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Eric Prokopowich is enjoying one of his best summers on the golf course.

A Dauphin Lake Golf Club member, Eric added to his summer accomplishments by recording his third hole-in-one as the Dauphin star aced the 4th hole at the River Oaks Golf Course.

The perfect shot came from 110 yards with his 58-degree wedge.

Previously this summer, Eric finished in sixth place at Golf Manitoba's amateur championships at the Rossmere Golf & Country Club which earned him an opportunity to Golf Canada's amateur championships in Saskatoon.

Eric also teamed up with Jackson Delaurier to win the two-person Ebb & Flow Annual Treaty Day event. Eric also recorded a career-low of 6-under par on the front nine at Dauphin Lake earlier this summer. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Aug 30, 2024 - 8:38 am

There will be 149 days between their final game of last season and the start of training camp.

They came up short against the Blizzard in the first round of the Turnbull Cup playoffs last year, but it was still a series to remember. It included a victory in the fifth overtime in game six. Now the focus has shifted and long has.

It's not about what has happened in the past, it's about what will happen next. For the Dauphin Kings, that happens to be the main camp which will open up on Friday afternoon at Credit Union Place. 18 players from last year will return. While spots aren't guaranteed if a player comes to camp out of shape or is outperformed, there is a special buzz surrounding what this team could look like this year. Their younger players from last year gained vital experience throughout the second half of the season and in the playoffs.

Returning Forwards:
Rylan Gibbs, Cayden Glover, Ashton Paul, Ethan Williment, Rylan Gage, Kyan Grouette, Joshua Schmidt, Gavin Nemis, Carter Zalischuk, Sheldon Shyiak, Madden Murray, and Gabriel Bugeaud.

Returning Defence:
Naaman Hofer, Brett Magarrel, Aiden Murray, and Ty Pratte.

Returning Goalies:
Cole Sheffield and Austin Seibel.

The 16 skaters returning combined for 287 points last year while Seibel was also credited with two assists. Cayden Glover led the way with 20 goals and 28 assists for 48 points while Hofer had six goals and 45 points. Dauphin returns two of their three top scorers from last season. They also welcome back six of their top 10 scorers from one season ago.

Sheffield; meanwhile, was second in the league in wins with 28 and tied for third with four shutouts. His decision to return to Dauphin was very pleasant news.

"Sheffield knows that he is going to be one of the top goaltenders in this league and he knows that he is going to play a lot," said Hedley. "We're trying to do everything we can to get him to Division 1, he deserves to be there, and we'll do everything we can to give him a chance to play at the next level."

Sam Swanton of Dauphin, who was on the Kings playoff roster last year and played game one, will also be at camp.

"There's a lot of excitement going into this weekend, I think when the dust settled and our veterans from last year realized what we can achieve, they wanted to come back," said Hedley. "Talent doesn't mean a whole lot when it doesn't work hard, but we have a great nucleus from last year coming back and they want to wear the crest. I believe we have a special group."

Players to Watch: 

71 players in all make up the team's camp roster and there will be several other players to watch throughout the weekend and preseason.

Jack Bechard. From Regina, Jack played two games with the Kings last year before going back to his hometown to play with the Regina Capitals of the Prairie Junior Hockey League where the soon-to-be 19-year-old lit it up. He had 34 goals and 29 assists in 37 regular season games and another 32 points in 19 playoff games. 

All reports have Bechard coming into camp after a great summer with something to prove. He previously played four games with Flin Flon of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) before his short tenure in Dauphin.

Hunter Bauer.  Doug Hedley confirmed in a recent conversation that Sheffield and Seibel will be the two team's goalies heading into the regular season. Hunter Bauer is hoping to have something to say about that. From Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Bauer is coming off a sensational season south of the border playing with Minnetonka High School. He had a record of 21-1-2 with a 0.94 goals-against average to go along with a .947 save percentage. 

The big question is, can Bauer's success at the high school level translate to the junior ranks? If it does, Hedley and the coaching staff could have a tough decision. Sheffield is a lock, that we know. Bauer also had 12 shutouts last season and in the prior year with Minnetonka High, he won all five of his starts with a .973 save percentage and 0.40 goals-against average. The battle between the pipes will be an intriguing one.

Piet Mierau. At just 17 years old, Mierau is unlikely to challenge for a spot. However, he is a goalie who has already impressed Doug Hedley and his coaching staff during previous camps over the past couple of years. He is a gamer and has already expressed great interest in being a King.

Mierau could be the future of the Kings and will be fun to watch throughout the weekend. In two playoff games last year with Pilot Mound Academy U17 Prep, Piet had two wins and a .942 save percentage. 

Easton Swift: From St. Paul, Minnesota, Swift comes to Dauphin after signing with the organization in the off-season. He played with Cretin-Derham Hall last season, the same team that former King Marko Belak played for, and was solid with 28 points in 30 games. 11 of those points were goals. The biggest question that will have to be answered is can he make the leap from high school hockey to junior. It's the same question that will be answered when it comes to Hunter Bauer.

Play isn't as physical south of the border and that's what has held back many Americans in the past. Bauer does; however, come in with some good size at 6'1" and 190 pounds. This year's team will be deep so the American will have to come into camp and push himself, there's no time for anything less than 100 per cent. 

Hayden Seib: This is one of the feel good stories. From Russell, the 18-year-old is coming off a five-year run with the Parkland Rangers program. Seib posted his best season last year with the U18 club as he scored 16 goals while adding 24 assists. 

Hayden wasn't even sure that he would have a team to play on this year, but Doug Hedley answered that question by signing the former Ranger. Seib is a part of a local contingent that will be asked to step up their games. It would appear that the Kings are in win now mode and with many players battling for spots, Hayden will have to bring his A-game. He has had an excellent summer of training and we will soon find out how he can transition from AAA to junior. 

Locals In Action:

Plenty of local talent will be featured throughout the weekend. The list includes Rylan Gibbs, Kyan Grouette, Madden Murray, Carter Zalischuk, Sam Swanton, Chase Glover, Ryzlie Nepinak, Cash McCallum, Quinten Fisk, and Hayden Shtykalo. 

Gibbs, Zalischuk, Grouette, Murray, and Swanton all played games with the team last year and it is safe to assume that all are locks for the opening day roster. Whether they are in the lineup on September 20 when Dauphin plays in Virden to open the 2024-25 season is another question, but they should all still be around. 

Weekend Schedule:

The Kings will then begin their preseason on Tuesday evening when the Northern Manitoba Blizzard come to town for a 7:30 puck drop at Credit Union Place. 

Details

Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Aug 29, 2024 - 2:54 pm

They held a two-week spring camp in June before classes ended.

Then they hit the field the first Tuesday after the August Long Weekend and have been going strong since. There's a buzz in the air as Dauphin Clippers football is back for another exciting season on the field.

Playing home games at the DRCSS field and on the road around the province, the Clippers are always contenders year after year playing in the Rural Manitoba Football League. The team will have three more full practices before opening their season next Friday when they welcome Parkwest from Shoal Lake to town.

That game will kick off at 5:00 p.m. and like always, there is no admission and there will be a concession. 

Robbie Tomkins is back as the team's defensive coordinator and is feeling great heading into next week.

"We have a very athletic team this year and we also have some size," offered Tomkins. "A lot of our core players were a part of the Manitoba Games, so they came into camp in incredible shape. Things have been going very well."

After a slow start to last year, the Clippers hit their stride late in the season and won a B-side championship. While they did lose some key personnel to graduation after the season, Tomkins says this year's group will be very competitive.

"Things are a little bit different, we now have guys who are more multi-sport athletes," said Tomkins. "They will jump into roles they have never been in before and because they have such great sports backgrounds, they will learn quickly."

The Clippers will play a seven-game schedule throughout just more than a month against Parkwest, Neelin, Moosomin, Souris, Swan Valley, Neepawa, and Virden. Playoffs will then follow with a championship side and consolation bracket.

The team's first two games will be played on home turf before heading to Moosomin for their first road game on September 21.

Schedule:
September 6 - Parkwest @ Dauphin 5:00 p.m. 
September 13 - Neelin @ Dauphin 5:00 p.m.
September 21 - Dauphin @ Moosomin - 3:00 p.m.
September 27 - Dauphin @ Souris - 4:30 p.m.
October 4 - Swan Valley @ Dauphin 4:00 p.m.
October 13 - Dauphin @ Neepawa 2:00 p.m.
To Be Announced -  Virden @ Dauphin
Playoffs TBA

The team's play on the defensive side of the ball is once again expected to be the team's strong suit this season.

"Our defense has always been inside the top three or even the top defensive teams over the last three years," mentioned Tomkins. "We pride ourselves on playing a very strong defensive game. It's a testament to how hard our players work."

Tomkins also says the team has some great offensive pieces this year and they will be ready to hit the field strong next Friday.

"Everyone is very excited, stoked would be a good word to describe how everyone is feeling," ended Tomkins. "A lot of our young guys are chomping at the bit to get their first experience on the field."

Details

Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Aug 29, 2024 - 10:09 am

They have a full set of volunteers and the community stepped up when board members were needed.

At one point last season, the Swan Valley Stampeders nearly had to end what has been a historic run at the Centennial Arena since joining the league in 1999. They were in desperate need of volunteers and board members and as the 2024-25 season approaches, they are no longer needing that help. In fact, the Stampeders are in a great spot when it comes to gameday volunteers and their board of directors is full.

Now it's about focusing on putting together a championship team. While the Stampeders have never won an MJHL championship, they have been extremely competitive for many years. Their most successful season was back in the 2018-19 season when they advanced to the league final where they came up just short against the Portage Terriers. 

Since that season, the Stampeders qualified for the Turnbull Cup playoffs in three of the last four full seasons. A streak of making the big dance came to a halt last year when the team won just 11 games and finished at the bottom of the West Division.

The Stampeders went very young at the trade deadline and while it was a tough season, it provided their younger players with a great opportunity to get a lot of ice time while developing and learning how to play and succeed at the junior level. 

The 2024-25 season is just more than three weeks away as the Stampeders open up the new campaign on September 20 when they welcome the newly-named Northern Manitoba Blizzard to the Swan River Centennial Arena. It's the first of a home-and-home between the two most Northern teams in the league. 

Ahead of that, the team will open their training camp on Friday afternoon at the Centennial Arena and it will include returnees such as Matthew Munro, Linden Perry, Dobie Unrau, and Landen Gulutzan, to name a few.

Barry Wolff is also returning as the team's head coach and general manager. He led the team to their best season in 2019 and he's looking forward to turning things around this year.

"We're all excited and ready to go, you always need that little refresher after the season ends," said Wolff. "Then as the summer goes on, you start to think about the season and wish for it to start. It's an exciting time, we're taking it all in, and getting ready to go."

The team will also welcome back Elias Giaccari-Dimitriou. The 2005-born goaltender from Montreal won four of the team's 11 games last year. While his numbers saw him post a 4.16 goals-against average paired with a .903 save percentage, Elias showed signs of brilliance at times including a 61-save performance on January 12 against Steinbach to go along with a trio of 50-save performances on January 9, February 3, and February 20.

In 24 games played, he faced an average of 39.7 shots per game.

"It was a big learning curve for him, playing junior is the next level, it takes a while for some players to learn and adapt to it," offered Wolff. "He grew the whole year and matured. He has come back after the summer stronger and more prepared. We're hoping that he can carry the mail for us."

Joining Barry on the bench this year will be Darren Webster and Brad Fox. From Swan River, Darren has been an assistant coach with the organization since 2016 and has also spent time as the team's Director of Player Personnel. Fox has been with the Chase Heat of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League since 2020, holding the position of head coach and general manager for the past two seasons. He was also the Heat's Director of Hockey Operations during the 2021-22 season.

"Darren is a mature guy, he's calm on the bench and sees the game, he's also great with the players," offered Wolff. "Fox has spent more than 25 years in junior hockey. He's a mature guy who knows the game and we're pleased to have him."

With a new season right around the corner, Wolff will also be keeping a close eye on how the Parkland U18 Rangers are doing when they open their season next month. Josh Tripp, who spent last year as an assistant coach with Swan Valley, is the new head coach of the Rangers. 

Tripp played three seasons with his hometown Stampeders and helped guide them to the 2019 Turnbull Cup final. 

"He's a young guy that is extremely eager," offered Tripp. "He has a lot of experience on the playing side. We were lucky to have him on our staff last year. He turned into a very good coach as the year went on. He is going to have great success with the Rangers, those kids are lucky to have him."

Following two days of practices and scrimmages to open camp, the Stampeders will open their preseason on Sunday afternoon as they host Waywayseecappo at the Centennial Arena at 1:00 p.m.

The first Battle of the Parkland between Dauphin and Swan Valley will be a special school day game as the Stampeders host the Kings on November 13 at 12:30 before the two storied rivals return to Credit Union Place three days later at 7:30. They will play each other six times throughout the season.

Details

Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Aug 28, 2024 - 3:31 pm

It was another great weekend on the diamond for the Layne Stars fastball team.

Playing in the Team Bigman tournament at Vermillion Sportsplex, Layne Stars was in a class of their own as they won by mercy in every game, ultimately downing the host Bigman in the final.

The team's roster featured Taran Lacquette, Hayden Lacquette, TJ Catcheway, Harley Garrioch, Terris Jonassen, Eugene Lacquette, Joel Lacquette, Nick Patrick, Jordan Hudson, Matthew Kutnikoff, Max Major, and Ryan Bicknell. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Aug 27, 2024 - 3:14 pm

One of the greatest players to ever don the Blue & Gold is being inducted into the Winnipeg Blue Bombers ring of honour.

Seven-time all-star Charles Roberts will be inducted during the team's Banjo Bowl game on September 7 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Roberts led the Canadian Football League (CFL) in rushing in 2003, 2005, and 2006. 

Charles spent most of his eight-year career with Winnipeg, being named the league's most outstanding special-teams player in 2001 and was a finalist for the league's top rookie honour. He was also a finalist for the CFL's most outstanding player award in 2006. 

During his time with Winnipeg, Charles had six straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons for Winnipeg and finished with 9,987 career rushing yards as a Blue Bomber. His 64 touchdowns for Winnipeg are the second most all-time, only trailing Milt Stegall who added up 79 during his time in Manitoba's capital.

Charles is sixth on the league's all-time rushing list with 10,285 yards and he will become the 16th member of the team's ring of honour. 

Field Notes:

• The Bombers will look to make it four straight wins when they play Saskatchewan in Regina on Sunday at 6:00 p.m.;
• You can hear the game right here on 730CKDM as we're a proud member of the Blue Bomber Radio Network;
• With a win, the Bombers will move into first place in the West Division, which is incredible considering this team started with just two wins in their first eight games; and
• Winnipeg's 220 points against are the fewest in the league.

Details

Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Aug 27, 2024 - 2:20 pm

Junior hockey rosters change from year to year.

Some players run out of eligibility and some decide to play elsewhere. When the 2023-24 season ended in the first round of the playoffs for the Dauphin Kings, it was time to look ahead. As the team's head coach and general manager, Doug Hedley recruits new talent while setting a foundation that makes players want to return the following season.

23 of 25 players from last year were eligible to return with the only exceptions being Alex Senf and Logan Walker, both of which will begin their collegiate careers south of the border this season. As Dauphin experienced plenty of hot weather throughout the summer, Doug Hedley's daily tasks heated up as he looked to ensure many of those players from last year returned.

In his own words, it was an off-season that included some ups and downs, but at the end of the day, it was a positive summer. Hedley and his coaching staff are putting in the final preparations ahead of main camp which takes place this weekend at Credit Union Place.

Beginning on Friday with the first game at 12:30 and running through the annual JoFo Cup on Monday afternoon at 2:00, Hedley is ready to get things going.

"There's a lot of excitement going into this weekend, I think when the dust settled and our veterans from last year realized what we can achieve, they wanted to come back," said Hedley. "Talent doesn't mean a whole lot when it doesn't work hard, but we have a great nucleus from last year coming back and they want to wear the crest. I believe we have a special group."

The list of key returnees includes a now 20-year-old who put on a show for fans in the first round of the playoffs last year as Cole Sheffield will be back between the pipes. From London, Cole won 28 games in the regular season last year which was the second-most in the league. Moving forward into the Turnbull Cup playoffs, Sheffield was a brick wall against the Blizzard as he opened that series by making 46 saves in game one. 

He then made 71 saves in one of the longest games in Canadian Junior A hockey history as five overtimes were needed to decide game six then in game seven, despite coming up short, Sheffield gave Dauphin every opportunity to come out on top as he turned away 52 shots in a triple overtime defeat. 

"Sheffield knows that he is going to be one of the top goaltenders in this league and he knows that he is going to play a lot," said Hedley. "We're trying to do everything we can to get him to Division 1, he deserves to be there, and we'll do everything we can to give him a chance to play at the next level."

Photo Credit - Pederson Photographic

Other notable players who are set to return include Naaman Hofer, Cayden Glover, and Ethan Williment. A solid group of locals will also be there including Rylan Gibbs, Carter Zalischuk, Sam Swanton, Madden Murray, and Kyan Grouette.

Joining Doug on the coaching staff will be Chad Facey, Rick Freese, Brad Dupasquier, and Dan Keeping.

"It's a great staff, really looking forward to it," ended Hedley. "Excited for the year."

Training camp this year will be open to the public free of charge. That includes the JoFo Cup.

Here is the weekend schedule:

The team will then begin their preseason schedule on Tuesday when they welcome the Northern Manitoba Blizzard to town. 

Darnell Duff is back to provide play-by-play this year on 730CKDM with broadcast number one coming on Friday, September 20 as the team opens up their 2024-25 season at Tundra Oil & Gas Place against the Virden Oil Capitals.

A full broadcast schedule can be seen here. 

Details

Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Aug 27, 2024 - 10:15 am

He grew up just down the road and when he wasn't playing minor hockey, he was cheering on the Waywayseecappo Wolverines at the Arena Complex.

Landyn Cochrane had always dreamt of playing with the Wolverines. He was always one of the strongest players on his team growing up and Landyn always pushed himself, never settled, and always knew there was room for improvement.

He was just 17 when he achieved a lifelong goal after an incredible year of high school hockey with the Major Pratt Trojans where he scored 19 goals in 18 games and had 53 points, Landyn made the Wolverines in the 2014-15 season and went on to play 46 games with them notching three goals and five assists.

Returning to the Wolverines for the 2015-16 season, Landyn posted 14 points and then took his game to the next level, averaging nearly a point per game the following campaign with 18 goals and 57 points in 60 games. Landyn played 166 games with the Wolverines over parts of three seasons.

"The Wolverines organization has meant everything to me," said Cochrane. "That's where my junior journey began and they allowed me to grow and develop. I went from being a 17-year-old rookie to scoring nearly a point per game, I loved my time there."

Landyn then went to Minot to join the Minotauros of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). It was a short tenure south of the border as he suited up in just eight games, registering three assists before returning to Manitoba to join the Virden Oil Capitals. A seasoned junior veteran at this point, Landyn helped the Oil Capitals reach the 2018 Turnbull Cup Final where they came up short against the Steinbach Pistons.

A junior career that started with the team he grew up watching and ended in Oil Country, Landyn played 196 regular season MJHL games and another 17 playoff games, registering 121 total points and 237 penalty minutes. 

Already familiar with how things ran in Minot, Cochrane joined the Minot State Beavers, a member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association. The now 27-year-old played five games in his freshman year and then just as he did years prior, the Russell star found his stride in registering 35 points in as many games during his second year. Landyn then went on to play three more seasons with Minot, two of which he was an assistant captain and recorded at least 23 points in each of the years. He cracked the 30-point mark in three of the five seasons as a Beaver.

"It was truly a special opportunity going in as a freshman and then moving up the ranks and being a leader," said Cochrane. "The Minot community is a great one, we had such incredible support, and I had such a great chance to play with many special guys."

In his final year with the Beavers, the 2022-23 campaign, Cochrane recorded a college career-high with 38 points in 34 games and ended up finishing his college journey on top as the Beavers won a Division 1 national championship that season.

It was a team that also featured former Dauphin King Brayden Pawluk. Entering the national tournament, Cochrane and the rest of the Beavers were ranked number one and in a dramatic final against Adrian College, Josh Pederson's second goal of the event with just more than two minutes left in the second stood up as the winner as Minot State was crowned national champions and for Cochrane, it was the perfect ending to a five-year college journey that he will never forget.

"The boys and I look back at the videos and the highlights to this day," said Cochrane. "We had a complete buy-in during that tournament, everyone came together and we had one goal. Couldn't have asked for a better time to be playing our best hockey, it was so special."

With a national title under his belt, Landyn ventured back to the prairies and played last year with the Rocanville Tigers of the Saskatchewan East Senior Hockey League and torched the league with 31 points in nine regular season games and another nine points in six playoff games.

Landyn was also back at the Arena Complex, where he started his career as a junior some seven years prior. Cochrane joined Taylor Harnett's staff as an assistant coach.

"Taylor gave me a lot of responsibility and respect coming in, I couldn't have asked for a better role model," offered Cochrane. "I learned how to be a professional from practices to games to other team activities and being on the bench, it was a great year of growth for me."

Then in what came as a shock to many community members, Taylor announced that he would not return to the team as he accepted the head coach position with the Amarillo Wranglers of the NAHL. The Wolverines immediately began their search for his replacement and found their new leader.

As the MJHL preseason continues to near, Chief & Council announced that Landyn is the team's new head coach and general manager. He was auto-protected ahead of the MJHL Draft 10 years ago, played 162 games with the team, spent one year as an assistant coach and now, Landyn is set to become the youngest head coach and general manager in the league. 

(Photo Credit - Matthew Higgs - Wolverines)

While he does not boast as much experience as many bench bosses in the league, Cochrane believes he is ready for this moment.

"I feel very comfortable in my abilities and my staff's abilities heading into this season, I believe we're in a great spot to continue moving forward," commented Cochrane. "I am very comfortable with the guys that are coming back and we have done a great job recruiting. I'm also very familiar with the community, I love it here and I want to help this organization continue to grow, we have a great fan base."

Landyn will lead the team into training camp later this week and his first preseason game as the team's new leader will be on Sunday afternoon when the Wolverines head to the Centennial Arena to play the Stampeders in the first of a home-and-home.

"This is a dream come true, things have come full circle, and this opportunity means the world to me," said Cochrane. "Chief & Council have put a lot of trust and belief in me along with Morley Watson, our governor."

The Wolverines play their first regular season game in front of their home crowd on September 22 when the Niverville Nighthawks pay a visit to the Arena Complex at 6:00 p.m. 

"That will be a special night, looking forward to it," ended Cochrane. "With that said, we have a busy exhibition schedule here and that's what we are focusing on."

The Wolverines recently added Tayler Thompson to join Cochrane's coaching staff. 

Details

Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Aug 26, 2024 - 10:25 am

A former member of the Parkland U18 Rangers helped his team go low to win the Opaskwayak Indigenous Days Tournament at the Halcrow Lake Golf & Country Club.

Cole Haukaas, who played 93 games from 2016-2018 with the Rangers, teamed up with Zach Hagborg, and Brandt Weldon to shoot a two-round score of 122 to win the championship by a single stroke in a finish that came down to the wire.

They fired a 60 in their first round and followed that up with a 62 to take the title in the 3rd Annual tournament. After playing with Parkland, Cole went on to play 106 games across three years with the Blizzard Junior A Hockey Club, now known as the Northern Manitoba Blizzard.

When it comes to the U18 Rangers this year, they will open their regular season on the road at Stride Place against the Central Plains Capitals on September 28 before playing the next day in Morden against the Pembina Valley Hawks.

The Rangers home opener will take place the following weekend on Saturday, October 5 when the Eastman Selects come to town for the first of two games at Credit Union Place that weekend. 

Details

Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Aug 25, 2024 - 9:48 pm

The Mavericks Rugby Club out of Dauphin are riding high heading into the playoffs.

Playing their final regular season game on Saturday in Winnipeg, the team put together a strong effort and downed the Wanderers Rugby Club, 22-19. The Mavericks continue to make great strides and have shown that they can compete with anyone that they go up against.

The team will announce their playoff schedule shortly so stay tuned to 730CKDM to find out when and where they will next be in action. 

Details

Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Aug 25, 2024 - 9:10 am