The girls Dynos basketball team, a combination made up of Drumheller Valley Secondary School and St. Anthony’s School students, came home on Sunday as champions.
    The Dynos travelled to Strathmore to participate in another tournament where the most points earned determined the victor, rather than a traditional tournament.
    “The girls played really well,” said head coach Ryan Hatch. “They really stepped up.”
    Aside from the tournament, the Dynos have had two regular season games. The first was against the Prairie Christian Academy Sabres on February 8, where the girls suffered a defeat in overtime.
    The Dynos fell behind early in the game, but with a herculean effort, they managed to battle their way to a tie by the end of the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, the Sabres didn’t let themselves be rattled and took the win in overtime.
    A week later, on February 15, the Dynos were back at home facing the first place Acme Redmen.
    The Redmen took the lead early into the game, leaving the Dynos to try and catch up.
    At the end of the first half, the Dynos were down by a six points, but the Redmen put on heavy pressure in the third quarter and took a 17 point lead.  The Dynos mounted a huge comeback effort and shrunk the lead to nine by the end of the third.
    In the fourth, the Redmen renewed their efforts. The Dynos lost the game 64-43.
    “They’re the best team in the league and I thought we were right with them. We weren’t outmanned and it wasn’t dominated by them,” said Hatch. “There were some open baskets we missed and there’s some things we can work on.”
    The Dynos had some difficulty with interceptions and ball control, which lead to Redmen points.
    The performance of Bailey Faubion stood out due to her aggressive play, stealing the ball when she could and driving hard to the Redmen net.
    “That came from the tournament, she’s been pushing herself hard, realized that she can drive the ball to the hoop, and opened up opportunities,” said Hatch.
    The Dynos get a break next week due to Family Day and Teacher’s Convention. The team will be back in action for their last regular season game on February 27 at home, taking on Three Hills.
    “They played a tough team and they’re willing to fight,” said Hatch. “Every night they give it everything, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Another Raptor team has clinched a spot in the playoffs.
    The Encana Atom Raptors hosted Siksika on Sunday, February 5, and came out with a 10-4 win. The victory assures the Encana Raptors will be heading to the playoffs at the end of the month.
    “It’s been a great year and all of the kids are excited,” said Kelly Boyko, assistant coach. “Depending on how our last couple games go it may change how we finish in the top four.”
    The other Raptors have been working hard as well.
    The Canalta Novice Raptors had a couple setbacks two weekends ago. The team had been making a break for a playoff position, but after two losses, one against Vulcan, and a close loss against Nanton the next day, the Canalta Raptors have fallen behind.
    A 9-0 win over Fort Macleod on February 12 gave the team a huge boost. The Canalta Raptors have only two more games this season.
    The McDonald’s Novice Raptors were dealt a big loss on February 4 in Banff. The team tied against Cochrane a week later.
    “The kids put a lot of effort in,” said Kit Clark, head coach. “They did well, but unfortunately the score doesn’t really show how the Banff game went.”
    The DMHA Novice Raptors had a critical game against Brooks, who were tied for first place with the DMHA Raptors, on February 4. Unfortunately, the DMHA Raptors lost by a heartbreaking 4-3.
    “We were losing 4-1 and we stormed back and even pulled the goalie, but it wasn’t meant to be,” said Tony Pliva, head coach.   

The next day the DMHA Raptors got back on their feet and redeemed themselves with a 9-6 win over Siksika.
    The DMHA Raptors have only one more game left in the season. They play Brooks again on February 19.
    The Yavis Atom Raptors participated in a tournament in Bowden February 3-5. The team went on to win the D final against Stettler. On February 11, the team defeated a tough Oyen team 4-2.
    “It was a great victory for the boys, since they are having a tough time in league. They never give up no matter what the score is. The parents and coaches are very proud of the effort the team brings every game,” said manager Jackie Watts.
    The NGC Pee Wee Raptors won 7-6 against Airdrie on February 4. Unfortunately, the win doesn’t significantly help their chances at securing a playoff spot.
    “We were borderline for a playoff position and now we’ve dropped back down,” said Christy Telford, manager for the team. “It’s going to come down to the wire to see if we have a playoff position.”
    The Bertram Drilling/Sports Room Midget Raptors have moved up in the standings thanks to a series of wins over the past two weeks against Oyen, Blackie, and Vulcan.
    The team has also begun their provincial playdowns. On February 9, the Midget Raptors faced Redcliff, but lost 7-3. Four days later, the Midget Raptors dominated Redcliff 9-2 in a rematch.
    The Boston Pizza/Western Chevrolet Bantam Raptors were dealt a 7-4 loss at the hands of Sundre in provincials on February 2. Unfortunately,  at a rematch on February 8 the Bantam Raptors were unable to tame Sundre, losing 2-1.
    The Bantam Raptors mended their wounds by decisively winning several of their regular season games. On February 3, the Bantam Raptors beat High River 5-1 and two days later Claresholm 3-1. The next weekend, the team won 5-1 versus Medicine Hat and tied Cochrane 3-3.
    This weekend is the last of the regular season for the Raptors and may be the final chance for some teams to get a position in the playoffs.