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There is no better feeling for him than delivering the perfect set.
When his team then huddles to congratulate a point, it's time to focus on the next point. Matthew Ducheck started playing volleyball at Gilbert Plains Elementary School in grade six and has since become a setter with the ability to deliver the perfect set.
It's not easy, but Matthew fell in love with the game and he never accepts anything less than his all. In this case, he's a setter and facilities his team's offence and when he's providing his hitters with good opportunities to swing, points come faster than a right-side attack.
"I find it an exhilarating sport, you're always moving around so you're in the right spot," said Ducheck. "It also gives me more time to spend with my friends and I enjoy meeting new people."
From Gilbert Plains, Matthew is just weeks away from putting up his talent against the best 14U players in the province.
Ducheck is set to play on Team West 14U at the Manitoba Summer Games, which will be hosted by Dauphin from August 11-17. It begins with the Opening Ceremonies on August 11 at Credit Union Place.
"I'm so excited to have a new and fun experience to look forward to," offered Ducheck. "New teammates, new coaches, and I'll be playing against players that I haven't in the past. I'm thankful for the opportunity."
Getting the call to play on the volleyball team means Matthew will also get the chance to play where the Kings do. Credit Union Place will host the volleyball event, months after an extremely successful high school provincials were hosted at the home of the Kings.
Ducheck is also looking forward to being a local star with many of his family and friends set to be in attendance come first serve and throughout the entirety of his team's run at the event.
"It feels great, now I can show my family what I have been working on," ended Ducheck. "It will mean a lot to have all that hometown support cheering us on."
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
History was made on Wednesday afternoon at the Rossmere Golf & Country Club.
As Braxton Kuntz walked off the 18th green and was awarded another Manitoba amateur championship, his three-stroke victory was his fourth Manitoba provincial title in a row, which set a record. No other golfer had won the event four straight years, until Wednesday. Kuntz found himself a stroke behind Drew Jones of Shilo heading to the 17th tee; however, Jones struggled heavily and Kuntz capitalized in winning by three strokes.
Just a few spots down the leaderboard is where Eric Prokopowich finished up the three-day event, his best finish ever. The Dauphin Lake Golf Club member opened up the event with a one-under 69 before shooting a 75 on day two. Prokopowich, needing a good day in round three, did just that as he made four birdies and shot a 70. That saw him jump up six spots to finish in solo sixth place.
"My goal coming into the day was just to replicate what I did in round one, I hit the ball well, and I made some putts," said Prokopowich. "I'm very pleased with my performance overall, it was a solid three days."
Eric's best finish has now earned him the right to play in the Canadian Men's Amateur Championships. The 119th Annual event will be played from August 5-8 at the Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon. There is no stronger field for amateur golf in the country.
"It feels awesome, my goal coming into the week at Rossmere was to finish in fifth, so I wasn't far off," offered Prokopowich. "I'm very honoured to have finished sixth against a strong field of competitors."
It's a four-day event with a cut after 36 holes. Not only does it feature the top Canadian amateurs in the game, but top amateurs from across North America will all tee it up in hopes of winning a Canadian title. Prokopowich is excited about the opportunity and come time to tee it up, the young man from Dauphin will be ready to fire on all cylinders.
"It feels awesome to be playing in a Canadian championship, it will be my first time playing, so it's going to be an incredible experience."
For now, Eric has returned home and three weeks of practice are ahead before he hits the road to play for a Canadian title.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Family, friends, and hockey fans in Dauphin packed inside the Dauphin Curling Club over the weekend to welcome back Dauphin's Stanley Cup Champion.
Myles Fee won his first-ever NHL title with the Florida Panthers when they beat the Edmonton Oilers in seven games. On Saturday, a crowd of more than 700 people packed into the rink to celebrate with the hometown star.
The numbers are now in and the event raised $2540.00.
"From the first call, Myles indicated that he wanted a free public event that was open to everyone with no financial expectation," said event organizers.
Raffles included authentic Panthers merchandise. Myles also spoke highly of his four years playing with the Kings and he has turned out to be a multiple-time hero as Fee donated the funds raised to the Dauphin Kings.
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For the fourth straight summer, Braxton Kuntz has won Golf Manitoba's biggest event.
A birdie on the 11th and seven pars the rest of the way saw Kuntz finish with a three-stroke victory over Drew Jones of the Shilo Country Club. For Jones, it was a finish that he will hope to quickly forget. He was one stroke ahead of Braxton playing the 17th hole; however, he made an eight on the 17th and a bogey on the 18th to finish at one under for the tournament.
Braxton finished with rounds of 68, 68, and 70. He was the only golfer in the field with no rounds over par as he won his fourth straight Manitoba Amateur Championship.
Eric Prokopowich of Dauphin can hold his head extremely high after his best finish at this event. He shot an even-par 70 on Wednesday and moved up six spots to finish in solo sixth.
"My goal coming into the day was just replicate what I did during round one," said Prokopowich. "I kind of limped my way into the clubhouse, but overall, I'm very pleased with how the week went."
His first two rounds were 69 and 75. This event continues what has been an outstanding summer on the course for Eric after he reached the semi-finals in the match play event earlier this summer.
"It feels awesome, my goal coming into the week was to finish fifth, so I wasn't far off," offered Prokopowich. "I'm very honoured to have finished so high in a field of strong competitors."
Eric has now qualified for the Canadian Men's Amateur next month in Saskatoon. Stay tuned to hear from Eric on Thursday.
Thomas Scott of Dauphin moved up one spot into a tie for 37th after shooting a 76 on Wednesday. It was his second 76 in the event and his other round was a five-over 75.
Hayden Delaloye, Jackson Delaurier, and Derek Benson all narrowly missed the cut after two rounds.
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Nathanial Okanase-Brezden loves the rush and he loves the physicality that comes with it.
From Ashville, Nathanial leaped and joined the Dauphin Clippers high school rugby team this past season because he felt it was something that he would be good at. He picked up the game right away and fell in love with it.
His first year as a Clipper also brought forth plenty of smiles, bruises, and things that he will never forget. To start, the Varsity Clippers won the Westman High School championship. Then moving forward to the provincial championships, an event that was hosted by Dauphin at KIN Field, the Clippers came up just short in the gold medal game as they finished with silver medals.
Nathanial wasn't sure what he was getting into when he first joined the team, but he sure is glad that he did. The Ashville star is now off to Salt Lake City to compete in a tournament ahead of the Manitoba Summer Games, where he will play on the rugby 7s team.
"There's a lot of excitement, I have never played in an event of this size," said Okanase-Brezden.
Team West 16U, which is full of Parkland talent, including Nathanial, will be favourites when the tugby competition opens at KIN Field on August 14.
"I think we're going to do very well, we have been practicing towards this for quite some time already," ended Okanase-Brezden. "We have a lot of skill and we bond very well together, we're looking forward to showing what we can do against the best of the best."
Being from just down the road from Dauphin in Ashville, Nathanial is looking forward to playing in front of his family and friends. There will certainly be no lack of local support come August 11 when Credit Union Place plays host to the Opening Ceremonies.
"I feel pretty great knowing that my family doesn't have to travel much to watch me play," ended Okanase-Brezden.
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Basketball was not a sport that Taylor Yaciuk grew up playing.
It was never even a sport that was on her radar. Then as she entered grade six, a switch flipped. Taylor's mom played a lot and loved the game and while she never pushed her daughter to play, she always hoped that Taylor would give it a try.
That's exactly what Yaciuk did as she played at Mackenzie Middle School and while there was a learning curve, Taylor ended up falling in love with the game.
"It was kind of rough at first, it took some time to get used to," said Yaciuk. "Once I got used to it, I enjoyed it. I have made so many lifelong friends thanks to the game."
From Gilbert Plains, Taylor has played the past two years with the Trojans and although high school basketball won't be played for several more months, Yaciuk will be on the court looking to help Team West win a gold medal. As the Manitoba Summer Games continue to near, Taylor will compete in the event on Team West 16U. The basketball event will be played at the Dauphin Curling Club, inside the Parkland Rec Complex.
Yaciuk has been practicing with the team for the last few months twice a week.
"I was honestly quite surprised when I found out that I made it, there are so many good girls that could have made it," offered Yaciuk. "It meant a lot, it was a pleasant surprise, and it shows that all my hard work is paying off."
Taylor will be joined on the team by Olivia Brown, Aubrey Carr, Mila Heschuk, Seanna McCallum, Kenzey Garton, and Desiree Lariviere, to name a few.
"We have started to connect at practice, I believe that we have a very strong team," offered Yaciuk. "Everyone on the team is extremely nice and accepting."
From staying in the athlete's village to taking part in the event and everything in between, Taylor is looking forward to soaking in all that she can.
"The chance to play in the Games is very special," ended Yaciuk. "I have never had an opportunity to play in an event this large, I can't wait."
John Marshall, co-chair for the basketball event, will join Darnell Duff for the Manitoba Summer Games Report on Thursday morning at 9:15.
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They were a part of one of the most memorable series in Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) history last season.
Game two needed overtime, game four needed double overtime, game six needed five overtime, and to end the series in game seven, Riley See scored the game-winning goal in triple overtime. Their first-round series against Dauphin was one that many will talk about for years.
They then pushed the Steinbach Pistons to seven games in the second round. For the Blizzard Junior A Hockey Club, it was a season that put the team back on the map. They won 39 games in the regular season and locked second place in the West Division. The organization hadn't won 39 or more games since the 2016-17 season when they won 39 and lost in the MJHL Final.
They had the league's MJHL Coach of the Year Eric Labrosse to accompany the MJHL's Goaltender of the Year Tomas Anderson. They also moved full-time into the Roy H Johnston Arena. The organization has been known as the OCN Blizzard since 1996 and they went on to win five straight MJHL championships from 1998-2003. They also won the Anavet Cup over Kindersley in 2002 and advanced to the national final. It's an organization with a rich history.
As we get closer to the 2024-25 season, the Blizzard will now be referred to as the Northern Manitoba Blizzard. The name change, effective immediately, was made to show the inclusion and unity that is shared within the Northern region of the province.
Rob White is a part of the new ownership group alongside his wife and spoke with CKDM about the change.
"It's such a perfect fit, I believe we will never see another Junior A hockey team in Northern Manitoba," said White. "The kids growing up here aspire to be a member of the Blizzard and I believe that has been the case for many years."
White gives a ton of credit to Eric Labrosse, who will return behind the bench this upcoming season as the Blizzard looks to continue trending in the right direction. Support in the community appears to be at an all-time high.
"People are starting to realize that we are here to stay, we are here to compete," said White. "We have a great coaching staff in place and the remainder of our management group. Things are going to be good here."
The Blizzard open their season on September 20 at the Centennial Arena against the Stampeders. They then play their home opener the next night.
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The Dauphin Lake Golf Club is calling all adults and their kids.
The club will host its Adult/Junior Tournament on Thursday, July 25. It'll be a modified shotgun start at 4:00 p.m.
There is no cost to play in this event and all junior players will receive a prize. The course is in fantastic shape and to register your team today, call 204-638-9400.
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Eric Prokopowich slipped Tuesday on the leaderboard, but he's still in great striking distance to get inside the top 10.
After shooting a 69 on Monday, Eric of Dauphin shot a 75 on Tuesday and is now in a tie for 12th. He finds himself just a single stroke out of a tie for 10th heading into Wednesday's final round at the Rossmere Golf & Country Club.
Thomas Scott moved himself up on day two.
The St. Charles Country Club member, originally from Dauphin, shot a five-over 75 on Tuesday. He finished one stroke better than his 76 on Monday. Thomas had one birdie on the tough 11th hole.
Hayden Delaloye; meanwhile, also improved on Tuesday. After opening with an 80 on Monday, Hayden had three birdies in shooting a 78. Jackson Delaurier enjoyed the biggest improvement of Parkland golfers at the event. The Dauphin Lake Golf Club member had 13 pars in shooting a second-round 77. It was six strokes better than his 83 on Monday.
Derek Benson of McCreary also improved on day two as players settled in. Shooting an 83 on Monday, Benson had two birdies on Tuesday and shot an 81.
Derek, Hayden, and Jackson all missed the cut.
The final round takes place on Wednesday.
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Kenzey Garton has long been passionate about hockey.
During the winter months, if Kenzey isn't at school or with her friends, you will likely find her skating inside or on an outdoor rink. Of course, Garton has made many amazing friends over the years while playing hockey. A few years ago; however, she was looking for a new challenge.
Already packed with a busy schedule, Kenzey turned to the hardcourt. While still playing as much hockey as she can, Garton started playing basketball four years ago at Mackenzie Middle School. While things weren't always as smooth as can be while she was learning the game, Garton stuck with it. She continued putting everything she had into the game and fell in love with the sport.
"There have been some ups and downs, sometimes I wasn't playing as often as I wanted to," said Garton. "Now I'm doing quite well and I'm happy. I feel that I have grown so much over the past four years. I was playing with girls who had been playing the sport for years, which helped me because I had to push myself."
Now as July continues to tick away, Garton is getting in extra reps as she prepares alongside her teammates to compete at the 2024 Manitoba Summer Games, Powered by Manitoba Hydro. The week-long event will take place from August 11-17 in Dauphin and the surrounding area.
Garton will play on Team West 16U in the basketball competition.
"I was very excited when I found out, such a happy moment for me when I found out," offered Garton. "I'm thrilled to be playing alongside some incredible teammates. I'm also learning so much as we go on, I'm loving every moment."
Garton and her teammates have been practicing twice a week since April and have played in a few exhibition matches over the past few months. This is Garton's first Manitoba Summer Games experience and from her play on the hardcourt to staying in the athlete's village to everything in between, the Dauphin star is looking forward to being a part of a week that she will never forget.
"I'm looking forward to building new friendships with people from all of the other regions," offered Garton. "I also want to have a helping hand in showing the younger generation how great of a sport basketball is, that's important to me."
Kenzey is one of a few Dauphinites who will play on the West 16U team as she is joined by Olivia Brown, Aubrey Carr, Mila Heschuk, and Desiree Lariviere, to name a few. It will be Parkland Strong at the event and Kenzey is looking forward to tying up her shoes and showing everything that she can do in the biggest single-week sporting event in the province.
"It is very exciting to have all of these athletes from around the province come to Dauphin," ended Garton. "To play in my hometown means everything to me. I know how much work everyone involved is putting in ahead of this event and it's going to be extremely special."
As we continue to near the Opening Ceremonies, stay tuned to us here at 730CKDM as we will continue to highlight local athletes.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Eric Prokopowich sank six birdies and fired a 29 on the front nine at the Dauphin Lake Golf Club on Friday.
He finished with a five-under 65 to tie his personal best. He then packed his bags, put his clubs in his car, and hit the road to head to Golf Manitoba's Amateur Championships at the Rossmere Golf & Country Club.
He brought his A game to Winnipeg and put himself right into contention after round one of the three-day event. Eric was one of just six golfers that shot under par as he fired a one-under, 69. That puts him just one stroke back of the lead, held by three-time defending champion Braxton Kuntz, Drew Jones, and Jaden Jones.
Eric had five birdies and was tied for the lead before a bogey on the 18th hole to end his day. Prokopowich will enter Tuesday in a tie for fourth place.
Thomas Scott of Dauphin shot an opening round 76 and is in a tie for 41st heading into Tuesday. To note, that's just eight strokes back of the lead.
Hayden Delaloye of Neepawa finds himself in a tie for 66th after a 10-over, 80.
Jackson Delaurier of Dauphin shot a 83 on Monday. He had a solo birdie on the tough 11th hole.
Derek Benson of McCreary also shot an 83.
Round two continues Tuesday morning.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
