Jeremy Irving, Jay Miller, Amber Harker (coach), Ava Kuling, Chaylee Armitage, Tyberius McKay, Lukas Tamayo, Cole Ahenakew, Braddock Koch (coach) have all put in hard work this year with the Red Wolf Boxing Club.

The fighters, alongside the coaches, have put in gruelling hours of training to be ready for every fight, including most recently at the Will Skopyk Memorial in Prince Albert. The club handed out its individual awards recently. Here are the winners:

Best boxer: Cole Ahenakew

Heart Award: Lukas Tamayo

Most Improved: Ava Kuling

Spirit award: Chaylee Armitage

Top Prospect: Tyberius McKay.

The Kinsmen Club of Prince Albert has made another major commitment to support Prince Albert Minor Baseball.

The club has committed $60,000 over the next six years to the Crescent Acres Baseball Rebuild Project. In return, the Crescent Acres facility has been renamed, and will now be known as the Kinsmen Baseball Complex.

“This was a huge part of the whole fundraising program,” Prince Albert Minor Baseball Association (PAMBA) President Duane Krip said. “This was actually some of the money that helped us get the Toronto Blue Jays’ donation as well. They really gave us that initial boost to get everything going. As far as the overall project goes, the Kinsmen Club is where it all really started.”

Over the last couple of weeks, local businesses have also stepped up and donated to the renovation project of the baseball diamonds in the Crescent Acres area of the city. Last week, the PAMBA announced that they will be naming three of their fields after the businesses that have donated to the project.

Crescent Acres diamond #1 has been renamed to Fountain Tire Field, and Crescent Acres diamond #3 has been renamed to Econo Lumber Field. Both fields will accommodate 13U teams. They will both meet Baseball Sask size regulations and will allow Prince Albert to host future provincial championships.

In addition, with the generous support of Michael Lypchuk, diamond No. 2 has been named Lypchuk Field. The new diamond will play host to 15U teams, and will also meet Baseball Sask size regulations. Lypchuk Field, as well as Andy Zwack Field, will both be used to host Provincial Baseball Championships.

“The support from the community has been absolutely phenomenal,” Krip said. “A lot of businesses have seen that this is a much needed project, and have come out in big waves. Our major sponsorships were sold almost immediately. Right now, we have businesses that are calling out of the blue, wanting to help out. It’s awesome to have that kind of support.”

Krip gave an update on the Crescent Acre diamonds, and gave a timeline for when they are expected to be completed.

“TLS Lawn Care has been doing all of the groundwork, and they are making some great progress,” he explained. “There was some major work that needed to be done with a storm drain that needed to be moved. Otherwise, that drain would have been in the infield on our 15U diamond, so that had to be moved, and that was done a few weeks ago. Right now, it’s the groundwork that is being done to level things out.

“The 13U diamonds are being used right now. Fountain Tire Field is complete. The Econo Lumber Field just needs to have enclosed dugouts. That work is going to be done within the next couple of weeks. The major part of the project needs to be done on Lypchuk Field. We’re hoping to get that done sometime around mid-summer.”

@kyle_kosowan•sports@paherald.sk.ca

Hockey Canada announced Thursday that Regina Pats forward and Prince Albert product Tanner Howe has been invited to Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp, which is set to take place July in Calgary.

“It’s awesome,” Howe said. “Just to get the opportunity to make another Team Canada team is pretty cool, and I’m really grateful for the opportunity that Hockey Canada has given me.”

The 16-year-old led all Pats rookies in goals (27), assists (42), and points (69) in the 2021-22 season. Howe’s point total is the fifth most in by a 16-year-old in Regina Pats history. He also finished fourth in WHL rookie scoring, and in a tie for third in assists.

Howe is no stranger to trying out for a Team Canada roster spot. In April, was a part of the U18 team that travelled to Germany for the U18 World Championship. Also in November, Howe played in the Capital City Challenge in Ottawa representing Canada Black, who beat Canada Red in overtime of the gold medal game.

Howe thinks getting to represent Canada twice already this season has left a good impression within the organization, and thinks he has a good chance to land a spot on the roster for the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which runs from July 31-Aug 6 in Red Deer, Alberta.

“I’m just hoping to build from that tournament into this camp, and hopefully I can go down there and make the team,” Howe said. “Getting the chance to go to Germany and playing for Team Canada there was awesome, and hopefully I can make another team.”

Growing up in Prince Albert, Howe was an offensive unit with the U15 Prince Albert Pirates. He put up 98 points in 62 games through two seasons. In a shortened 2020-21 year, Howe suited up in five games with the Prince Albert Mintos, registering four points. He also dressed in eight games for the Pats, scoring his first WHL goal and adding an assist.

Howe’s season with the Pats came to an end on April 17 with a home win against the Moose Jaw Warriors. Regina finished the year just two points back of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. With two months gone by without any hockey games, he explained what he has been doing to stay ready for moments like these, and what gives him the confidence of making it back onto a Team Canada roster.

“I’ve just been skating a lot and working out, and just keeping in shape,” he explained. “My parents have been a big help in just encouraging me along. I think this year getting to play for Team Canada has given me the confidence to go out and do it again.”

There will be 44 skaters attending the selection camp in Calgary to compete for the opportunity to wear the maple leaf at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Following the selection of the final roster on July 24, Team Canada will play a pair of games against the Red and White teams from Canada’s National Junior team summer camp.

@kyle_kosowan•sports@paherald.sk.ca

The Prince Albert Raiders saw their season come to an end on April 29, but defenceman Nolan Allan’s season is still going.

On Thursday, Hockey Canada announced that the 19-year-old was one of 44 skaters that will participate at the National Junior Team summer camp in Calgary from July 20-23.

“I was excited when I got the news about being invited,” Allan said. “It’s always an honour to get named to Hockey Canada camps and teams. It’s a great opportunity to go to a camp like this, and you always want to leave a good impression.”

Allan, a first round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, finished his third season with the Raiders during the 2021-22 campaign. The Davidson, Sask product put up career high numbers in goals (7), assists (34), and points (41) this past season. He added an assist in five playoffs games in Prince Albert’s first round series with the Winnipeg ICE.

After finishing the season in Prince Albert, Allan was called up right away by the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate Rockford Icehogs, who were just beginning their postseason. Allan helped Rockford push past the Texas Stars in an opening round best of three series, before the club was swept by the Chicago Wolves in the best of five second round matchup.

“It was a good couple of weeks down in Rockford after my season in PA,” Allan said. “That was good, getting to see that level of hockey. After that I got to spend a couple of weeks at home and get some rest. Now I’m back in Saskatoon working out here.”

Allan was a part of the 2021 U18 Canada team that won the IIHF World Hockey Championship in Texas. He recorded a goal and seven assists in the tournament.

Aside from his time in the WHL, the experience that Allan already has on the international stage representing Team Canada will give him an added edge heading into camp. He served as an alternate captain for the Raiders this season, and thinks his leadership skills, combined with his past experience and success with Team Canada will help him crack a spot on the roster.

“(Leadership) was something that I learned a lot about in Prince Albert this year,” he explained. “Getting into that role a little later into the season and getting experience in that role helped a lot. I know a bunch of the guys that will be going to camp and there will be a few other Chicago draft picks. It’ll be fun to hang out and play with these guys at camp.”

@kyle_kosowan•sports@paherald.sk.ca

People interested in paddling are invited to attend the Kistahpinanihk Paddling Club’s (KPC) open house on Thursday evening in Prince Albert.

The open house is an opportunity for attendees to spark an interest in paddling, and there will be a chance to win a free KPC membership for the summer via a draw at the end of the night.

Program coordinator Dwight Bergstrom says he’s hoping to get the word out and get more people, especially youth, interested in joining the club.

“It’s amazing how few people actually know that the club is here in Prince Albert,” Bergstrom said. “It’s sort of out of the way on River Street, so a lot of people have it out of sight and out of mind. We’ve got a boathouse full of canoes and kayaks down there, and when people buy their memberships, they have full access to those amenities.

Located on the 800 block of River Street West, the Prince Albert Drifters Rowing Club will be the site of the open house. People checking it out will be able to see the sort of canoes, kayaks and other equipment that will be used on the water. KPC paddle sport instructional programming will be available based on member interest. KPC canoe and kayak outings will also be organized based on member interest.

People have the choice of purchasing a membership with or without access to equipment. The adult charge is just $100 for the full package, or just $60 for those who want to bring their own canoe or kayak. A family pack can be purchased for $175. Bergstrom says the value of the membership is worth it, considering the every day price of canoe or kayak rentals at the lake.

“If you go to rent a canoe for the day at the lake, you’re probably looking at $40 or more just for one day,” Bergstrom explained. “So for $100, you have our membership, access to our equipment and programming tools. We never run out of equipment, so no matter how many people want to go out on a given day, they won’t have to worry. $100 for a membership is well worth it.”

The open house will also give those attending the chance to inquire about upcoming events, like the 2022 and 2023 Summer Games. The Games are just the start of the terrific opportunities that are available for people looking to become members of the club. Bergstrom says for people who have any more questions about the membership or the club, the open house will be a great place to ask.

KPC memberships can be purchased at the open house on Thursday night, which runs from 5-8 p.m. KPC members will also receive discounts at Fresh Air Experience on any canoe accessory purchases. Food and drinks will also be served at the open house, with the draw for the free membership and other prizes to be handed out throughout the night.

Prince Albert Predators goaltender Duncan Fetch was one of the large reasons of why the team has been so successful over the last five years. The goalie joined the team when he was 15 years old, and suffered just three losses in his career with the team. This season he led the Preds to the PGLL final, and capped off the season by winning the team’s Most Valuable Player.

Prince Albert Predators award winners:

Most Sportsmanlike: Brycen Brule

Most Improved: Luke Eggerman

Most loose balls picked up: Matthew Cudmore

Defensive Player of the Year: Davin Ikert

Offensive Player of the Year: Dillan Cochrane

Most Valuable Player: Duncan Fetch

@kyle_kosowan•sports@paherald.sk.ca

The Edmonton Oil Kings closed out the WHL Final with a 2-0 shutout win over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Monday night in Edmonton, becoming the first winners of the Ed Chynoweth Cup since the 2019 Prince Albert Raiders. The Oil Kings took the series in six games, with goaltender Sebastian Cossa picking up shutouts in two of the four Edmonton wins.

In game six on Monday night at Rogers Place, Edmonton centre and Vegas Golden Knights fourth round pick Jacob Demek broke a scoreless tie 7:15 into the first period. His fifth goal of the playoffs gave Edmonton an important early lead. In the 2022 playoffs, the Oil Kings only lost one game after scoring the opening goal.

The Oil Kings continued to pour on pressure in the first period, but couldn’t bury any more pucks past Thunderbirds stopper Thomas Milic. Outshooting Seattle 21-4 after 20 minutes, Edmonton took a 1-0 lead into the second.

It took just 3:44 into the second period for Edmonton to double their lead, as former Prince Albert Raider defenceman Kaiden Guhle struck with his eighth goal of the postseason. A blind pass from Oil Kings captain Jake Neighbours found Guhle’s stick in the high slot, and the defenceman ripped a seeing eye shot past Milic’s blocker, who was screened on the shot. Guhle picked up his 16th point in 19 games in the 2022 playoffs to put Edmonton in control 2-0.

At the other end of the ice, Cossa was a brick wall between the pipes for Edmonton. After a relatively quiet first period, the Detroit Red Wings first rounder was forced to make a handful of game savers, including a point blank stop on a one timer try from Henrik Rybinski.

Stopping all 27 shots that were thrown at him, Cossa put in his second shutout performance of the WHL final, and his fifth clean slate of the entire postseason, as the Oil Kings closed out game six by a 2-0 final. Edmonton became the third team in a row to close out the league final on home ice, joining the 2019 Raiders, who took down the Vancouver Giants in game seven at the Art Hauser Centre, and the 2018 Swift Current Broncos, who closed out the Everett Silvertips in six games at the Credit Union i-plex.

The win gave Edmonton their third championship in modern franchise history, and their first since 2014.

Guhle wins second straight WHL title and takes home MVP honours

When Kaiden Guhle was dealt by the Raiders to the Oil Kings on a December 1st blockbuster deal, it became clear that Edmonton was in a “win now” mode. Edmonton not only gained another NHL first round pick, they also gained a defenceman who had WHL Finals experience. In 2019 when the Raiders won their first WHL championship since 1985, Guhle was a rookie blueliner. Now three years later and joining a very experienced Oil Kings roster, it became clear that the 20-year-old was the piece that Edmonton needed to go all the way to the Ed Chynoweth Cup.

Scoring eight goals and adding another eight assists in the 2022 postseason, Guhle took home WHL Playoffs MVP in what will likely be his final season in the Western Hockey League, as the Montreal Canadiens will likely be looking to add the two time WHL champ to their lineup next season.

Not only did Guhle win his second WHL championship, he joined some rare company, as he became just the second player since 2008 (Tyler Glass) to win the championship with two different clubs. Glass won back to back titles with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 2007 and with the Spokane Chiefs a year later.

@kyle_kosowan•sports@paherald.sk.ca

The Saskatoon Jr. Swat used home floor to their full advantage, as they were able to hold off the Prince Albert Predators 13-7 on Friday night to capture the Prairie Gold Lacrosse League title. A seven goal second period for the Swat proved to be the difference in the game, as Prince Albert’s offense couldn’t keep up with home side.

The conclusion of the game also brought an end to Tyson Fetch’s coaching tenure, as he announced that he will be stepping away from the sport, and passing the torch to the new wave of young coaches.

“We were up against a really good team, and we knew that we needed to play a perfect game to beat Saskatoon,” Fetch said. “We couldn’t turn our nerves into positives on the floor. We looked like a really nervous team, and we had trouble shaking that off, and we just couldn’t get settled into the game.”

The Swat scored two goals 55 seconds apart to open the scoring five minutes into the game. Stepan Friedl and Henry Elliot scored the goals to put Saskatoon out in front 2-0, but the Predators responded with two goals of their own to even the score. Caidyn Prediger and Matthew Cudmore scored just over two minutes apart, with the latter coming on the powerplay as Prince Albert drew even with seven minutes to go in the first. With 4:59 left in the opening frame, Pavel Srch got one back for the hosts, as Saskatoon took a 3-2 lead into the second period.

Prince Albert tied things up just 16 seconds into the second period, thanks to a nice goal from Braden Shewchuk, and Tyler Gusdal scored 3:04 in, giving the Preds their first lead of the game. However, poor defensive play midway through the frame put Prince Albert in a big hole. Saskatoon scored six straight goals in a 6:32 stretch to go up 9-4.

Hayden Ulriksen and Cudmore scored for the Predators to end the second, while Roman Marshall potted another for the Swat, as Prince Albert went into the third with their season on the line, trailing 10-6.

“Once they took that lead, we just couldn’t get back in it,” Fetch said. “We kept it close in the first period even though we were outshot. Midway through the second, we had those six minutes where we fell apart a little bit, and we would just give up breakaways, and our goalie couldn’t make those big saves.”

Ulriksen had the lone goal in the third period for the Predators, who couldn’t generate any offense in the final frame. Meanwhile, the Swat scored three third period goals, as they secured the 13-7 win, as well as the league title.

“We played really well in the third period, but we just couldn’t get any goals,” Fetch said. “We managed to keep the ball out of our net for the most part, and we seemed to play a lot better in the third period than we did in the first two.

“We win as a team and we lose as a team. As disappointing as it was, I was proud of the way our guys played the entire season. The effort that they put forth every game and the work ethic they gave me in practice, I’m really proud of this group.”

While the Preds weren’t able to get the win in their final game of the season, the team gave it their best effort in what was Fetch’s last game behind the bench. Fetch, who served nearly two decades within the game, decided that now is the time to take a very well deserved break from the sport.

“I’m going to be stepping away from the game for a bit,” he explained. “I’ve coached 17 years of lacrosse, I ran Prince Albert lacrosse for 10 or 11 years. I’ve also been coaching the Predators for 12 years now, so I’m ready to pass that torch on. Coaching is a huge commitment, and I feel like I have some young guys here that are ready to take over. They’ve got years of experience of playing, and I think they’re the right group to take over.”

Dillan Cochrane and Duncan Fetch also played their final game with the team in Friday’s loss, as they are the two graduating players this season.

The Predators will host their awards ceremony on Tuesday night to conclude their 2022 campaign.

@kyle_kosowan•sports@paherald.sk.ca

It wasn’t the conventional way for St. Mary’s Gavin Johns to get into the game of football, but it was a path that worked out just fine for the grade 12 slot back receiver.

After playing four years of high school football, Johns committed to the Saskatoon Hilltops of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) signing day on June 1st.

“It feels really good,” Johns said. “It feels like a lot of the work that I’ve put into the sport has paid off. I think that I really lucked out. I’ve taken a lot of the core values from St. Mary and implemented that into my play style, and that’s what separated me from the other competition at tryouts.

“I’m really excited to start this new chapter in my life, and I’m hoping to take those core values that I’ve learned from high school and become a leader in the next few years on the Hilltops.”

Johns didn’t start playing football until his freshman year in high school. Growing up in La Ronge, he put more focus into gymnastics than anything else.

In grade seven and eight Johns decided to give flag football a try, and fell in love with the sport from there. When he entered high school, it became clear that giving football a shot was the best decision he could have made.

“When I got to St. Mary in grade nine, all of my friends were playing football, so it made me want to turn a new leaf and try something new,” Johns explained. “Gymnastics had really given me a solid base to work with, in terms of strength and flexibility, and I knew that I use those as skills for football. Doing gymnastics helped a lot with my football career, but I really fell in love with the team aspect of football, compared to gymnastics which is more of a solo thing.”

The Marauders football team endorsed five core values all season: trust, grit, ownership, passion, and teamwork. Johns says focusing on those traits has helped him become a leader on the team, and hopes he can carry them over to Saskatoon.

He has had help along the way during his high school career. The man that has helped him the most along his journey has been his coach, Curt Hundeby. Johns says the knowledge that he was able to gain of the sport because of Hundeby has given him this shot to crack the Hilltops roster.

“Mr. Hundeby is one of, if not the smartest football coaches that I have ever had the opportunity to play for,” Johns said. “He knows so much about the sport, and he has given me so much wisdom from his past in football.

“I think the main thing that he has helped me with the most is the mental aspect of the sport, and how to really set your mind into working as a team. Not only thinking about football, but using some of those values in the real world.”

On a personal note, it took a lot of dedication for Johns to step up his compete level. He didn’t let the COVID-19 pandemic drive him away from the sport, rather he became even more committed to becoming a better athlete. Once he was able to step onto the field once again in his senior year, he made the most of it, sharing the Marauders’ Most Valuable Player award with fellow senior Ethan Gee.

As a grade 12 player on the team, Johns was also relied on to be a leader on the team throughout the season. He was able to prove his worth on the team, and provide the proper guidance for rookie players, who’s shoes he was once in. He thinks the time spent in the gym as well as being a leader on his team will help his game as he works his way through the ranks.

“At the start of grade 11, I was 6’1 and weighed 140 pounds,” Johns explained. “I was very underweight, and I was sick and tired of being pushed around on the football field. During the pandemic, all I did was work out and go to the gym, and I came back onto the field weighing 175 pounds, and I was able to rock some heads. Going to the gym has given me more muscle and more confidence, and more quality of life. It gave me more ability to do more things on the football field.

“I’ve heard some really good examples from teachers on how they don’t get a day off from teaching. I think that, paired with my maturity and time management skills is going to give me a really good edge on the other players that were also signed this year.”

@kyle_kosowan•sports@paherald.sk.ca