ball at ‘em and see what happens.”
He said the RaiTec’s back-row defence especially shone during those sets, as well as Jacey Sanden’s setting.
The RaiTec also benefitted from having five Grade 12 players, compared to just one Grade 12 on the Invermay team.
Even so, the teams appeared to be evenly matched. The RaiTec won the first set 25-22, while Invermay won the second 30-28.
Baldwin said his team took a significant lead in the third set. This was interrupted by a lengthy stop in play due to confusion over Invermay’s rotation, after which the team was able to narrow the gap considerably.
“We really had everybody firing, and they did too,” said Baldwin. “There were hits that we couldn’t even get close to. . . We gave ‘em the same thing right back.”
The RaiTec surged ahead toward the end, with Jackie Losie making the final successful serve that resulted in a 25-19 victory.
Sharing coaching duties with Baldwin were Karen McConnell and Hallie Vollmer, while Sandra Baldwin served as manager.
Graduating from the team this year are Grade 12 students Maddie Vollmer, Karissa Rendall, Jacey Sanden, Kaitlyn Baldwin and Jackie Losie.
