Gold in their inaugural year of 2012 and silver in 2014 in Winnipeg once again created a target on the back of the UK Royals. Although they didn’t capture the elusive 4th consecutive U 21 Provincial title, they still earned a spot at 2015 Western Canadian Fastpitch championships being held in Surrey, BC.
Holding a roster that includes 2 3rd year veterans in Kelsey Wildeman and Megan MacDonald, they were joined by 2nd year players Kori Herner, Ally Cey and Shelby Solomko. The remainder of the team was comprised of rookies Jessica Weber, Brooklyn Miller, Dacey Francis, Mackenzie Chorney, Rachel Mamer, Brittany Hauta, Kylie Walz. Only half of the coaching trio from the first three years remained in Don Robertson and John “Huntzie” Klaehn. They were joined by Joe Cey and Brent Weber. Laura Stasiuk, from the Saskatoon Erical Eclipse was picked up for the second year in a row to add to the pitching power for team UK.
These team travelled to Surrey as Sask. Team #2. The coastal community of Surrey was equally as exciting as playing in the renowned “Softball City” venue. The BC Sunshine combined with determination to erase their provincial title loss was all that needed to motivate the Royals for games throughout the round robin.
Playing 6 games in round robin the Royals lost only one and it was evident each game that their play was becoming increasingly more focused and purposeful. The team was energized by an enthusiastic fan base that had supported them throughout the round robin with the added vocal power of the Earl Grey Heat team and fans who came to support their fellow Team Saskatchewan players, after they had lost their chances to advance to playoffs.
The Royals squared off against the North Shore Avalanche in the 1 vs 2 page playoff game, which happened to be the only team that had defeated them in round robin. A fired up Royals team came out to play and play big they did, mercying the Av’s in 5 innings. This would send the Royals directly to Sunday’s final game.
Another great day of BC sunshine set the stage for Sunday. The team arrived at Softball city to see the Vancouver Island Bomb squad lay a licking on the Avalanche soundly defeating them and advancing to play the Royals in the final.
Electric energy was high in the venue as along with home town fans of the Royals, other teams that had watched them all week came to join the UK Royals fan club. There as a bit of a silence when the bomb squad slugged out 5 runs in the top of the first inning, however that was quickly erased when the Royals answered with 2 runs of their own. Royal’s pitcher Shelby Solomko, along with the defense the Royals were known for, did not allow another BC run; making some huge highlight reel plays. The Royals picked away at the lead until the game was tied going to top of 7. Two enormous defensive plays left BC runners stranded without a run. There was great anticipation that the tide had turned as lead off batter Kori herner earned a walk. Mackenzie chorney, up next threw down a sac bunt that advanced herner to second base. Ally Cey punched in a line single that gave herner the space needed to race home for the winning run. The gold medal western Canadian championship celebration began.
After trophies, medals and photos were done the team headed down to the White Rock pier and made a celebratory jump into the Pacific Ocean. They also shared congratulatory texts, tweets and Facebook posts made from their fans back home. They were thrilled to see retweets of their success by Premier Brad Wall and MLA Victoria Jurgens.
Other fans from the event commented on the sportsmanship, and camaraderie the UK Royals displayed throughout the weekend; as well as their level of play increasing with each game they played.
It was a mixed feeling of jubilation and sadness for veteran Kelsey Wildeman who played her last year of eligibility in the junior level. She wrapped up her experience saying, “Coming home with a gold medal around our necks made it that much sweeter for me as it is my last season as a junior player. Our team has come a long way this season and I couldn’t be more proud of my team mates. I am thankful for the opportunity to have played for such a wonderful, successful team over the years and have created memories to last me a lifetime. ”
Coach Don Robertson added his comments saying, “These girls played amazing ball. The team gelled and gained momentum in every game that was played. At Westerns, you could see the momentum increasing as they advanced further into round robin. Playoffs showcased a team that played errorless ball. The gold medal game saw the team dig in deep as they came back from a 5-0 deficit to win the gold 6-5 in the bottom of the 7th inning was a textbook entry. It began with a walk, a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner to second and a line single down to the middle to score the runner and win the game. This game was a complete team effort that included excellent pitching, outstanding defense and clutch hits.”
Coach Brent Weber added, “This was a great group of girls with a ton of leadership. From the start, our leaders were leaders, and our first years followed their lead. At the end, they were all equals! Our pitching and defense down the stretch was second to none, and our offense really came through when it was needed.”
Coach Joe Cey closed in stating, “There was no doubt that our team improved each game at Westerns. Our solid pitching was a factor throughout the tournament. In the final, these girls did not lose focus and did an amazing job of chipping away at the early 5 nothing deficit as they did not give up a run after that first inning. It was great to see each player contributing their strengths. Our team motto was
There certainly has been a pattern created by the UK Royals and once this year’s winning celebrations subside, plans will be underway to build a team that can continue the UK royal’s legacy. With only 2 graduating players, it is hopeful that the remaining core are able to return. Until then, the communities of Unity & Kindersley will celebrate the success of the UK Royals and their 2015 Western Canadian fastpitch championship win.
