Sports | DrumhellerMail

Valley lacrosse team moving onto provincials

    Lacrosse in the badlands is making headway this season, with all age groups performing in tournaments and games this weekend.
   The bantams started their tournament with a convincing 10-4 win over the Innisfail Phantoms on Friday night, followed by a loss Saturday against the top ranked Red Deer Chiefs. They lost against the rough playing Olds team on Sunday to end their season.
   After having a bye into the first round of playoffs, the Pee-wee squad lost both their games Saturday, not having the legs to pull off a win, says Badlands Lacrosse President, Dave Powell.
   The novice players beat Olds on Friday, 4-3, before taking a heartbreaking double overtime loss on Saturday to Locoka, 4-3. But the team is moving on to the semi-finals this Friday after defeating Red Deer 5-1 on Sunday.
   The Ramada Midgets played Friday night against Lacoka and fought right from the opening to the whistle, ending the game with an 8-4 victory. They then lost to a second Red Deer team, with some questionable calls being made, Badlands lost 4-3. Sunday was a different story, with the Midgets being down 4-2 going into the third quarter, came back with 4 uncontested goals to beat Red Deer 6-5.
   With this win they have now qualified for Provincials in Medicine Hat in mid-July.       They play next Saturday in the semifinals against a strong Innisfail team.
   The tyke and mini-tyke teams participated in a fun tournament over the weekend in Blackfalds, with what Powell calls some exciting young players that will carry forward competitive lacrosse in the future.
   “Tenacious defense and speedy, creative offense made for some entertaining lacrosse matches for the young players, aged 3 to 8.”

Titans undefeated at tournament

    The Titans will be carrying their head high to San Diego and then the fall season, after a strong showing at a spring tournament.
    The senior Titans were in Okotoks to play at the tournament on Saturday, June 5. It was a training format where each team was given 10 possessions each to make their charge. This gave each team the same amount of offensive and defensive possessions.
    Teams in attendance included Whitecourt, Pincher Creek, Catholic Central High School out of Lethbridge and Wetaskiwin.
    In the end, the Titans posted ties versus Pincher Creek and Catholic Central and won versus Whitecourt and Wetaskiwin.
    Coach Jason Rasmussen told The Mail the win versus Wetaskiwin was the sweetest.
    He said the play was back and fourth, but as the end closed in, the Titans came together and “stream rolled” Wetaskiwin, scoring three touchdowns towards the end of the game.
    Rasmussen explains when many of his players were in Grade 9 they were beaten out by Wetaskiwin. Many of the same players were back on the field, and this time Drumheller had the moral victory.
    That is it for the Senior Titans until fall begins to roll around. Registration day is On Sunday, August 15, and then from August 23-29 the senior travel team will be in San Diego to play in a tournament in preparation for the regular season.

Raptors get ready for lacrosse playoffs

    The Sports Room SFS Pee Wee Raptors wrapped up their regular season play in fine form.
    They came out right from the start hard scoring on the very first play of the game and never looked back. The Innisfail Pee Wee’s were no match on this Sunday going down to the Badlands squad 13-0.
The Raptors jumped two spots in the standings with the win and get a bye in the first round of playoffs which begins on Saturday June 19, in Red Deer.
    Friday night, June 11, both the Bantams and Midget Raptors played their final games.
    The Midfield Bantams finished up the season in Three Hills playing one of the top teams of the league. They put out a strong effort but just couldn’t keep up with this very strong team. They go into weekend action against Innisfail Friday night at 6 p.m.
    The Ramada Midget Raptors finished their season playing the number one team from Red Deer. The local boys put out their best effort of the year and showed both themselves and Red Deer they can be a force to be reckoned with when they put out their best game. Badlands played strong defense and controlled the ball for most of the game. They ended up defeating the Red Deer team 6-4 to drop Red Deer out of first place in the standings. They take on Lacoka Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in Red Deer.
    Dan’s Oilfield Novice Raptors were off this past weekend but will begin playoff play Friday night at 6:15 p.m. against Olds in Red Deer.
    Playoffs are a double elimination format that runs June 18-20 and then finishes up June 26 and 27 in Red Deer.

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