The spring and summer months were bustling with sports activities in the Energy City. The warmer temperatures and longer days made it ideal for outdoor events. Here are some of the highlights from May to August:
May:
The Estevan Motor Speedway opened its 20th season May 4 by having races in all five of its classes. Travis Hagen took top spot in the A modifieds division, Darren Medler won the sport mod class, Joren Boyce captured the stock car feature, Brock Beeter won the hobby stock class and Ryder Raynard was the sling shot feature winner. The speedway would have numerous programs throughout the year.
The Estevan Wildlife Federation (EWF) had 49 teams participating in its 16th annual Opening Day Walleye Classic at Boundary Dam on May 5. Rene Sehn and Shane Smith of Estevan finished in top spot with a total weight of 16.76 pounds for their six fish and also had the heaviest finish at 5.88 pounds.
The Estevan Mermaids synchronized swim club wrapped up their 2018-19 season by competing in the Canadian Prairie Championship (CPC) event at the Lawson Aquatic Centre in Regina. Sierra Mantei won a bronze medal in the nine and 10 solo competition.
Some of the top young golfers in the Prairies were at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club on May 4 and 5 for the RE/Max Blue Chip Realty Classic, which is part of the Maple Leaf Junior Tour. Jayden Dudas of Estevan was the winner in the juvenile boys event, with rounds of 76 and 73 to win the division by six strokes over Cort Tunall of Kindersley. Estevan golfers took three of the top five spots in the junior boys. Chase Gedak was second at 151 (76, 75), Jace Carlisle was tied for third at 155 (84, 71) and Logan Chernoff was fifth at 159 (82, 77).
Ruth Pecson from the Estevan Comprehensive School won a bronze medal at the Saskatchewan High School Athletics Association’s provincials in Swift Current. She went 3-2 overall on the weekend.
Two Estevan hockey players were part of the Prince Albert Raiders team that won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as the Western Hockey League champions on May 13. Defenceman Brayden Pachal was the team’s captain and forward Cole Fonstad was in his third year with the team. The Raiders defeated the Vancouver Giants 3-2 in overtime in Game 7 of the final on May 13. They advanced to the Memorial Cup national tournament, where they went 0-3, but Fonstad or Pachal were in on all of the Raiders goals.
The fifth annual Rafferty Reservoir Walleye Cup was held May 18 and 19, the first time it has been held over two days. Lance Marcotte and Karen Soke, both from Estevan, took home the first place prize of $10,000 with a two-day weight of 32.93 pounds for their 10 fish. Mainprize Regional Park was the starting point.
Bob Burns, a long-time umpire in Estevan who was inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame, died in May at the age of 89. Burns spent more than 60 years officiating baseball, fastball and softball games, and was a mentor and a coach for young umpires. ‘
Estevan golfer Jace Carlisle announced in May that he had committed to play for the Lake Superior State University Lakers, a Division 2 school in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Carlisle cited several reasons for selecting Lake Superior State, including their golf program, their coach and the size of the school.
June:
Keith Sawyer’s first time playing at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course was a great experience, as he won the 36-hole championship flight in the Estevan Oilfield Technical Society’s Oilmen’s Golf Tournament. Sawyer shot a 68 in the final round to edge Scott Blackstock by two strokes. The tournament attracted more than 250 golfers, and had players entered in 18-hole and 36-hole competitions.
Two members of the Estevan Sharks were recognized at the Saskatchewan Water Polo Awards Gala in Regina. Sadie Smith of Oxbow was named the 14-and-under (14U) Female Athlete of the Year. Mikayla Hack of Estevan was named 16U Female Athlete if the Year.
Twenty-two members of the Estevan Comprehensive School’s track and field team competed at the Saskatchewan High School Athletics Association’s provincial championships in Moose Jaw on June 7 and 8. Hunter Wallster, a Grade 11 student, won a gold medal in the discus with a distance of 46.46 metres, which was more than five metres better than the silver medallist, Nicholas Bertoia of North Battleford. He also won silver in the shot put with a distance of 13.21 metres.
The Elecs held their year-end athletics awards night on June 11, recognizing achievement in numerous different sports, and saluting athletes for commitment and sportsmanship.
The 2019 edition of the Boundary Bass Classic brought anglers from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and North Dakota to the Boundary Dam Reservoir on June 15. Thirty-four teams entered the annual catch and release competition. The team of Cody Roland and Richard Roland of Crosby, N.D., finished first as their four bass weighed in at 16.24 pounds. They also had the largest fish at 4.22 pounds.
Brian Fitzpatrick and his friend Kris Carley participated in the Longest Day of Golf fundraiser for Kidsport on June 22 at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course. They started at 4:30 a.m. and played right through until it was dark 17 hours later, despite some occasional adverse weather conditions, with wind and occasional light showers. The 115 holes was equivalent to a little more than six 18-hole rounds.
Top young lacrosse teams from throughout southern Saskatchewan were in Estevan from June 21-23 for the South Sask. Lacrosse League playoffs at Affinity Place, the Power Dodge Ice Centre and the Bienfait Memorial Arena. Games were played from Friday to Sunday, and champions were crowned in novice, peewee, bantam and midget divisions.
Anglers flocked to Grant Devine Lake June 29 for the annual Alameda Fishing Derby, which supports the Alameda Rink. There were 202 adult entrants and 34 youth competitors looking to land the biggest northern pike. Prizes were handed out for the heaviest and the longest fish. Jared Valentine took top spot with a fish that weighed 22.4 pounds. Devon Carriere had the longest fish with a catch that was 44 inches in length.
July:
The team of Jeff Ward, Shawn Wilhelm, Brad Wilhelm and Mark Spencer won the scramble tournament at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course on July 1. They finished with a net total of 52.7, thanks to a score of 57 and a handicap reduction of 4.3. The tournament has the traditional elements of a scramble, as teams must use three drives from each player during the tournament. But only two players on each team can have single-digit handicaps. They would be joined by Woodlawn head pro and general manager Amanada Minchin for provincials in August in Swift Current, and finished 11th.
Estevan Lacrosse won the first provincial medal in its history. The Power Dodge bantam Voltz teamed up with the Weyburn Threshers to win bronze at the provincial tournament in Saskatoon on July 7. They defeated the Saskatoon Beavers 9-8 in the bronze medal game. The local entry had about a 50-50 split of Estevan and Weyburn kids. Estevan’s Nathan Wagstaff was named the MVP of the bantam lacrosse provincials. He had an excellent tournament, capped by a four-goal performance in the bronze medal game.
A team from Estevan Bowl won a national championship the first weekend of July. Johnny Eberle, Craig Yoner, Levi Rosenbaum and Taylor Kickley, competing as Team Saskatchewan, captured the Canada Cup tournament in Mississauga, Ont. They went 11-0 over the course of the tournament, and defeated Northern Ontario in the final.
Ricky Thornton Jr. had a night to remember during the annual stop for the Dakota Classic Modified Tour at the Estevan Motor Speedway on July 8. Thornton, who hails from Adel, Iowa, won both the stock car and the modified features at the track. Estevan’s Austin Daae finished second in the stock car class, while Estevan’s Kody Scholpp had the lead for much of the modified feature, but wound up in sixth.
Jace Carlisle of Estevan won the Saskatchewan Golf Association’s junior men’s provincial title, which was contested from July 9-11 in Nipawin. Carlisle shot a 2-under-par 70 in the third and final round, and finished with a three-round total of 221, which was 5-over-par. He wound up six strokes better than Saskatoon’s Steven Duchscher and Kindersley’s Cort Tunall.
The Estevan Golden Eels swim club was the undisputed class of their home meet July 11 at the RM of Estevan Aquatic Centre. Estevan finished first with 772 points, more than double the second place Regina Piranhas, who had 295 points. The Weyburn Silver Seals were third with 281 points. Fifty-three members of the Golden Eels competed at the tournament.
The South Corner Racing Circuit made its first of two stops at the Trackside Motocross Association’s facility southeast of Estevan on July 21. Dozens of riders entered in the different classes.
The Golden Eels won their fifth straight provincial title July 27 and 28 in Rosetown, finishing with 1,271 points to outpace the second place Humboldt Hammerheads, who had 1,058 points. Swimmers received points for their club based on their finish, but need to be sixth or better to receive a point. Thirty-five members of the Golden Eels competed at the meet, and numerous swimmers came home with individual age group medals. Others set personal bests at provincials.
Alameda’s Tyren Dorrance, an outfielder with the Southeast midget AAA Twins baseball team, was named the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League’s most valuable player July 26. He also took home the batting title, an award that recognizes the top offensive player in the league. Both awards are determined by a vote among the league’s coaches.
The Carnduff Astros defeated the Arcola Threshers 15-4 on July 28 at Kenosee Lake to win the Saskota Baseball League’s Jack Harbourne year-end tournament. It was one of the more unlikely championships in league history, as the Astros were the fifth-ranked team in the league during the regular season with a 6-8-2 record, while the Threshers finished seventh at 4-10-2. The title was the first in the Astros history.
The Moose Mountain Marlins won the provincial baseball championship in the under-13 (U13) Tier 5 division in Moosomin from July 26-28. After going 3-0 in the round robin and winning their semifinal, the Marlins faced the Carnduff Astros in the gold medal game, and won 10-9.
The Carnduff Astros came home from the provincial under-11 (U11) Tier 5 tournament in Mossbank with the provincial title. The Astros opened the tournament by going 3-0 in the round-robin.. They advanced to the semifinal, which they won 7-4 over the Lucky Lake A’s, and took the final 9-3 over the Churchbridge Hornets.
August:
The Can-Am Late Model Shootout brought some of the top race car drivers from the Canadian Prairie provinces and the northern mid-west U.S. to the Estevan Motor Speedway on Aug. 2, but it was Estevan’s Aaron Turnbull who prevailed. Turnbull moved up from the No. 5 position on the starting grid and won the feature, finishing ahead of veteran late model driver Mike Balcaen of Winnipeg. David Smith of Parkland County, Alta., was third, completing an all-Canadian top three.
Nolan Rohatyn was the best of the field for the Dave Price Memorial Horse Race that was contested at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course on Aug. 4. Rohatyn outlasted the other 11 golfers in the men’s championship flight of the Frametech Classic to win the horse race, which was played on the golf course’s back nine. A large crowd turned out to follow the golfers for the duration of the competition.
Kade Johnson, who is a former provincial amateur champion from Yorkton, won the men’s division of the Frametech Classic on Aug. 5. He fired a 4-under-par 68 in the third and final round to finish with a three-round total of 206, which is 10-under par. Daryl Donovan was second, three strokes back. In the senior men’s division, Ron Rittaler won the championship flight with a 232, while Paige Wheeler won the women’s division with a two-round total of 172.
Shanelle Rioux was selected for the football festival at the Grey Cup in Calgary in November. Rioux, a Grade 12 with the Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) Elecs football team, was one of the first 10 athletes selected in a Canada-wide search to join the 2019 All-Canadian Titan team. She met and trained with her peers, CFL players, and alumni during the 107th Grey Cup festivities. Ropix was the first Saskatchewan player and the first female player selected.
Estevan’s Wyatt Haux has led Team Canada to gold at the World Junior Lacrosse Championships in Mississauga, Ont. Canada defeated Iroquois 13-10 in the gold medal game on Aug. 11. Haux was a defenceman on the team and was also their captain. Canada went 4-0 in the tournament, and was rarely challenged until playing Iroquois in the final.
The Kenosee Cubs defeated their Saskota Baseball League rivals, the Kipling Royals, 7-3 in the final of the Senior AA Tier 6 provincial championships on Aug. 13 in Hanley. The Cubs went 3-0 in the round robin to advance to the final and play the Royals.
Estevan’s Hunter Wallster’s won a medal at the national championships in Halifax. Competing in the under-18 division, he came home with a bronze medal thanks to a third place finish in the discus toss. He also finished fourth in the shot put and sixth in the hammer throw.
The Southeast SuperNovas under-16 girls’ softball team, based out of Carlyle, won the silver medal at the Western Canadian Softball Championships in Biggar. The team won provincial bronze in early July and thus qualified for westerns.
Tracy Arnold, a former Glen Ewen resident who now resides in Saskatoon, was one of three goaltenders selected by Women's Sledge Hockey of Canada to be part of the national women’s team for the 2019-20 season. She is the first player from Saskatchewan to be selected. Arnold attended an open tryout and impressed the team’s coaches. A former national champion arm wrestler, she entered the world of sledge hockey a few years ago.
A celebration was held Aug. 23 at Woodlawn Regional Park to dedicate Lingelbach Field at Mets Stadium in honour of Joe Lingelbach. A large crowd, including friends and family, turned out for the ceremony and to congratulate Lingelbach on the accomplishment. Lingelbach played a key role in the restoration of Mets Stadium on two separate occasions.
The track champions were crowned at the Estevan Motor Speedway on Aug. 24. The winners were Travis Hagen (modifieds), Leevi Runge (hobby stocks) Robbi Rosselli (sport mods), Joren Boyce (stock cars) and Ryder Raynard (slingshots). The final feature was completed just moments before a powerful thunderstorm hit the Estevan area.
Members of the Canadian Cowboys Association were in Estevan on Aug. 23 and 24 for the annual Estevan rodeo. Competitions were held in several different rodeo disciplines over the two days, to the delight of large crowds who gathered.
