Jaime Lammerding
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
The Saskatoon Valkyries will compete for their fourth straight Western Women’s Canadian Football League title after defeating the visiting Manitoba Fearless 48-14 in league semifinal action Sunday at SMF Field.
Manitoba got on the board first after they tackled the Valkyries’ punt returner in the Saskatoon end zone to earn the two-point safety less than two minutes into the game.
However, scoring in the rest of the first half belonged solely to the Valkyries as quarterback Alex Eyolfson found Haley Girolami for the 49-yard major and Sarah Wright ran in touchdowns from the one- and six-yard lines.
A pair of field goals and three converts by Grace Moehler gave Saskatoon the 27-2 lead at halftime.
In the second half, Eyolfson connected with Girolami again for a 14-yard touchdown, as well as with Ricki Obed for a 48-yard touchdown, while Teagan Craig added a 49-yard touchdown run. Moehler was good on the converts for all three majors.
The Fearless also added a couple of touchdowns in the second half, including a 19-yard touchdown pass from Madison Siwicki to Cassidy Turski and a one-yard quarterback keeper from Siwicki. Manitoba was unsuccessful on both of their two-point convert attempts.
Eyolfson completed 16 of 24 passes in the game for 287 yards and three touchdowns. Her favourite passing target was Girolami, who hauled in seven catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns, while Wright led the ground game with seven carries for 65 yards.
Defensively, Emmarae Dale, Sydney Schenn and Kelsey Murphy all had interceptions for the Valkyries, with Schenn, Jaimyn Mantyka and Kaylin O’Neill each recovering a fumble.
The Valkyries, who finished first in the league’s Prairie Conference with an undefeated 4-0 record, will travel to Regina next Sunday for the WWCFL final and take on the Regina Riot, who advanced after defeating the Calgary Rage 29-0 in the other semifinal.
The championship game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Leibel Field.
RATTLERS FALL TO BANDITS IN VANCOUVER
After coming back to tie the host Vancouver Bandits 76-76 at the end of the third quarter of Saturday’s Canadian Elite Basketball League game, the Saskatchewan Rattlers were outscored 22-9 in the fourth quarter to fall 98-85.
Saskatchewan’s Elijah Harkness and Vancouver’s Taze Moore each had a game-high 25 points, while Jalen Harris and Bryson Williams added 24 and 23 points, respectively, for the Rattlers.
It’s the third loss of the season for the Rattlers, who now sport a 5-3 record, placing them third in the league’s Western Conference.
Next up, Saskatchewan will host the Calgary Surge this Thursday night at SaskTel Centre with a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.
SASKATOON BERRIES JAMMED BY WEATHER
Mother Nature played spoiler to a pair of Saskatoon Berries’ Western Canadian Baseball League games on the weekend, cutting one short and forcing a reschedule of the other.
On the road Saturday night, taking on the host Weyburn Beavers, the Berries closed the scoring gap to 9-7 after completing the top of the eighth inning, but the game was then called due to weather.
Berries outfielders Carter Beck and Payton McHarg each had a home run in the game, while pitcher Jacob Hadden received the loss on the scoresheet after allowing four hits in 0.1 innings pitched.
The two teams were due a rematch on Sunday in Saskatoon, but the game was ultimately rescheduled to a still-to-be determined date after rain postponed the game twice on the day.
