Sports | DrumhellerMail

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.

St. Anthony’s athletes celebrate season

    Athletes from St. Anthony’s School celebrated another year of success at their second annual banquet and awards night.
    On Thursday, June 10 friends, family and faculty joined athletes at the junior high and high school level, to look back on the year of learning and achievement.
    Not only were athletes honoured for their hard work, but also were parents and coaches who gave their time to support the players on their way to achieving their goals.
    The athletes were given a concrete example of how hard work can result in pursuing their dreams, as Drumheller athlete Jason Aiken was the guest speaker.
    Aiken has gone on to play basketball at the post secondary level, and this all started in junior high when he was invited to play at a basketball tournament when the team was short on numbers.
    In Grade 10, he joined the St. Anthony’s squad and was hooked to the sport. After a strong season, he decided to go to DCHS in Grade 11 to continue working on his game.
    “At DCHS I was barely able to step on the floor, but I kept working hard trying to improve any way I could,” Aiken said to the crowd of about 120 at the dinner.
    He worked his way into a key spot on the squad and eventually the team won a provincial bronze.
    After leaving high school, he had a dream to continue playing basketball, and attended a number of training camps and tryouts. The response from all sides was he needed to work harder on his game. That is exactly what he did, and eventually he was offered a scholarship to play for Lakeland College in Lloydminster.
    His experience at Lakeland College was similar to his experience at DCHS. He saw a lot of time on the bench at the beginning, but worked his way onto the court, and secured a few starts.
    Last season the team won fourth spot in the northern division of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC). The team was short a couple all-Canadian players as they bowed to Mount Royal College in the playoffs.
    “More important than winning or losing, I have made friends in every province from B.C. to Nova Scotia, thanks to the game, many of who are some of my best friends I have made in my life,” said Aiken. “My message to aspiring athletes, or any aspiring students. If you are passionate about something whether it is basketball, volleyball, music or drama, if you are willing to pursue your goal and work as hard as you can, your rewards will be fruitful, and take you places you could have never imagined.”

Drumheller's Dion Knelsen named academic All-American

    Alaska Nanooks men’s hockey forward, and former Drumheller Dragon Dion Knelsen was selected to the ESPN Magazine's 'Academic All-America At-Large Men’s First Team' announced Tuesday, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
    Knelsen, who graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks last month with a degree in Business Administration, maintained a 3.98 grade point average in his studies and was selected to the Chancellor’s List every semester of his four-year career.
    He signed a one-year contract to play professional hockey next season for the Sparta Warriors of Sarpsborgo, Norway, and the Norwegian Elite League.
    The leading scorer for the Nanooks this season with 19 goals and 24 assists, Knelsen led the Blue and Gold to an 18-12-9 record and their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. His four-year, career scoring line of 45 goals, 75 assists and 120 points rank 17th on Alaska’s all-time scoring list.
    His senior campaign was capped off with a heap of athletic and academic awards including: CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Year, CCHA Humanitarian of the Year, CCHA All-Conference Team Honourable Mention, Lowe’s Senior CLASS First-Team All-American, UAF Joel Weigert Outstanding Graduating Senior Man, all-tournament team and MVP honours at the Kendall Classic and Brice Alaska Goal Rush, respectively, and was one of just seven finalists for the prestigious Hockey Humanitarian Award.
    He is the fifth Nanook to earn the prestigious distinction, joining Trevor Hyatt (Men’s At-Large, 2009), Marius Korthauer (Men’s At-Large, 2008), Vahur Teppan (Men’s At-Large, 2008) and Jenny (Lin) Benson (Women’s Basketball, 1989).

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