The Canora Peewee Cougars’ spring football season began on April 30 and concluded Saturday at the yearend jamboree in Cudworth.
The season started with 36 players from grades 5-7 registering. Only four players dropped out during the season. They had two practices a week until the first games against Yorkdale and
Preeceville in Yorkton.
In the first game of the season against Yorkdale, the Cougars faced a bigger, stronger, faster team Said Coach Kim Eiteneier.
“Yorkdale team pounded our grades 6/7 team. The young grades 5/6 team fared much better in their first-ever football action by only losing by two scores.”
In the Preeceville game, the Cougars started out fine, but were overmatched again and lost by four scores to the Panthers. The grades 5/6 team fared much better and lost a close one to Preeceville.
On May 29, the Cougars travelled to Wakaw to play two games, one against Cudworth/ Wakaw and the other against Watson.
“We played hard and much better versus Wakaw/ Cudworth, only losing by four scores and our grades 5/6 team losing by two scores.
“In the next game versus Spring football season went by quickly for Canora Peewee Cougars Watson, Durban Hleboff had two touchdowns to lead us to a nice victory over Watson.
The 5/6 team lost by one score to Watson but it was a late score and we nearly tied it on the last play of the game when Jacob Gulka had a run of about 40 yards, but was stopped about fi ve yards
short of the goal line and the tying score. Overall, there was much improvement from the first two games.”
In the return match on June 15 against Cudworth/ Wakaw, the grades 6/7 team played strong and only gave up two touchdowns, but unfortunately, we threw an interception
near the end of the first half that was returned for a touchdown. “In the end. we played better but lost by three scores.”
The grades 5/6 team also played strong and only lost by two scores. In the second game against Kamsack, the running backs had their way running the ball down the field, said Eiteneier. “Jacob
Gulka and Alden Baron each ran for a touchdown in the first half and Durban Hleboff ran a long one for a touchdown in the second half to power our way past the visitors.”
The grades 5/6 team played a close back-andforth affair but Kamsack had one long run on the last play of the game to win. In the fi nal year-end jamboree in Cudworth on Saturday, the first game was played at 10 a.m. against Cudworth under some cloudy, rainy conditions, said Eiteneier.
“As a combined team, Cudworth/Wakaw were too strong on this day for our short staffed grades 6/7 team, and we lost by a score of 28-0. The grades 5/6 game was much closer but our team was unable to score any majors as we went down to defeat by a score of 14-0.
“In a make-up game against the Yorkdale 4/5 squad, our grade 5’s defeated them by one touchdown on a small field. We had two scores from Carter Dereniwski and one from each Clay Sleeva and Hudson Bailey to propel us to victory.”
Right after that game the Cougars took on Kamsack. It was a close affair with the game tied at half time. Kamsack scored two times in the second half, one on a long run and one on a misdirection pass to give them the victory. In the grades 5/6 game, the cougars lost by one touchdown to Kamsack.
“We got our only touchdown from Lane Zuravloff on a two-yard run, after a big interception and return of 60-plus yards by Brayden Ostafie,” said the coach.
“Unfortunately Brayden couldn’t finish off the play with a touchdown as he was run down from behind by a defender at the two-yard line. Kamsack scored once in the second half to take the
victory 13-7.”
In the final match of the day, the Cougars played Watson.
“It was a defensive battle with the opponents scoring early in the game and our squad coming back with a touchdown run from Alden Baron and the conversion from Grady Wolkowski on a
nice run. The game ended in a 7-7 draw.”
The grades 5/6 game “saw us win big – 20-0 – behind some strong running by Carter Dereniwski, Clay Sleeva, and Hudson Bailey,” said Eiteneier. “Carter and
Clay each had a touchdown run with Jake Statchuk getting the other. Hudson had a long run called back on an offside call by our team. It was a great run of 50-plus yards where he eluded many
tacklers along the way to the end zone. Unfortunately it was all for not.”
Eiteneier said the defense played strong all day long, often tackling opponents two times the size of some of the Canora boys.
During practice on Thursday, Ashley Stusek was the ball carrier. Mathew Rock was playing defense while Cheyenne O’Connor and Lane Zuralov were in the background blocking.
Maxwell Mydonick was the Canora Peewee Cougars’ main quarterback for the season. Jacob Gulka was the ball carrier and Clay Sleeva was the tackler during a practice on Thursday.
Maxwell Mydonick, the quarterback, had Ashley Stusek, Cheyene O’Connor and Jacob Gulka blocking for him during a practice on Thursday.
The Crossroads Credit Union 13th annual Charity Golf Tournament on Friday was won for the second consecutive year by a foursome based out of Norquay. Members of the team were Jamie Holodniuk, Devin Severson and Ian Abbott, all of Norquay, and Nathan Cherewyk of Yorkton.
There were 59 golfers registered. Proceeds from the tournament have been earmarked to assist the Canora Farmers’ Market to purchase tents. Individual prizes were presented for a variety of novelty events.
The closest-to-the-pin award for women on Hole No. 3 went to Rona Seidle. Jerry Palagian won the men’s award for closest to the pin on Hole No. 5. Jenn Kraft won the women’s award for
the longest putt on Hole No. 6. Jim Rediger won the men’s award for the longest drive on Hole No. 8.
For the longest drives, Rob Bilokraly won the men’s award and Bertha Wozniecki won the women’s award. Norquay team wins Charity Golf Tournament for second consecutive year
“Carson Ostafie, Alden Baron, Grady Wolkowski and Hudson Bailey were very noticeable in most of the tackles,” said the coach.
“It was a great day of football,” he said. “Thanks to all the parents that came out to support all of our young players.”
