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The Parkland Vipers 14U volleyball team is back home.
They ended their season over the weekend at the national championships, hosted at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg. In round-robin play, the Vipers won one of three matches. Against the Canuck Stuff Volleyball Club, the Vipers fell short, 21-25, 21-25. The Lightning Bolts out of Saskatchewan got the best of the Vipers in straight sets.
The Vipers rounded out pool play with an impressive victory against the Westman Wave, 25-18, 26-24.
Moving into a power pool for day two of the competition, the Vipers caught fire. They opened with a straight set win over the Fernie Volleyball Club, 25-19, 25-21. They then downed the Aces Calgary Black in straight sets, 25-22, 25-16.
They ended power pool play with an outstanding effort against the Bandits Volleyball Club. It was another straight-set performance, 25-16, 25-23.
Chris Wolfenden is the team's head coach.
"That was the best we have ever played as a team, like ever," offered Wolfenden. "We jumped two tiers within the tournament. That was fantastic."
After a flawless second day, the Vipers surged into the Tier 3 playoffs. They went toe-to-toe with the WinMan Waves, trading sets to force a thrilling decider. Up 10-8 in the third, the Vipers looked poised for the semifinals.
Unfortunately, it wasn't to be for the Vipers. The Waves scored seven straight points to down the Vipers in the deciding set, 15-10. It wasn't the end the team was hoping for, but the team can use that experience to grow.
"Absolutely. For our entire team, this is the first time they've dipped their feet into the fire. That's the only way to learn from those emotions, to be in those situations," commented Wolfenden. "It was difficult to watch happen. At the same time, we will use it as a building block and move forward."
The 14U team finished their first national tournament with four wins. It was a special group that, throughout the season, always had the spotlight on them. Even when they weren't winning, which didn't happen often, other teams were taking notice of the Vipers.
"A lot of the other teams look at us and tell us we're having fun all the time. That's a big part of the process at this age," continued Wolfenden. "We're also very competitive, which is great. To have fun and want to make yourself better all the time, we're lucky to have a group of girls that want both."
A season to remember. The Vipers finished with a record of 37-17-4. They finished the provincial tournament seventh out of 37 Manitoba teams and inside the top 25 of 106 teams competing at the national tournament.
"We won a lot this year. We always had a chance to win going into our matches, which is great. We had the skill and drive," ended Wolfenden. "Finishing in the top seven out of Manitoba teams is a big accomplishment. We weren't happy with our showing at the provincial championships, so it was nice to end out so strong."
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The Parkland 2014 Junior Rangers wrapped up the spring season with a bang over the weekend.
They won three games to advance to the final and earned silver medals. In their first game, Layton Lulashnyk, Cooper Jewitt, Luke Shaw, and Tarren Flatfood scored in a 4-1 win over the Manitoba Blizzard. The team lost their next game, 7-1.
Bouncing back in grand style, the Rangers got on a roll, cruising to three straight wins. In a 5-1 win against the Blues, Luke Shaw led the way with two goals while Talon Porter, Joel Fleck, and Tarren Flatfoot scored singles. They then downed the Predators Silver, 4-2. Shaw had two more goals while Liam Voth and Liam Perih also found the back of the net. The team's hot streak continued into the semifinals, where they downed the Blizzard, 4-3. Griffin Galbraith, Luke Shaw, Cooper Jewitt, and Talen Porter scored in the win.
The Rangers lost the final against the NWO Rangers, 6-1.
The 2015 AAA Rangers hit their stride in the bronze medal game as they downed the Manitoba Junior Freeze, 8-6, in a back-and-forth third-place match.
Easton Mateika had a hot-stick in the game with three goals while Greyson Uyaivato had two. Gabriel Pawlachuk, Brody Nepinak, and Zander Ledoux scored singles. Brett Hrappstead earned the victory in the net, nabbing the team bronze medals.
On Friday, the team caught fire with back-to-back wins, against the Predators Blue, 6-4, and Predators Black, 7-3. Against the Predators Blue, Brody Nepinak scored twice. Connor Chartrand, Zander Ledoux, Tucker Rezansoff, and Easton Mateika had a goal apiece. Against the Predators Black, Mateiko, and Maddux Morden had two goals each. Easton Billett, Brody Nepinak, and Greyson Uyaivato rounded out the scoring.
The 2012 Junior Rangers won twice, tying once, and losing only once.
They opened with a solid 3-1 win over the Junior Lakers, with Declan Cole scoring twice. Owen Devonald also scored while Layne Swanton earned the victory in the net.
After a tie against the Timberwolves, the Rangers downed the Blizzard, 2-1. Jaxon Casavant and Brier Odut did the scoring for the Rangers.
The 2011 Junior Rangers finished with two wins and a tie in their five games.
Starting with a convincing 5-1 win against the Predators Black. Rhett Legaarden, Chayce Stoski, Sawyer Lepp, Cooper Soltys, and Anson Salamandyk scored for the Rangers. Legaarden and Stoski both had three points, and Benji Gardner earned the win in the net.
Darby Wilson was fantastic in the team's next game, earning a shutout, as the Rangers beat the Junior Lakers, 1-0. Drew Luhowy scored the team's lone goal.
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Gary McDonald has been golfing for 35 years.
He will never forget what happened to start his 35th year. The member at the McCreary Golf and Country Club recorded his first ace. He fired the perfect shot on the third hole on April 30th.
It was the second hole-in-one of the year in McCreary. Kayden Caumartin aced the third hole four days prior.
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There is the Dauphin Clippers girls' rugby 15s team, and there are teams just trying to find a way to compete.
The team, led by Shawn Sarkonak, has won back-to-back league and provincial championships. Dating back to last season, the Clipper girls have won 10 straight games, most of which haven't been close.
This season alone, the Clippers have outscored their opponents, 221-0. They've scored at least 69 points in each game.
"I still can't believe it, just playing a team game," said Sarkonak. "There is a strong focus on defence, and they play hard, tough, and get rewarded for it."
Now it's one thing to be a dominant offensive team. There's no questioning or downgrading how impressive the Clipper girls are on the offensive side of the ball. They say, however, defence wins championships. So if you pair the team's dominant offence with their incredible defence, that's a nearly perfect recipe for success.
They've outscored their opponents in the last 10 games dating back to last year, 715-0. That's an average margin of victory of 71.5 points.
"Absolutely unheard of, it's hard to explain, I commend the girls for it," continued Sarkonak. "I have no idea how long this will continue, but the players continue to get better themselves."
The Clippers will wrap up their regular season next Wednesday with a matchup against Souris. Despite entering nearly every game as heavy favourites, this team has consistently proven its ability to lock in and handle business.
They refuse to get distracted by the looming spotlight of playoffs and provincials.
"They have to keep themselves grounded while in the game and stay focused," ended Sarkonak. "There have been some nerves at times, but they still find a way to get the job done. It's a special group."
In their last game, the Clipper girls beat Vincent Massey, 69-0. Paityn Bourgouin led the way with three tries while Victoria Carter, Sigrid Katerud, Ruth Evans, Kiersten Vanderkerckhove, Mila Heschuk, Felicity Sahulka, and Halie Garlinski all had a try. Evans had seven conversions.
Meanwhile, the Clipper boys are enjoying a great season as well. In their most recent game, they hammered Vincent Massey, 52-22. Colton Miner had six conversions while Ronin Mouck led the way with two tries.
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Chad Facey joined the Yellowhead U18 Chiefs as an assistant coach in the 2011-12 season.
The team won only 13 games and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Facey returned to the Chiefs the following season. This time, he was the organization's head coach and immediately turned things around. Facey led the team to a 29-win regular season, finishing third in the highly competitive Western Division.
While the team did not make a lengthy playoff run, it was a season that turned things around for the program. Facey was back with the team the following year, and again, they made the playoffs. Coming up short of a playoff spot in the 2014-15 season, Facey remained with the Chiefs program for the 2015-16 season, however, he joined the U15 team as their head coach.
Chad led the U15 club to a 19-win season in his first year with them during the 2015-16 campaign, and the following year was one to remember. The Chiefs won 29 of their 35 games and claimed the West Division title by 11 points. After two outstanding years with the U15 team, Chad was called upon again to become the head coach for the U18 team.
He continued to put together great systems and got the best out of his players. They won 26 games in the 2017-18 season, 37 in the 2018-19 season, and another 32 in the 2019-20 season. They qualified for the playoffs in all three years, and during their 37-win campaign, they made the semifinals. In his final year with the U18 team during the 2019-20 campaign, the Chiefs extended their playoff streak to four straight years. They won 32 games and finished in fifth.
Pleased with his accomplishments at the AAA level, Chad wanted to advance to the next level. He was an assistant coach with the Waywayseecappo Wolverines of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) during the 2016-17 season, and he wanted to get back to the junior level. The timing turned out to be perfect.
In time for the 2020-21 season, Doug Hedley, the Dauphin Kings head coach and general manager, was looking to add an assistant coach with experience and passion. Facey was available, and the rest is history. Chad was excited to get started with the Kings, but his first season with the organization quickly ended as the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season after just six games.
Fast forward to the 2021-22 season. The Kings went 41-12-1 and won the West Division by 14 points. They beat Swan Valley in six games in round one, dispatched Winkler in five games in round two, then played the Steinbach Pistons in the league final. On Wednesday, May 11, 2022, the Turnbull Cup returned to Dauphin.
Brayden Dube scored the game winner 11:33 into the third period as the Kings won the MJHL championship in seven games. For Facey, that was a moment he will never forget.
"There's no better feeling than winning. That was a very special group," said Facey. "So many great players came to the rink to get better. There were ups and downs, as is the case with every team. That group made it very fun to come to the rink. It was such a special year."
Dauphin then advanced to the national semifinal at the Centennial Cup. Chad spent three more seasons as an assistant coach with the Kings. On Thursday, May 1, 2025, he left the home bench at Credit Union Place with the Kings for the final time. At least for now. When the Kings lost in triple overtime in game seven against the Northern Manitoba Blizzard in the league final, Chad's time with the Kings had ended
An emotional night it was, but Facey is forever grateful for the opportunity.
"It was a great experience. Getting the experience to work with Doug Hedley, I learned so much over the past four and a half years. It was a pleasure to work with him," continued Facey. "It was an unbelievable experience and one I will forever cherish."
In his role, Facey had the chance to develop dozens of players over the years. Working with the team's defensive group, he thanked the players for their efforts over the years.
"I always enjoyed getting to know the guys throughout the year. They all come from different paths and storylines," added Facey. "It's remarkable to see how much they develop over the time you spend with them. Every player has been a pleasure to work with."
(Pederson Photographic)
While this year came to a heartbreaking end, it was still a year to remember for the Kings. They won the West Division pennant by six points and advanced to the league final for the second time in four years. They trailed three games to one and were on the brink of elimination after four games in the league final.
They shut out the Blizzard on home ice in game five and came from behind to pull off an improbable victory in game six.
"It was an unreal year, the players we had this year were a blast, they were fun to work with, and they worked so hard," continued Facey. "Unfortunately, we came up just short of achieving our goal. It's a group that I will remember for a long time in a positive way."
Chad takes great pride in developing talent, and next year, he'll be doing so with some outstanding young talent from around the region. He's accepted a position to become the head coach for the Parkland U15 Rangers. Chad did incredible things with both the U15 and U18 Yellowhead Chiefs, so it's safe to say that the U15 team in the Parkland is in good hands.
"It is a bit bittersweet leaving the Kings. With that said, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to work with the young guys and do a lot of teaching," commented Facey. "It's time to reestablish what I believe this region could become."
Facey’s all-in attitude and deep love for the game have fueled every step of his journey, and now, he believes that passion and battle-tested experience have him primed for this next big move.
"This was an opportunity that presented itself, I believe, will be very enjoyable," ended Facey. "It's going to bring back a lot of passion, and it's always fun to see how much these young kids develop."
The chapter with the Kings may be closed, but for Chad Facey, the mission continues—shaping the future, one rising star at a time.
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They earned the right to compete in the playoffs. They ended the regular season with three straight wins and five of their last seven.
That was six years ago. Fast-forward to now, and the Grandview Lakers are back. They will play out of Wilson Park this summer and compete in the South East Senior Baseball League.
Marc Giasson will serve as the team's coach.
"It's fun, we have group chats going with practices set and games set," said Giasson. "I know a lot of the players from previous teams. There are some I'm not overly familiar with, so it's going to be exciting to meet them. See how we come together to play some good ball this summer."
In a five-team league with the Canora Supers, Parkland Pirates, Saltcoats Lakers, and Yorkton Tigers, the Lakers open their season on Tuesday, May 20, against the Parkland Pirates at Pirie Field in Melville. That's the first of five straight games away from home to start the season.
Grandview's home opener is Sunday, June 8, against the Canora Supers. The team's full schedule is here.
The team's 12-game regular season wraps up on June 23 in Yorkton against the Tigers. With less than two weeks till first pitch, Giasson says the entire community of Grandview is rallying behind the team.
"A ton of people are reaching out to help. Whether they've helped in the past or haven't," ended Giasson. "We all want to see this be a successful program moving forward."
The team's roster includes Darian Giasson, Kael Maxwell, Alex Gonty, Owen Gonty, Aiden Brook, Branden Storey, Carter Johnston, Darien Deslaurier, Dave Elder, Jays Bailey, Johnathon Tokar, Kaeden Ferland, Kaine Morran, Kingston Stirling, Lyndon Zimmer, Reese Andres, Ryan Shoemaker, and Ryan Tokar.
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The Dauphin Kings were one goal away from a Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) title and a berth to the Centennial Cup, which opens later this week in Calgary.
Last Thursday's heartbreaking triple-overtime loss was the end of the line for five team members: Cole Sheffield, Ethan Williment, Cayden Glover, Naaman Hofer, and Matthew Haun. On the bench, meanwhile, it was Rick Freese's last game with the organization.
Rick has been an assistant coach with the team for the past two years. If you know Rick, you know his passion for the Kings over the past two years.
"It has been two phenomenal years. I have learned so much from Doug Hedley over the past two years," said Freese. "Drawing on his experience. It's been quite a ride. At the end of the day, I really appreciate the opportunity."
Freese is not only an accomplished coach but also an accomplished player. Leaving home at a young age to play AAA hockey with the Norman Northstars, Freese began his junior career with the Flin Flon Bombers in the 2001-02 season, playing 41 regular-season games. He played 58 games the following season with Flin Flon before joining the Humboldt Broncos for the 2002-03 season. It was one to remember.
As the Broncos finished with 39 wins and a first-place regular-season finish, Rick finished with 10 points and 62 penalty minutes. He then helped the Broncos win the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). The team advanced to the Royal Bank Cup, where they went 2-2 in the round-robin, which was good enough for the playoffs.
They downed the Wellington Dukes, 3-2, in the semifinals and upset the top-ranked Camrose Kodiaks, 3-1, in the national final. It was Humboldt's first national title, and Rick played an integral part in it.
Over the past two decades, Rick played with the Grandview Comets in the 2010-11 season before putting on his coaching hat. He was a co-coach during the 2020-21 season with the Parkland U18 Rangers. The Rangers were on fire that season, winning six of their first seven games, and had high expectations.
Unfortunately, the season was cancelled after seven games due to the coronavirus pandemic. He led the U15 Rangers to a 12-win season during the 2022-23 campaign and has since spent the past two years with the Kings.
Working full time with Manitoba Hydro, Rick is preparing for his next adventure. Last week, he was named the new head coach for the U18 Rangers. Based out of Credit Union Place, Freese will work to assemble the remainder of his coaching staff in the coming months.
"It's bittersweet leaving the Kings. With that said, it's a new chapter, and I'm excited about the new opportunity," continued Freese. "I'm excited to get going with the new organization and make a difference there. I'll draw on my experience as a junior player and assistant coach to make sure we're doing the best job we can."
Highly respected by his peers, Freese understands there may be some challenges, but he is ready to seize the moment and lead the Rangers back to the playoffs. The team came up just short this year. The Rangers have missed the playoffs three straight years, since making history in 2022, when they advanced to the second round for the first time in more than two decades.
"Experience is a great feature. Still hurting from the Kings' playoff run, it didn't go how we had planned out with that triple overtime loss in game seven," continued Freese. "Definitely going to be drawing from that experience and the experiences over the past couple of years, and when I played.
Training camp for the 2025-26 season will open in early September, and 16 players from last year's team are eligible to return. While it's nearly impossible to forecast what next year's roster could look like, Freese is optimistic.
"The bottom line is we're going to be in touch with those veteran players," ended Freese. "The talent pool is good. These guys have to make sure they have good summers and put in the effort, nothing is ever guaranteed."
As one chapter ends, Freese turns the page with purpose, ready to inspire the next generation and lead the Rangers with the same passion, resilience, and commitment that have defined his journey every step of the way.
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They were ranked 20th entering the tournament.
They finished 10th. It was a great weekend for the Parkland Vipers 16U volleyball team at the provincial championships.
In the round-robin, the Vipers picked up three impressive victories. They beat the Northeast Rampage, 25-11, 25-21. They earned another two-set win against Russell, 25-17, 25-13, and earned a hard-fought three-set victory over Interlake, 24-26, 25-15, 19-17.
The team's first playoff game was another victory, this time over the 11th-ranked Pilots Navy, 21-25, 25-22, 15-13. Their second playoff game came against the fourth-ranked Winman Surge. The Vipers pushed one of the top teams in the province, but lost in two sets, 25-27, 24-26. They beat Club West in their third playoff game and downed the eighth-ranked BVC, 25-15, 25-14. In their final game, they lost to Westman, 18-25, 19-25.
The team, led by Kathy Preston, heads to Edmonton later this month for the national championships.
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Will Munro was almost 40 hours away from his hometown, trying to make the Cape Breton Eagles of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.
While the Swan River star was told there would be a spot for him on the team, he would have started the season on the third or fourth line. Will had little interest in that after playing that same role with the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL) to begin his career.
So Will made the trek back closer to home, only to find himself in Saskatchewan with the Melfort Mustangs. Stacked with elite talent, the Mustangs sought to defend their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) title. Led by Trevor Blevins, Munro was having difficulty finding his way in Melfort. That paved the way for a return to his hometown as he joined the Stampeders.
Will played 10 games, scoring three times, tallying seven points. Playing in Swan Valley allowed Will to hit his stride while playing with the club he grew up watching.
"It was pretty surreal, growing up watching the Stampeders," said Munro. "It was an awesome feeling strapping on the jersey."
Munro's time with Swan Valley was brief. After producing seven points in 10 games, he returned to Melfort, this time for good. He was acquired by Melfort as they looked to go back-to-back. Joining Melfort meant Will reunited with one of his best friends, Bo Eisner.
Bo won an SJHL title with Melfort last year and is one of the team's top defenders. They grew up together in Swan River and are both Parkland Ranger alums.
"I sit beside Bo in the room, and we spent like 15 years going to the rink together, we know everything about each other," continued Munro. "It's pretty awesome to be on the same team as him again."
Will also has some family ties on the team in former Dauphin King Ashton Paul. Paul is Will's first cousin and posted 24 points in 28 regular-season games before notching nine more in 14 playoff games.
"My extended family is coming out that I don't think I've ever seen at one of my games," said Munro. "All of the support from my family is so special. Knowing that we have it is so surreal."
As Melfort entered the playoffs after a historic regular season, which saw them finish with 46 wins and 94 points, Will immediately stepped in and found success. He scored 14 points in 27 regular-season games before erupting in the playoffs. Across 14 games, the Swan River star had five goals and nine points.
"I always thought in U18 when the Rangers made the second round, I elevated my play there as well," commented Munro. "I knew coming into the playoffs that was what I wanted to do. I don't like sitting back in the playoffs and letting someone else drive the bus. I chatted with the coach, who said I was an important piece. It helped a lot having that confidence from him."
Will helped the Mustangs cruise past Kindersley in five games in the first round before dispatching a very good Yorkton team in four games. After dropping the first game of the Canterra Seeds Cup final against Weyburn, Melfort hit its stride.
They won three straight, and on Sunday, April 27, the stage was set. The Cup was in the building, and the Mustangs seized the moment. They outshot the Red Wings, 35-16, and completed an incredible run, back-to-back champions.
"It was awesome, I had about 30 family members there, and they stayed late for pictures and whatnot," continued Munro. "The fans were incredible, just a special thing to be a part of."
Will and his team are now off to Calgary on Tuesday to compete in the Centennial Cup, Canada's national Junior A championship. They played in the event last year and advanced to the national final, only to lose to Collingwood, 1-0.
Back with that experience and knowing how much deeper they'll need to dig, the Mustangs open their tournament on Thursday evening in primetime against the host and Alberta Junior Hockey League champion Calgary Canucks.
In a very strong pool, they'll also play the Edmundston Blizzard of the Maritimes Hockey League (MHL), Rockland Nationals of the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), and the Braves de Valleyfield of the Quebec Junior League (QJL).
10 of the top teams from coast to coast, and Will is ready for the challenge.
"I think we're pretty comfortable and know what we can do and achieve," ended Munro. "I don't think there are too many nerves, guys are excited. We'll come out of the gates flying on Thursday."
Stay tuned to CKDM Sports throughout the next two weeks to see how Will and Bo are doing. The Northern Manitoba Blizzard will represent the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) after downing the Dauphin Kings in a triple-overtime thriller in game seven last week.
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Brynn Wildeboer and Katelynn Preston already have many things to be proud of on the volleyball court.
Now, the Parkland power duo has added to their stacked resumes. Playing with Team Club West Rage 18U, Katelynn and Brynn helped the team win a provincial championship over the weekend.
In the finals against an excellent Junior Bisons Gold team, Club West came from behind to win the title. Dropping the first set, 23-25, Katelynn, Brynn, and the Rage stuck with the process, winning the second set, 25-23. They capped off the comeback with a 15-12 win in the third set.
In the round-robin, the Rage cruised, with straight set wins over the Bandits, Predators, and ACE VC. They swept United 18U in the round of 16, Predators in the quarterfinals, and Team Shock in the semi-finals.
They'll now look to take down the best in the nation at the national championships later this month in Edmonton.
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It was a perfect start to the season for the Dauphin Clippers rugby program.
On the boys' side, they downed the Crocus Plains Plainsmen, 12-7, in a low-scoring affair. Ronin Mouck and Sully Fox had tries for Dauphin. Jordan Evans had one conversion.
The Lady Clippers cruised in a dominating performance. They had 13 tries and five converts, scoring 82 points and allowing nothing defensively. Victoria Carter had four tries while Paityn Bourgouin had two, Kiersten Vanderkerckhov, and Mila Heschuk had two apiece. Felicity Sahulka and McKenzie Kropelnicki each had a try. Ruth Evans had five conversions.
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