Category Archives: Kenaston

Craik, Davidson, Kenaston, Sports

Raiders aim to improve defence after loss to Cougars

Addison Ouellette of the Davidson Raiders tries to block an attack from the opposing Caronport Cougars during a senior football game on Sept. 18.
Addison Ouellette of the Davidson Raiders tries to block an attack from the opposing Caronport Cougars during a senior football game on Sept. 18.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — Defence will be the focus for the Davidson Raiders following a close loss to the Caronport Cougars last weekend.

The Davidson senior football team was in contention for most of the Sept. 18 game — narrowing the gap to four points during the fourth quarter — but fell behind in the closing minutes, resulting in a 76-62 victory for their guests.

Defensive coach Greg McJannet said last week that he and the other coaches were pleased with the effort, adding that strengthening the Raiders’ defence will be the next piece in the puzzle.

“It was a little more wide open than we wanted it to be,” he said, noting that the team’s offence had played very effectively. “We need to make sure our defence is on the same page.”

The Sept. 18 game was the Raiders’ season opener, following a 70-66 win over the LCBI Bisons in an exhibition game at home on Sept. 10.

The Raiders struggled to keep up with the Cougars in the first half, lagging at 38-26 after the second quarter.

Davidson scored four touchdowns in the final quarter — including two conversions, adding a total of 28 points to their score — but Caronport rebounded in the last minutes, surging ahead to claim a secure victory.

McJannet acknowledged that the Raiders struggled in some areas, giving up too many points and failing to contain their opponents’ passes, for instance.

“It takes a lot of coaching to get good pass coverage,” he said, noting that Caronport had a strong aerial game.

McJannet said the team is aiming to give up fewer than 30 points at each game, in the belief that they will be able to overpower any competitor they face this season.

He had compliments for the O-line, including Andrew Read, Addison Ouellette and Dawson George, crediting them for “working as a unit.” He also said the defence was making progress and “doing lots of good things.”

McJannet noted the strong attendance at both games so far this year, observing that fans in Davidson and other communities were recognizing the team’s improved performance this fall.

For the full story, please see the Sept. 28 edition of The Davidson Leader.

featured, Kenaston

Morgan pleased by DLC growth, tech use

Education minister Don Morgan and Distance Learning Centre principal Jade Ballek tour the new facility currently under construction.
Education minister Don Morgan and Distance Learning Centre principal Jade Ballek tour the new facility currently under construction.

By Joel van der Veen

KENASTON — The future of education was on display in Kenaston last week, and Don Morgan said he liked what he saw.

During his visit on Tuesday, the education minister stopped by several classrooms at Kenaston School and also toured the adjacent Distance Learning Centre (DLC), still under construction and slated for completion in November.

Talking to local media, Morgan said he was impressed by the progessive ideas he had witnessed and the new facility underway, saying, “We’re really pleased to see the progress that it’s making.”

Speaking of the province as a whole, he noted, “We sometimes underestimate ourselves . . . (but) we can dream big and have big ideas as well.”

“It’s certainly an exciting and interesting project,” he added, saying he commended Sun West School Division and its staff for their efforts in growing the centre.

Morgan was joined by several school administrators, politicians and other leaders during the visit, including Arm River-Watrous MLA Greg Brkich and Kenaston Mayor ML Whittles.

Sun West board trustees John Collins, Karen Itterman and Connie Bailey took part in the tour, as did Kenaston principal Greg McJannet, DLC principal Jade Ballek and vice-principals Aaron Biberdorf, Kurtis Heath and Kimberley Johnson, and superintendent of education Darren Gasper.

First, Morgan visited Rebecca Farrell’s Grade 1 and 2 classroom to witness students at work using iPads to complete activities as part of their lesson.

He then stopped by the gym, where students in grades 7, 8 and 9 were engaging in physical exercise while wearing heart rate monitors, with the statistics wirelessly transmitted to a computer and displayed using a projector.

Teacher Jenna Fisher and Sun West physical education mentor Miles Bennett provided an explanation of the technology and its use to Morgan.

The minister also visited a mathematics class led by Nathan Herrem, where students were using mobile technology to guide their learning.

Finally, Morgan and the others donned hardhats to tour the DLC, which is quickly taking shape southeast of the school along Fifth Avenue.

Saskatoon-based firm Quorex Construction began building the 15,000-square-foot facility this summer. The project is expected to be complete in November, with staff hoping to move in by Christmas of this year.

Morgan noted several challenges in the growth of the DLC, chief among them being the need for increased network bandwidth as the centre has grown.

He said administrators are working with SaskTel to resolve these issues for Kenaston in particular, explaining, “We knew that this one (area) had to be a priority.”

As the DLC’s staffing levels have also increased, providing adequate housing has also become a challenge in a village of around 300 residents.

Morgan, who spoke briefly with Whittles during his visit to Kenaston, said he and the mayor had discussed the village’s ongoing efforts to engage developers and expand the number of available lots.

For the full story, please see the Sept. 21 edition of The Davidson Leader.

Craik, Davidson, Kenaston, Sports

White for the win: Raiders kick off year with win over LCBI

Pictured is the Raiders' Dawson George (25), carrying the ball to score one of the five touchdowns he completed on Thursday night.
Pictured is the Raiders’ Dawson George (25), carrying the ball to score one of the five touchdowns he completed on Thursday night.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — If Thursday’s game set the tone for the months to follow, Davidson Raiders football fans can look forward to a highly exciting season.

The senior Raiders enjoyed a 70-66 win in an exhibition game over the Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute (LCBI) Bisons of Outlook, delighting a hometown crowd at the Kinsmen Field.

After a tight first half that saw the lead shift back and forth several times, the Raiders held the lead for virtually the entire second half, though the Bisons were never far behind.

It was a captivating game, and coach Jason Low said he was proud of the team and pleased to be able to return the support shown by the community with a win at home.

He credited the win to a combined effort by the entire team, along with strong performances on both offence and defence and the support of an expanded coaching staff.

“We won today because we played as a team,” Low said Thursday night. “They’ve been working hard . . . I’m excited and I’m proud of the guys.”

LCBI has proved a strong competitor in past years, routinely defeating the Raiders, and Thursday’s success was a hard-earned reversal of fortune.

Low said the team is working to view each game as a potential victory within their grasp, explaining, “Our approach this season was that we wanted to beat everybody.”

Dawson George of Kenaston scored the Raiders’ opening touchdown and would go on to score four more by the game’s end.

Among the other offensive highlights were a breakaway run by Dylan Payne and back-to-back touchdowns by quarterback Andrew Read. Jacob Schilling also completed two touchdowns.

A major factor in the team’s win was its success in kicking field goals. The Raiders managed to earn conversions on five out of 10 touchdowns, adding a total of 20 points to their score.

Davidson held a slim lead at the midway point with a score of 34-32, and maintained that lead for most of the second half, though the score was briefly tied at 46 points each.

Low noted he was impressed with defensive backs Cole Murfitt and James Morrison, saying they provided good coverage and fine tackling.

He also had praise for Reegan Taylor, saying he played with “a lot of heart, and left it all on the field.”

The coach acknowledged that the team had picked up its share of penalties through the course of the game, chalking some of that up to opening night jitters.

“A lot of that’s normal but, I think, preventable,” he said. “A lot of it will come with experience.”

Low said the expanded coaching staff had proven immensely helpful, allowing individual coaches to focus on particular areas and bringing considerable expertise to the team.

He said it was a major factor in the team’s victory, along with the junior football program, in which many of the younger players have taken part.

“The more kids we get out playing junior ball, the more football sense they have,” he said. “They’re just stepping into sports that much easier.”

The victory over LCBI was only the second win for the senior team since Davidson School revived its football program in the fall of 2011.

Craik, Davidson, Kenaston, Sports

New season, fresh start for senior Raiders

From left, players Hunter Wall, Nicholas Chomyshen and Reegan Taylor are seen doing the crab walk in an agility exercise led by coach Greg McJannet on Wednesday evening, during the fall training camp for the Davidson Raiders senior football team.
From left, players Hunter Wall, Nicholas Chomyshen and Reegan Taylor are seen doing the crab walk in an agility exercise led by coach Greg McJannet on Wednesday evening, during the fall training camp for the Davidson Raiders senior football team.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — Hopes are high for a successful season as the Davidson Raiders senior football team looks toward its first game of the new year.

The team has plenty of new faces among its coaches and players, including several students from Craik School, who are joining students from Davidson and Kenaston for the first time this year.

“We don’t know what Craik’s going to bring to us,” head coach Jason Low said last week, prior to the start of the team’s fall training camp.

“Until we actually get the boys on the field, it’s pretty tough to tell for sure what the season is going to look like.”

The Raiders began their training camp on Tuesday, meeting each evening to warm up, train and familiarize themselves with each other and the game. After school starts on Sept. 1, they will continue meeting in the mornings.

The team’s first game will be a home exhibition match against the LCBI Bisons scheduled for Sept. 10.

In addition to Low, coaches this year include Davidson teacher Garrett Bailey, area CWEX teacher Ryan Johnson, Kenaston teacher John Jamieson and Kenaston principal Greg McJannet, as well as parent Trevor Ouellette.

“We have lots of good experience with the coaches we have on staff now,” said Low, adding that they hope to end up with a roster of about 20 players.

For the full story, please see the Aug. 31 edition of The Davidson Leader.

Kenaston

New, old faces gather at barbecue

Peighton Oickle, 5, enjoys her cake at Kenaston's welcome barbecue on Wednesday.
Peighton Oickle, 5, enjoys her cake at Kenaston’s welcome barbecue on Wednesday.

By Joel van der Veen

KENASTON — A couple of trips to Kenaston left a solid impression on Steve and Lisa Thomson and their family.

“We absolutely fell in love with the community,” said Steve, explaining that they had visited from Port Dover, Ont., for a couple of family weddings.

So when they decided to move to Saskatchewan, he added, “Kenaston just seemed to be the right place.”

The Thomsons — including their kids Bella, 14, and Sam, 12 — arrived in town this summer, and while they’re still adjusting to small-town life, Steve said their experience so far confirms they made the right choice.

“There’s this real nice quality of life,” he said, contrasting it with the busyness of cities like Saskatoon, while Bella said she finds the atmosphere easy and inviting.

The Thomsons were among the guests who lined the tables at Kenaston Place last week as the village gathered for a barbecue to welcome its latest arrivals.

About 80 people attended the annual event, held on Wednesday evening and sponsored by the Kenaston and District Chamber of Commerce.

The crowd included more than a dozen newcomers who have arrived in Kenaston over the past year.

Burgers, salads and drinks were served, followed by cake for dessert, and the guests of honour were introduced by chamber secretary-treasurer Susan Anholt during a short program.

Anholt said the newcomers include former Kenaston residents who have moved back to town, as well as singles, couples and families moving there for the first time. The event began in Saskatchewan’s centennial year, 2005, and has continued annually since then.

Mayor ML Whittles spoke to the crowd, welcoming the newcomers and encouraging them to meet people and get involved in the community.

She explained how the construction of Sun West School Division’s Distance Learning Centre (DLC) has been a catalyst for growth, calling it Kenaston’s “potash mine.”

“It gives us a stamp of who we are and the ability to continue growing,” she said, adding that the community needs to include both those in the village and in the surrounding area.

DLC vice-principal Aaron Bieberdorf spoke about the educational opportunities available in Kenaston and the growth seen at the schools, while EMO co-ordinator Gene Whitehead invited the public to get involved with the volunteer fire department.

For the rest of the story, please see the Aug. 17 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

Kenaston, Obituary

Baird, Ellen Isabell

Baird, Ellen Isabell
Baird, Ellen Isabell

Baird, Ellen Isabell

The passing of Ellen Isabell Baird of Stensrud Lodge (formerly of Kenaston) occurred July 26, 2015. Ellen was born February 18, 1921 in Conquest, Saskatchewan. She went on to Normal School after graduation and spent several years teaching in one-room country schools in rural Saskatchewan. One of these was Chatham School east of Kenaston where she met and was courted by Bob Baird. They married in November of 1947, farmed at Kenaston and raised their family (son Ken and daughter Sharon). Ellen was an active participant in all aspects of the farm, was a member of the Meuse Busy Bees and the Kenaston Ladies Auxiliary. They started spending winters in Saskatoon in 1977 and bought their first house there in 1979. After Bob’s passing in 1986, Ellen remained in her own home until the age of 90 when she moved into an Assisted Living Facility and eventually into a nursing home. Ellen was predeceased by her husband Bob, her parents, an infant brother and brothers- and sisters-in-law. She is survived by her children Ken (Margaret) Baird, daughter Sharon Stodler; five grandchildren, Jennifer (Jason), Jodi (Jason), Jaimie (Conor), Jayson (Sarah) and Scott (Joni); nine great-grandchildren, Olivia, Nina, Sandor, Zoe, Daniel, Nathaniel, Danny, Oran and Elena. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ellen’s memory may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation (279 3rd Avenue N, Saskatoon, SK S7K 2H8) or Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan (301 – 2550 12th Avenue, Regina, SK S4P 3X1). A Celebration of Life was held at Hillcrest Funeral Home (east on 8th St, first right past Briargate Rd) on Tuesday, August 4, 2015 at 2:00 pm.  Arrangements entrusted to Basil Forsberg, Hillcrest Funeral Home, 306-477-4400.