Times Editor

 

In the province’s high school volleyball ranks, coaches Randy Moncks and Louise Bleier are well known.

Each has earned a high pedigree of success during their combined 57 years of coaching experience.

So when these two coaches teamed up to lead the Strathmore Spartans senior high school girls volleyball squad, teams around the league took notice.

“We’ve had a lot of reaction actually in the gyms that we’ve walked into,” laughed Bleier. “They’ve all just went ‘okaaaay – is this legal?’ That’s the first question they ask. Then the second question they ask is ‘do you have a boys team, because you two have never been together?’ 

“Then the third question is ‘are you serious?’

“So it has been an interesting reaction - anybody who has been around is going, ‘umm, okay, with those two together, this is not good for the rest of us.’

“So that’s kind of fun to watch (their) reaction.”

Moncks coached the senior high school boys team for years, before taking time off to coach his twin daughters in Standard with his wife Susan the last few seasons. After that team captured their seventh 1A provincial title last season, Moncks was looking to get back to coaching at the school he teaches in. Unfortunately, Strathmore has not had a senior boys team for a few years already.

Thus, the two coaching masterminds teamed up.

“Between the two of us, we can accomplish a lot of stuff in an hour and a half to two hour practice,” said Moncks. “(She has everything organized and arranged) and I just walk in and coach. It’s just simple …  all the paperwork is done.”

Both bench bosses had the pleasure of coaching their own children over the years. Now that their kids have moved on to play post-secondary, both coaches would like to get away once in a while to watch them play. With this year’s arrangement, they have that luxury of leaving the team in very capable hands. 

According to Moncks, despite their vast coaching experience, both he and Bleier are still students of the game. He finds that they are now learning from each other.

“I’m more of a drill guy and I want to see results right away,” said Moncks. “She calms me down to see the bigger picture.”

According to Bleier, she is thrilled to have a coach with Monck’s pedigree.

“An extra set of hands at practice, an extra volleyball mind out there (is huge),” said Bleier. “It is very relaxing for me to have Randy around – it’s been a good addition. When you have the experience that Randy brings to the court, you can never have enough of that. We can look at the same thing and see two totally different things, so we can just tweak it as we go.”

With the zone championship just weeks away, the Spartans are finally getting healthy after facing some injury issues. They have yet to have a full roster available for a game this season.

“(We’d like) to have everyone stay healthy and just see if we can establish a program that makes us a top three or four (team) in this zone again,” responded Moncks when asked what the teams goals are for this season. “That is our goal – to establish the Strathmore High School as a volleyball school and when (other teams) play us, they’re expected to be beaten or to have to play their best game to beat us.”

Times Editor

 

After a tough loss in Cranbrook the week before, the Wheatland Chiefs exacted a measure of revenge in the return match.

The local double-A midget team lost a tough 4-1 game Oct. 16 in Cranbrook, before hammering the Ice 9-2 at the Strathmore Family Centre Oct. 23.

Cody Burndred scored three times and added an assist, as the Chiefs improved to 4-2-1 on the season. Arron Durant added two goals and two assists, while Alex Bechtold added three assists in the win. James Price and Rylan Muenchrath each had a goal and an assist, while Abe Jensen also tallied for the Chiefs.

Wheatland will now play a pair of home games this coming weekend. The Chiefs will host the Airdrie Lightning Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m. at the Strathmore Family Centre, before hosting the Red Deer ProStitch Oct. 31. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.

 

Tough weekend for Braves

It was a weekend to remember on home ice for the Wheatland Braves.

The double-A peewee team lost 6-1 to Airdrie Lightning on Oct. 22, before losing 17-0 to the Bow Valley Timberwolves on Oct. 24.

Despite the tough 0-7 start to the season, the Braves are looking forward to this coming weekend when they travel to take on the Red Deer TPS. The last time these two squads squared off, the Braves had a solid performance and they will look to build on that. Puck drop is 12:45 p.m. on Oct. 30.

 

Warriors back in action

The Wheatland Warriors AA bantam team will be looking to climb the standings this weekend, when they host the Airdrie Lightning Oct. 31, 4:15 p.m. at the Strathmore Family Centre. 

The Warriors, coming off of a bye weekend, will look to improve on their 2-2-2 record.

Mario Prusina

Times Editor

 

According to UFA Bisons goaltender George Merik, it’s never a good thing being between the pipes of a high-scoring, wide-open, pond-hockey style game.

However, if he’s put in that position, like he was this past weekend versus the Lloydminster Bobcats, it’s much better being the winning puck-stopper.

“Not too many goaltenders like to play in that high-scoring of a game, but I guess somebody had to do it,” laughed Merik, the following day after the Bisons 11-8 win over the Bobcats. “If it would have been 11-8 for them, I don’t know how happy of a camper I would have been on the way home.”

Lucky for him, because of some high-scoring firepower from the Bisons, he didn’t have to find out about that feeling.

Luke Philp scored the hat-trick and added two assists to lead the way for the Bisons, while Torrin White and Shayne Gwinner each added a goal and three assists.

Tyson Valette notched a pair of goals, while Samuel McKechnie added a goal and an assist. Connor Chartier, Jared Potter and Mitch McAllister rounded out the scoring for the Bisons, who improved to 4-0-4 on the season. 

On Oct. 23, the day prior to the Lloydminister showdown, the Bisons started off the road trip with a 3-3 tie versus the Boston Pizza Rangers.

Carson McCormick had a goal and an assist, while Sam Johnson and Torrin White rounded up the scoring for the Bisons.

It marked the fourth week in a row that the Bisons picked up a win and a tie, leaving them as the only undefeated team in the Alberta Midget Hockey League.

“It feels great – we have a great bunch of guys and I know everyone is enjoying the zero losses right now that’s for sure - especially the coaches,” said Merik.

However, like the rest of the team, the Bisons are sick and tired of leaving the extra point on the table and hope to win both weekend games.

“It’s okay if you battle back and you tie them (to earn the extra point), but we seem to be the one in the lead position and we (give) it up to them,” said the third year Bison. “That’s not a good way to lose a point. We have to find a way to buckle down that last 10 minutes of a third period and I think we’ll be alright.

The Bisons are now preparing for another two-game road trip this weekend, when they take on the United Cycle Maple Leafs Oct. 30 and the SSAC Athletics Oct. 31 in Edmonton.

Times Editor

 

In Doug Murphy’s mind, the Wheatland Kings were one mistake away from claiming three - or even four - out of a possible four points this weekend.

After defeating the Medicine Hat Cubs 6-2 on the road Oct. 22, the local Junior B team lost a tough 2-1 home game to Blackfalds Oct. 23 at the Strathmore Family Centre.

After falling behind 1-0 early in the game, Lucas Ford tied the contest 5:05 into the third period – before one miscue put Blackfalds up midway through the final period.

“They are such a good club that if you make one mistake against them, they put it in the net,” said Murphy of the 5-0-1 Blackfalds Wranglers. 

Goaltender Richie Hubbell, making his season debut for the Kings after a stint in Junior A, was sensational for Wheatland. The 18-year-old stopped 39 of 41 shots fired his way.

“(Hubbell) turned in an unbelievable performance Saturday night,” said Murphy. “That was some of the best goaltending (we’ve seen).”

Goaltender Korey Burne also supplied the Kings with excellent goaltending on the road in Medicine Hat. Burne stopped 46 shots fired his way in the win.

Ross Fox led the offensive charge with two goals and one assist, while Leslie Doore and Tyler Brandon each added a goal and an assist.

Josh Sutton and Hayden Warrack also tallied for the Kings, while Jordan Griffiths added a pair of helpers.

According to Murphy, after a tough campaign last season, the Kings are finally playing to their potential.

“We’re certainly playing to the level we should be at,” said the coach. “Having veterans coming to (play) for us in our third season makes a world of difference.”

The Kings will look to cap off the month with a pair of wins, as they travel to Stettler on Oct. 29. Wheatland will return to the warm confines of the Strathmore Family Centre Oct. 30 (8 p.m.) when they host the Airdrie Thunder.

Times Reporter

 

The PeeWee Spartans football team played their last scheduled home game on the 16. Unfortunately, the team wasn’t able to overtake the Stettler Panthers, and the Spartans lost 26-14. 

“We had some key injuries which contributed to the final score of the game,” said coach Doug Klauck.  

The team started the game with a backup quarterback because the first string had been away. He ended up getting hurt, and so they had to fill the position with someone who had never played QB before.  The offence didn’t play as well as they could have, mainly because some of the players have been dealing with injuries.  

The team has had a great year, especially since this is only the second year since its inception and they are sitting at two wins and three losses. 

“We’re still optimistic that we’ll finish 3-3 and move onto the playoffs,” said Klauck. 

The Bantam Spartans played on the 16 as well, and they didn’t get the results they were looking for either. 

“We came out with a lack lustre performance. We had issues containing the football and in bantam football when you can’t contain it becomes very difficult to be successful,” said coach Rob Mussleman.  

He didn’t want to take anything away from Lacombe’s performance during the game.  

“They have an outstanding team that executes very well on both sides of the ball,” said Mussleman. 

The score ended up 58-0. There were issues driving or moving the ball, and on defense there was trouble stopping Lacombe’s running attack. 

“It was also very evident the difference between a team that dresses over 40 kids playing against a team that dresses 18. By the second half you just don’t have the legs. I refuse to use that as an excuse though, we should have come out with more fire and more drive.” 

The team is playing an away game again this week prior to playoffs and will begin playoffs on the following weekend when Sylvan Lake comes to town.  

Times Editor

 

As most hockey coaches will tell you, the key to any successful team is consistency.

Consistently sticking to the game plan.

Consistently playing disciplined.

Consistently showing a solid team effort.

And most importantly, consistently picking up points.

Just six games into the Alberta Midget Hockey League schedule, the UFA Bisons have done just that – especially, picking up points.

The Bisons remained undefeated on the season after a pair of home games this past weekend at the Strathmore Family Centre.

The herd tied the Calgary Flames 2-2 Oct. 15, before defeating the Grand Prairie Storm 9-1 on Oct. 17.

“I think that might have been the best game we’ve played all year,” said Bisons head coach Parry Shockey after the win. “Mostly because our execution was really good and we really paid attention to detail. It’s tough to play a team like that and not kind of get on you own (individual) program – I thought we played a solid team (game) and we made very few errors. Ultimately, at the end of the day, I thought we got a great effort out of all of our guys.

“I think this is one of those games that we can use as a stepping stone.”

In fact it was a game that every player got their name on the score sheet – either with a penalty, a point, or in the case of goaltender Devon Fordyce, 31-saves.

Connor Chartier scored two goals and added an assist, while Mitch McAllister added a goal and two helpers. Luke Philp, Samuel McKechnie and affiliate player and current Wheatland Chief, Cody Burndred, each added a goal and an assist.

Joshua Betinol, Simon Philp and Sam Johnson each added a goal, while Darian Henry, Carson McCormick and Torrin White each added a pair of assists. Justin Fraser, another affiliate player with the Wheatland Chiefs, also collected an assist.

“We played well – they’re a bit of a weaker team and we didn’t come down to their level – we kept it up to our (level),” said Chartier. “We stayed strong all game.”

On Friday night, two of the leagues undefeated teams squared off. And when it was all said and done, both remained undefeated after a 2-2 draw.

Chartier led the way with a goal and an assist, while Luke Philp added the other Bison’s tally. 

“They’re definitely the top team in the league right now and it felt good to come out of there with a tie – we know we can play at their level,” said Chartier. “We had a little bit of a breakdown at the end (giving up the lead with 1:13 left).” 

The Bisons will now hit the road for a pair of games in the North Division. The herd will tangle with the Boston Pizza Rangers Oct. 23, before taking on the Lloydminister Bobcats the following day.

According to Shockey, the Bisons have progressed quite nicely since the start of the season.

“We’ve got some guys that have come a long ways in a month,” said the coach. “If they continue on this learning curve, who know how good they’re going to be.

“We’re pushing these guys hard, we’re demanding a lot from them and we’re growing them up.

Shannon LeClair

Times Reporter

 

Despite going winless the first five games of the regular season, the Wheatland Braves are making strides for future success.

According to assistant coach Greg Grant, the local double-A peewee team is definitely climbing the learning curve.

“The biggest thing (for us), is from where we started from the beginning of the year (to where we are) now,” said Grant. “They’re starting to grasp some of the concepts that we’re trying to get across to them. A lot of these kids have not played at this level before, so it’s going to take some time.”

After being outscored 17-6 in their first three games of the season, the Braves impressed their coaching staff this past weekend. Wheatland played two tough teams, the Red Deer Parkland and the Red Deer TPS, losing each game by just two goals.

With just two returning players on the roster, the coaching staff admitted that they were hoping to see positive results later in the season. However, with the effort the Braves have displayed the last couple of weeks, the coaching staff is seeing results right now.

“We knew going in, that we were going to struggle from the start – maybe the first half of the season would not be that great,” said Grant. “But we do have some talent, we do have some ‘get up and go.’

“I think we’re starting to get the effort now – and that’s what we need to be successful.

“We’re starting to go in the right direction.”

According to Grant, the team is built from the net out - with solid goaltending, a stable of reliable defencemen and plenty of hard working forwards.

On Saturday, Riley Romashenko and Jason Hobson each scored once, as the Braves lost a tough 4-2 game to the Red Deer Parkland.

The following day at the Strathmore Family Centre, the Braves were clipped 6-4 by the TPS. Sarah Lecavalier scored twice to lead the way for the Braves, while Romashenko and Regan Doig each scored once. Tyler Pitrie collected three assists, while Kody Hammond added a pair of helpers.

The Braves will look to collect their first win of the season this coming weekend when they host the Airdrie Lightning Oct. 22, 8 p.m., at the Strathmore Family Centre. The team will then host the Bow Valley Timberwolves Oct. 24, 1:30 p.m.

Warriors all tied up

The Wheatland Warriors AA bantam team went to 2-2-2 on the season, after a 4-4 draw with the Okotoks Oilers Oct. 16 at the Strathmore Family Centre.

Riley Doiron scored two goals and added an assist, while Cody Willis and Matthew Rideout each tallied once.

The Warriors will now have the weekend off from regular season action, before hosting the Airdrie Lightning Oct. 31, 4:15 p.m., at the Strathmore Family Centre.

Chiefs split pair of road games

The Wheatland Chiefs AA midget team earned a hard-fought 6-5 win over the Calgary Bruins Oct. 13. Justin Fraser scored two goals and added an assist to lead the way for the Chiefs, while Rylan Muenchrath had a goal and two assists. Austin Larsen and Alex Bechtold each added a goal and an assist.

Muenchrath then scored the team’s lone goal in a 4-1 road loss to the Cranbrook Ice Oct. 16.

The Chiefs will look to avenge their loss this coming weekend, when they host the Ice on Oct. 23 at the Strathmore Family Centre. Game time is 5 p.m.

Mario Prusina

Times Editor

 

With a handful of regular season contests already in the books, the Wheatland Chiefs are still ironing out some kinks in their game.

That’s a scary proposition for opposing teams, as the local AA midget hockey squad is knocking on the door for first place in the league with a solid 2-1-1 record.

“We’re a big team, so we should be physical, we have lots of speed, lots of talent – we have a good balance of goal scorers and playmakers,” said Chiefs head coach Devin Olsen when evaluating his team. “We have everything you can want to make a good hockey team, we just have to put it together. 

“If we work hard, we’re going to do well.”

After splitting a pair of road games to open the season, the Chiefs hosted the Calgary Royals SWAA Gold in their home opener on Oct. 8 at the Strathmore Family Centre.

Cody Burndred had a goal and two assists, while Justin Fraser, Brad Bergerman and Arron Durant each scored once to propel the Chiefs to a 4-4 draw.

Tyson Kapty, Matthew Queiroga, James Price, Scott Butters, Rylan Muenchrath and Abe Jensen each added an assist, while goaltender Daniel Baigent made 35 saves for the Chiefs.

“We didn’t show up – we knew what they would be like – we came out in the first shift and scored and we let them do what they do,” said Olsen. “We only showed up for 10 minutes of this game. It was (our home opener), we should have been pumped up – I don’t think that was a factor, we just didn’t come to play.”

However, the Chiefs certainly showed up in their next game, a 7-2 road win versus the Red Deer Elks on Oct. 10.

Alex Bechtold scored twice, while Fraser and Durant each added a goal and an assist to lead the way for the Chiefs. Price, Butters, Devon Westby also tallied for Wheatland, while Muenchrath added a pair of assists.

According to Olsen, balanced scoring is pivotal for the team’s success.

“All four lines have been scoring for us,” said the coach. “Pretty much every kid on the team has a point – it’s not one line or one kid doing all the work.

“We have four lines that go hard, they all have talent and they can all score goals, which is nice.”

The Chiefs were back in action Oct. 13 in Calgary against the NWCAA Bruins (results not available as of press time), before traveling to Cranbrook this weekend to take on the Ice Oct. 16.

Warriors split

After losing 12-4 to Cranbrook Oct.9, Wheatland Warriors AA bantam team opened their home schedule with a 7-4 win over the Taber Golden Suns Oct. 10.

Cody Willis scored twice, while Sebastian Wittenburg put on a clinic with four assists to lead the way for the Warriors. Tyler Sharuga added a goal and two assists, while Taylor Donner, McKay Bray, William Conley and Shane Frazer each scored once for Wheatland.

The Warriors will now host the Okotoks Oilers Oct. 16, 5 p.m. at the Strathmore Family Centre.

Braves falter in home opener

The Wheatland Braves AA bantam team fell to 0-3 on the season, after losing their home opener 4-2 to Red Deer Parkland Oct. 9 at the Strathmore Family Centre.

Kody Hammond and Riley Romashenko eached scored once for the Braves, while Matthew Quigley, Sarah Lecavalier, Tyler Pitrie and Kaden Hanas each added an assist.

The Braves will now travel to Red Deer for the rubber-match on Oct. 16, before hosting the Red Deer TPS Oct. 17, 4:15 p.m. at the Strathmore Family Centre.

Mario Prusina

Times Editor

 

The UFA Bisons were 41 second away from taking both games from the Calgary Northstars this past weekend.

After a solid 7-3 dismantling of the Stars in Calgary Oct. 6, the Bisons allowed the tying goal in the final minute of regulation Oct. 10 at the Strathmore Family Centre.

Despite the 3-3 tie, taking three of four points when you get the chance is definitely a bonus.

In Calgary, Torrin White had two goals and three assists, while Sam Johnson had two goals and an assist. Luke Philp added a goal and two assists, as the Bisons stormed out to a 5-0 lead heading into the third period.

Despite taking penalty after penalty, the Bisons scored three shorthanded markers in the win.

However, defensive breakdowns in the third period allowed Calgary to make some hay.

“The first two periods, I though we played great,” said assistant coach Jeremy Friesen. “The first 10 minutes of the first period, we dominated, we controlled the play and then we kind of backed off and started cheating a little bit and taking shortcuts.

“We addressed that in the first intermission and came out in the second and were rewarded with some goals.

“We went out there (in the third) and kind of laid an egg. We took shortcuts and allowed them in the game for a little while.”

On Sunday, Philp scored twice to lead the offence, while White added a pair of helpers. Mitch McAllister also scored for the Bisons.

The herd will now prepare for a pair of home games this weekend at the Strathmore Family Centre. The 2-0-2 Bisons will host another undefeated team, the Calgary Flames, Oct. 15, 8 p.m. 

The Bisons will then host the Grande Prairie Storm on Oct. 17, 2 p.m.

Mario Prusina

Times Editor

 

It took nearly four weeks of evaluation for the coaching staff of the UFA Bisons to select their roster for the 2010-2011 season.

Twenty of the finest hockey players from the zone, which spans over a large area outside the City of Calgary, made the highly respected triple-A midget team.

However, for the four local players making the team, the feeling was a little sweeter.

Goaltender George Merik, defencemen Darian Henry and Cody Brown, along with forward Kirby Ruzesky, have the honour of playing in their childhood rink for the upcoming season.

For three of the four players, they’ve had the privilege of donning the Bisons jersey last season, while newcomer Henry put on the Bisons silks for the first time this fall.

“You know, it was really great,” said Henry of the first time he stepped on the ice for the Herd. “It was a little nerve-wracking at first, but it’s getting a little easier now. I came and watched my older brother’s games a lot – he played for this team at one time too, so I was always there. 

“It was always cool to watch and imagine what it would be like to play (here) as a young kid.”

As one of the team’s offensive catalysts, Ruzesky is excited to ply his trade for the Bisons.

“It’s a pretty good feeling to come back and to be able to play a second year with the organization,” said the hard-hitting power forward. “It feels pretty special – seeing some of the guys who moved on to junior, the NHL even – to follow in their footsteps is special.” 

“I remember watching that one game that went to seven overtimes or something like that and wishing I could be there one day. Now that I am, I have to take it all in and have fun with it.”

One of the rare players who took advantage of all three years of midget eligibility is goaltender Merik. The Rockyford native is now is his third and final season with the Bisons.

“It’s a great organization – great coaches, great managers – they take care of us,” said Merik. “Since I was young, I always dreamed about playing here. It’s weird – looking at it then because the players seemed so big. Now you’re one of them.”

According to the netminder, there is tremendous pride when donning the Bisons jersey.

“You can ask any of the (players), I’m not a big fooling-around guy – especially come game time,” said Merik. “The pride (of putting the jersey on) is so high because you represent your hometown, you represent the crest (on the jersey) – it’s great.”

Teammate Cody Brown agrees. However, his jersey is a little heavier than the others, as he was named team captain prior to the start of the regular season.

“It’s a real privilege – when you play minor hockey you always look up to the guys,” said Brown. “It feels really good (to be a player), let alone the captain. It’s kind of surreal. I never thought that’s how it would go.

“It was a huge honour (to be named captain) – playing here last year I got some experience. We have a great bunch of guys and that makes my job easier, that’s for sure.”

Times Reporter

 

The junior girls volleyball team hosted the annual tournament this past weekend. It was a tough weekend for the team, though they did show considerable improvement as the weekend wore on. 

“The girls are improving but were overmatched in the first two games losing to Acme and HTA,” said coach Jerry Flaws. On Saturday morning, the 2, the girls faced off against Canmore. They held up a little better than they had on Friday but still were not able to win the game. The girls saved their best matches for their final games of the weekend. They played Oyen and only lost the first game 23-25 and the second 21-25.

The Spartans played Hannah in the playoff round and lost two straight games. 

“Although the girls did not experience a lot of success on the court, they made a vast improvement.  They have figured out their rotation and are starting to think volleyball,” said Flaws. 

“There is a ways to go this year and we are looking forward to the opportunity to demonstrate our improvement.” 

Times Editor

 

The Strathmore Spartans bantam football team improved to 2-3 on the season with an impressive win on the road in Innisfail Oct. 2.

After starting the season 0-3, the Spartans have made huge strides in their game and are riding a two game winning streak.

“We were lucky to escape the first half with the lead,” said head coach Rob Musselman in an e-mail to the Times. “For some reason or another we seem to be having slow starts to the games in the last two weeks.” 

Despite the slow start, the Spartans ended the first half with a 12-6 lead. Middle linebacker Kyle Neufeld continued his strong play this season, when he opened the scoring after grabbing a fumble and running it back for the touchdown. 

Nick Ellis continues to be a force on both offensive and defensive lines. He had another multi-sack game with a blocked field goal. Ryan Deines also had a touchdown in the first half. 

“In the second half we (decided) to win - which is what the team needs to do,” said the coach. “When this team decides it will be the best on the field, we are very hard to beat. We had strong ball control in the second half and only had two turnovers on the game.” 

The defense, led by Kyle Neufeld, was outstanding in the second half, causing the Cyclones to have negative net yardage. Repeatedly the defence would pin them third and 15 or 20. 

“The offense played very well - doing what we do best – that’s running between the tackles,” said Musselman.

Ryan Deines had over one hundred yards rushing and three touchdowns on the day. Brandon Labonte had over 75 yards on the ground, while slot back Kenny Lemay, who has been an integral piece of the offense all year, also broke the plane for his first of the year. 

Shannon LeClair 

Times Reporter

 

The Senior Spartans have struggled a bit throughout this season, but coach Carl Seafoot said they started to pull together during the game in Innisfail last week. The Spartans lost 30-14 against Innisfail, but Seafoot said they added a “little fine tuning in Monday’s practice” which saw the Chestermere Cowboys paying the price on September 28. 

“A solid effort from both the offence and defense by the Spartans saw them in control of the game early,” said Seafoot. 

The Spartans stayed in control for the rest of the game and took a 33-0 victory over Chestermere. 

Place kicker Kyle Oliphant scored two field goals. Touchdowns were by Anil Karmali, Denver Roy (2), and David Kuljanin. 

On October 2 the Spartans played another away game against the Highwood Mustangs. The Spartans took a 21-point lead in the first quarter, leaving the Mustangs in their dust. Or so they thought. The Mustangs quickly worked hard to catch up and tie the game. The Spartans once again stepped it up to take the lead back only to have the Mustangs tie the score again. 

“Later in the game the Spartans regained focus and took the lead and held off any Mustang pressure,” said Seafoot. It was a Big Sky League win for the Spartans, who won 41-28 over their Tier 3 rivals the Mustangs. 

Quarterback Tyler Mulcahy and tailback Seth Ballance both went down with injuries, but their teammates were able to fill the holes and help keep the team ahead in the game. Both boys suffered knee injuries. Ballance’s knee was still tender and he has to take things day to day as of press time. As for Mulcahy, his status remains at questionable.

“Overall a pretty good game played by the Spartans, where they did show their ability to recover from a couple of lapses in focus,” said Seafoot.    

Denver Roy and David Kuljanin each scored two touchdowns against the Mustangs, and Cory Campbell and Seth Balance were responsible for the other touchdowns in the game. 

 

Shannon LeClair 

Times Reporter

 

The senior girls volleyball team played at Samuel Crowther Memorial Junior High School on the 29. They were up against the Okotoks Falcons for the first game at 5:30 p.m.  The Falcons unfortunately had the advantage over the Spartans and won the game. The second game was against Notre Dame from High River. 

“We did much better the second game. We played better, in a nutshell the first game they didn’t bring their zip with them,” said coach Louis Bleier. 

Bleier said the team has to be ready and excited to play every match and she just didn’t feel that was the case on Wednesday.  

“We didn’t prepare well enough mentally.” 

Another factor which might have taken away from the girls enthusiasm and determination was the fact they were playing a home game, but not in their own gym. 

The next host game for the team will be October 20 at the Strathmore High School, SHS, gym. The team also hosts again on November 10 when they play against Strathcona and High Wood High School. 

“Those two matches on November 10 should be very exciting,” said Bleier. 

She said both teams are “fabulous competition” and they always have great matches against the Spartans. Even though the next home game isn’t for a few weeks, the girls are playing an away game every Wednesday between the home games. 

November 5 and 6 will see the annual tournament coming to the SHS gym. The tournament is for both the girls and boys teams, though this year SHS doesn’t have a senior boys team.  November 20 and 21 will be the finals and if the team finishes in the top two they will have an opportunity to go to provincials the following weekend. 

“Our zone is one of the toughest ones to come out of, but when you do come out of it you tend to do very well in provincials,” said Bleier. 

The team needs to improve and fine tune their technique a bit, said Bleier, and continue to move forward. 

Times Editor

 

For the first time in franchise history, the Strathmore Wheatland Kings have started the season with a pair of wins.

The local Junior B team opened the 2010-2011 campaign with a 6-5 road win in Rimbey on Oct. 1, before defeating the High River Flyers 6-3 on Oct. 2 at the Strathmore Family Centre.

“We’re really pleased to get such a good start,” said head coach Doug Murphy. “The team this year is very different – it is very positive. We had problems last year with a lot of different players and the negativity that they brought. This year, that’s certainly turned around – we’ve got a number of new guys that bring great energy, skill and a real positive attitude to the team.”

Murphy hopes those aforementioned traits, along with solid team play, will help build a winning, stable franchise.

After a miserable 7-25-1-3 record last season, getting off to a good start was something Murphy was looking forward to.

“It was really sweet – it was more of a relief,” laughed Murphy. “We have two new coaches and they bring a lot. The systems are working and the veterans are working with the younger guys.

“The (veteran) guys know what we’re doing and they understand why we’re doing it – it certainly makes it easier for us (teaching the younger players)”

Leslie Doore scored twice and added an assist, while Brandon Neufeld, Ashton Kathol, Lucas Ford and Racey Big Snake each scored once in the win over Rimby. 

Jordan Stimpson added a pair of assists, while Braydon Helfrich made 50 saves to collect the win for the Kings.

The following day, Ford had a goal and four assists to lead the Kings past the Flyers. Neufeld added two goals and an assist, while Brennan Grasdahl added a goal and an assist. Tyler Brandon and Doore also tallied for the Kings, while Mike Samoil added a pair of helpers. Helfrich made 43 saves in the win.

“We’re an offensive team – we play aggressively with a lot of speed,” said Murphy. “When we have everybody buying in and working the forecheck as they should, we just shut teams into their end and they can’t get out.”

The Kings will now play host to the Ponoka Stampeders this Saturday, Oct. 9 (8 p.m.) at the Strathmore Family Centre, before traveling to Coaldale the following day.

“We need to dwell on the positives that came out of this (past) weekend,” said Murphy. “We need to make sure everyone understands why we had the outcome that we did – working hard, playing the system, playing as a team and staying focused on what the objective was. Our objective was getting two wins and that will be our same goal for next weekend.”