Doug Zywina
Fox makes U16 provincial team
Dauphin’s Sully Fox will represent Manitoba at the U16 Western Challenge in Langley, B.C., July 1 to 7, after making the U16 provincial football team.
A center for the Dauphin Clippers football team, Fox attended several tryout camps before finally making the cut.
“The tryouts were pretty intense, but all the guys there were looking for a spot on the team,” he said.
Fox, 15, plans to work hard to crack the starting lineup and hopes to learn as much as possible, which he plans to share with his Clippers teammates.
“Trying to make us better, too,” he added.
Manitoba enters the four-team tournament as the fourth seed and will play its first game, July 3, against number-one seed Saskatchewan, while number two B.C. will play number three Alberta.
The bronze and gold medal games will take place, July 6.
In trying out for Team Manitoba, Fox was asked to play as a defensive lineman, a position he had never played before.
“And I really, really like it. It’s really fun on the D-line. So I think I’d probably prefer playing on the D-line,” he said.
Fox wishes to thank his coaches with the Clippers for their support in helping him to make the provincial team.
On May 14, the Rural Manitoba Football League held its east-west all-star game. Fox was joined by his Clippers teammates Matthew Zurba, Will Stinson, Damon Nepinak, Garrett Thompson, Scott Gower and Joseph Lopez on the East all-star team, which won, 16-8.
Lopez was then selected to represent the Manitoba rural all-stars against the Saskatchewan rural all-stars in the Challenge Cup, May 23, in Melville, Sask., which was won by Saskatchewan, 24-16.
Clippers medal on the pitch at provincials
It was not the colour they were hoping for, but both of Dauphin’s high school rugby teams came home from this weekend’s provincials with medals.
With no Winnipeg teams entered in the provincial tournament, the Westman High School Rugby League finalists earned an automatic berth into the championship game, which again pitted the Dauphin Clippers against the league champion Rivers Rams.
The Rams came away with a 34-14 win and the provincial title.
Clippers coach Aaron Miner said the Clippers, which was limited to only 15 players, played their hearts out.
Get the full rundown in this week's Dauphin Herald!
Hlady takes his game to the pros
Dauphin native Will Hlady has taken his baseball career to the next level.
After finishing his college career with the Valley City State University Vikings, Hlady signed with the Tucson Saguaros of the Pecos League of Professional Baseball Clubs, an independent league with teams in California, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Texas.
Hlady was heading to a Vikings practice when he received a phone call inviting him to a tryout in California, which resulted in his signing with the Saguaros. Hlady made his professional debut, June 4, earning the win in a 15-4 victory over the California-based Martinez Sturgeon. Hlady pitched five innings, allowing four hits, four runs of which only one was earned, while walking four and striking out seven. Hlady helped his own cause going two-for-two at the plate, with a walk and four runs-batted-in.
It was the first time in five years Hlady stepped to the plate, which, he said, made things interesting.
“Guys throw a little bit harder than what I’m used to seeing from playing back in high school. So it was a little bit of an adjustment, but it worked out well for me in my favour,” he said.
There is a period of adjustment, Hlady said, because the ball moves quicker and players are bigger and stronger and have more experience.
“Obviously, the guys that are here are here for a reason. They can all play at the next level. So it’s a little more competitive, I feel, and there’s a lot more consistency from players,” he said. “The guys that are coming up hit more frequently. Guys are making plays more frequently. There’s a lot more professionalism to it, as well, with showing up on time, being there before games and taking care of yourself.”
The biggest adjustment for Hlady is learning to hit his spots when he is pitching.
“Because guys will be able to hit the ball over the fence quite easily here. And I’ve seen that from our team firsthand and from other teams we’ve played against so far,” he said.
Hlady feels he has matured on the mound throughout his college career and he is able to control his offspeed pitches and fastball better.
“And just sticking with it and not being too frustrated when things don’t go my way,” he added.
Tucson is the two-time defending champions in the Pecos League and the goal, obviously, is to win a third straight championship.
“Which seems very doable with the way we’re playing right now,” Hlady said of the 8-2 Saguaros.
As for his own goals, Hlady hopes to improve enough to take his skills to the next professional level.
Pecos teams play in cities that do not have major or minor league baseball teams and they are not affiliated with either. The Pecos League has a 22-man roster with no designated hitter used in games. Each team roster has eight experienced players and 13 rookies.
The Pecos League regular season runs through the middle of the summer from June 1 to Aug. 5.
Parkland Campus celebrates the Class of 2022
Assiniboine Community College Parkland Campus celebrated its Class of 2022, Friday with a graduation ceremony in Dauphin.
This year’s Class of 2022 consists of 43 graduates.
Business administration: Human Resource Management diploma - Carley Coulter, Claire Gingera, Campbell Orvis, Ashley Poynting and Jessica Zurba.
Comprehensive Health Care Aide certificate - Tyra-Jane Delaurier, Wynona Guiboche, Noeline Muoneme and Madison Stratuliak.
Early Childhood Education diploma - Julia Bluhm, Carlee Farrow, Chloe Genaille, Faith McLaughlin, Britteny Sinclair, Amber Tkachyk and Aminay Yusuf.
Mature Student High School diploma - Carly Blady, Don Geriko Estanislao, Maxwell Genaille, Michelle Gouldsborough, Niki Guiboche, Sebastian Keewatin, Dustin McKay, Skyla McKay, Anna-Maria Ogg, Amanda Pangman, Kylie Paterson, Karen Renshaw and Mathew Walls-Orosz.
Office Skills certificate - Singh Harpreet and Nicole Sutherland.
Youth Employment Skills Certificate of Achievement - Denee Baptiste, Robert Baron, Angel Bull, Johnny Campbell, Shaydon Davis, Brody Denbow, Wynona Guiboche, Kennedy Ironstand, Edina Malcolm, Hope Roulette and Taylor Vier.
Karen Renshaw, a graduate of the Mature Student High School program was valedictorian.
As a mature student, Renshaw and her peers viewed life experience as an incredible asset to supplement the learning that took place in their time at ACC.
In her speech, she thanked everyone who attended the ceremony, noting it is the first time since 2019 that graduates have been able to celebrate with family friends and faculty members.
“This has been a wonderfully amazing year for adult learners, the challenges that came with a decision to improve the quality of our lives. Congratulations to you,” she added.
Renshaw also thanked the teachers, staff and Elders for the high standard of education they provided to students. Noting ACC is part of Treaty 2, she said it is because of the land they were all able to meet together over the last few years to improve themselves as a community.
Renshaw poked fun at herself during her speech.
“Returning to school at the ripe old age of 54 has been a journey. Next year, I can order from the seniors menu at Smitty’s,” she joked. “You know you are older than your teachers when they would ask, ‘hey, Karen, do you remember when?’ I would answer with, ‘man, you are lucky I remembered pants’.”
Renshaw admitted she was shocked to learn she was valedictorian, as well as honoured and amazed.
“After a couple of days, it came to me no one else applied,” she joked.
It took Renshaw a few tries to come up with a speech. Her first attempt, she said, was a reference to mountain climbing.
“Heck, I can’t even climb three flights of stairs. Thank God ACC is all one level,” she joked.
Her second attempt was about how we survived COVID, Zoom classes, masks, a winter storm in April, late night studies and cramming for last minute essays. She finally decided to write her speech the way they had lived the past eight months, by the seat of their prayers.
“Thank you, Lord/Creator, our higher power for guiding us to make a change. Thank you for putting these amazing people on our path for a better future. Thank you mostly for helping us make the grade. Amen,” she said.
On behalf of her fellow graduates, Renshaw thanked family members for their support, encouragement and for joining the graduates on their special day. She also thanked her classmates to teaching her so much.
“Your kindness will always be close to my heart. You folks are top notch. You will shine bright in your careers and lives,” she said. “The knowledge we have acquired will remain with us for the rest of our lives and we are grateful for that.”
Following the ceremony, graduates, family and friends enjoyed a barbecue meal.
Get the party started
Bratstva Studios Ukrainian Dance dancers took part in the Canadian National Ukrainian Festival kickoff party, Saturday, outside the CNUF office on 3rd Ave. NE.
The event also included a barbecue and music by Boris Nowasad and the Melody Kings.
Play ball
Dauphin played host to a Grand Slam Jamboree, Saturday at the Vermillion Park Sportsplex.
The first-ever Vic Fron Memorial Day jamboree saw 11 teams hitting the diamond for a day full of baseball fun.
Best of the best
Carson Cherepak was the recipient of this year’s Cam Alf Memorial Award as Dauphin Kings’ Most Valuable Player.
The Kings goaltender also shared the Most Valuable Playoff Performer Award with forward Logan Calder and topped the Parkland Source for Sports Three Stars, with Kaden Bryant named second star and Parker Malchuk was the third star.
Malchuk was named the winner of the Joe Dawson Memorial Award as Best Defenceman and Calder took home the Barry Trotz Award as Best Defensive Player.
Roblin’s Brayden Dube won two awards, taking home the Ernie Hlady Memorial Award as Most Popular Player On and Off the Ice and he shared the Dauphin Minor Hockey Award as Rookie of the Year with Gilbert Plains product Jayden Jubenvill.
Luke Morris capped off a successful rookie season by winning the Dauphin Herald Award for Outstanding Character and the Bill and June Brychka Atta Boy Award.
Other award winners were Colby Jaquet, who won the Steve “Boomer” Hawrysh Memorial Award as the Most Gentlemanly Player; Klim Georgiev won the Johnny Kay Memorial Award as Most Inspirational Player; Nick Braun won the Dave Snitka Memorial Award as Most Improved Player; and the Dave Seeley Memorial Award for Community Involvement went to Cordell Coleman. The awards were handed out, May 30.
Opportunities abound
Grade 10 students from Ste. Rose were in Dauphin, May 31, for the Assiniboine Community College Parkland Campus open house and job fair.
Students had a chance to tour the facility and learn more about the jobs available to them upon graduation.
For the cause
From left, Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund board member Larry Hrytsay, Ukrainian Orthodox Parish of St.George secretary Marusia Sedor, Karla Tycholes of Irving’s Catering, Ukrainian Orthodox Parish of St. George president Kelvin Korman, family fund board members Jim Perchaluk and Don Tarrant and Parish vice-president Doris Dunfield were recently on hand for the presentation of a cheque for $6,000.
The money was raised from the fish fry fund-raiser hosted by the Parish and Irving’s Catering in April.
Kings add 11 players at the draft
The Dauphin Kings added 11 players to its program, Saturday, when the Manitoba Junior Hockey League held its draft of first-year U18 players.
Dauphin used its first-round pick, 12th overall, to select forward Gavin Nemis of East St. Paul.
Nemis, five-foot, nine-inches tall weighing 130-pounds, played for the Rink Hockey Academy (RHA) Winnipeg U16 prep team in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League last season, scoring 14 goals and 25 points in 36 games.
In the second round, Dauphin selected forward Rhett Perrin of Morden, 20th overall.
Playing for the RHA Winnipeg U15 prep team, the six-foot, 170-pound Perrin tallied 14 goals and 29 points in 32 games.
In the third round, the Kings stayed in the Parkland, taking Parkland Rangers forward Hayden Seib of Russell, 37th overall.
Seib, six-feet, weighing 160-pounds, scored 13 goals and 26 points in 44 games with the Rangers last season.
Dauphin then selected Onanole’s Max Collyer in the fourth round, 50th overall after the six-foot, 172-pound forward netted four goals and 12 points in 43 games with the Yellowhead Chiefs of the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League.
In round five, with the 67th overall pick, Dauphin selected Winnipegger Dylan Jaquet, the younger brother of former Kings defenceman Colby Jaquet.
The younger Jaquet had 11 goals and 25 points in 33 games with the Winnipeg Bruins U17 team.
Dauphin had four picks in the sixth round, beginning with the 76th pick which was used to take defenceman Spencer Sabourin of St. Jean Baptiste.
The five-foot, eight-inch, 152-pound rearguard had one goal and one assist in 42 games with the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League’s Pembina Valley Hawks last season.
With the next pick, 77th overall, Dauphin selected forward Declan Hoad of Brandon.
In 33 games with the U17 Wheat Kings, Hoad scored seven times and had 13 points.
Five picks later, with the 82nd overall selection, the Kings took defenceman Zhenya Miles of Winnipeg, who played for the Kelowna RHA U16 prep team last season, where the six-foot, 146-pounder scored four goals and 22 points in 31 games.
With the next pick, 83rd overall, Dauphin took Winnipeg’s Ethan Cull of the RHA Winnipeg U16 prep squad.
The five-foot, seven-inch, 134-pound forward had four goals and seven points in 31 games, last season.
Dauphin then took Josh Fluker of Boissevain in the seventh round, 96th overall.
The five-foot, 10-inch, 134-pound defenceman had six goals and 20 points in 38 games with the Southwest Cougars of the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League and added five assists in 10 games with the Western Hockey League’s Swift Current Broncos.
Another members of the Cougars went to Dauphin in the eight round, 109th overall, when the Kings selected forward Jackson Hofer.
In 28 games with Southwest, the Deloraine native scored twice and recorded four points.
Kings head coach and general manager Doug Hedley said they wanted to get the best possible player available.
“Anytime you draft, it depends on the guys drafting ahead of you which direction you go in. When the Nemis kid and the Perrin kid were both available in the first two rounds, they were our guys. We got two of our top five picks,” he said. “They’ve got speed. They’ve got skill. They can both skate real well.”
Forwards were a need that Hedley filled with eight selected in the draft, compared to just three defencemen.
“Our backend is decent with the ‘04s and ‘05s right now. So we thought we could probably top up the forwards section,” he said.
The Kings will play host to the annual Par 3 Extravaganza, Saturday at the Gilbert Plains Country Club. The annual general meeting will be held, June 23, at 7 p.m. in the Aspen Lodge at the Parkland Recreation Complex. The Manitoba Junior Hockey League prospects camp will be in July in Winnipeg.
Hedley made his first deal of the offseason, acquiring goaltender Cole Sheffield from the French River Rapids of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League for future considerations.
The 18-year-old native of London, Ont., posted a 13-15-1 record in 31 games, with a 3.75 GAA and .904 save percentage.
Hedley said if starter Carson Cherepak gets a Division 1 scholarship, last year’s backup Keaton Woolsey would become the starter for next season and Sheffield would be in line for the backup position. If Cherepak returns to the Kings next season, however, Woolsey has indicated he has no interest in being a 19-year-old backup, opening the door for Sheffield.
“It was a good move for us. This kid is very good,” Hedley stated.