2024 — the year in sports

West Winnipeg

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/12/2024 (632 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

High school hockey champs crowned

The Oak Park Raiders won the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association’s provincial hockey championship on March 11, with a 2-1 win over the St. Paul’s Crusaders, who had won the Winnipeg High School Hockey League’s Platinum Promotions Division title.

The Shaftesbury Titans girls hockey team won the Manitoba Women’s High School Hockey League championship on March 18, defeating the Glenlawn Lions in back-to-back 3-2 OT wins.

Meanwhile, the Sanford Sabres girls hockey team capped off a solid season by winning the Manitoba Women’s High School Hockey League Division 2 championship on March 19.

Churchill teen impresses at international judo tourney

In March, Kieran Scanlon, who was in Grade 9 at Churchill High School at the time, won two gold medals at the Edmonton International Judo Tournament, the largest judo tournament in Canada. A 14-year-old orange belt, he also won gold in the U16 +73 kg novice and U18 -90 kg novice categories, fighting against older competition.

“I had a lot of fun. I always do at tournaments,” said Scanlon, who is 6-4 and 195 pounds. “Winning them makes it even better.”

Scanlon only began practising judo last year, at the suggestion of Churchill teacher Dylan Rasmussen. He continues training with both the Churchill club and Inner City, and hopes to begin practising with the provincial team.

St. James wins third-straight Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League title

On April 14, the St. James Junior Canucks defeated the Pembina Valley Twisters 5-1 in front of a home crowd at Ab McDonald Arena in the St. James Civic Centre, to win a third-straight Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League championship.

“It’s awesome,” said Blair Mooney, head coach of the Canucks for the past nine years. “It’s what you do it for, to try to achieve the ultimate goal of winning.”

The Canucks beat the Twisters 4-1 in the best-of-seven series. A 3-2 loss to Pembina Valley on April 5 was the only blemish on an otherwise perfect playoff run that saw the Canucks sweep the Charleswood Hawks in the semifinals and the Transcona Railer Express in the opening quarter-final round, after going a league-best 37-7-1 in the regular season.

“It’s pretty special to cap off my hockey career with something like that,” captain Kale Price said. “With the big core group we’ve had returning over the past couple of years. We kind of knew what we wanted to do from the start. We know how special it is to go three championships in a row.”

Daniel McIntyre Collegiate teacher hosts drop-in basketball program

In April, one coach and teacher used basketball to help female youth in the inner city receive a shot at mentorship.

Wyatt Anders, who, along with his wife and a group of volunteers, have conducted Day 1 Development for the last five years. This year, Anders began work on expanding the program’s public reach as a not-for-profit organization.

For six months out of the year, Day 1 visits schools such as Gordon Bell High School, Youth for Christ and Hugh John MacDonald School and gives participating students a chance to learn the game without restrictions like fees or a lack of support.

“We developed the girls as humans, because that’s number one,” Anders said. “We just want them to be good, happy kids, but also learn basketball skills. And then, when they come back, they get to mentor future athletes that way. It’s a little bit hands off, especially as a male myself. We need more female role models.”

St. John’s rolls on

Over the summer, St. John’s Lawn Bowling Club kept at its mantra of never being too young or old to try the sport. Keeping in tune with the mission of coach Ben Hochman, who died in late 2023, the club encourages everyone, of all ages and skill levels, to join the fun on location in St. John’s Park (1199 Main St.), in a supportive and welcoming environment.

“(One member), who’s new with us, Ben really got him into the sport,” said Doreen Lloyd, a member of the club’s executive committee. “He’s in his mid-30s, (and) he’s become a very good bowler. It carries on Ben’s legacy, in a sense.”

Hochman and past-president Phyllis Gridley were honoured in August, when benches were installed in both of their names.

“It’s an evening out, to have fun an socialize,” Lloyd said. “We try to play by the rules, but we’re not really strict with them … it’s more for fun.”

Powell represents Canada at U15 girls CONCACAF tourney

It’s fair to say Sam Powell has been doing Manitoba proud.

The Winnipeg goalkeeper was a member of Canada Soccer’s U15 squad which came third at the 2024 CONCACAF girls’ U15 championships in Costa Rica in August.

The Canadian girls beat the host nation 2-1 to bring home the bronze medal. The U.S., the tournament’s defending champions, won the title, beating Mexico 3-0 in the championship game, having edged the Canadians on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the semifinal.

The 5-11 goalkeeper from Bridgwater, who grew up excelling in the Winnipeg soccer system, is also a member of the Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy, a Vancouver-based Canada Soccer National Development Centre which is directly connected to the Canada’s women’s youth national teams.

“I can’t really explain the initial feeling of finding out I was on the team, as it’s been in my dreams since I was very little,” said Powell, speaking on the eve of the start of her school year at Burnaby Central Secondary School.

“Representing my country is something I’ve always wanted to do, and it’s been an amazing experience so far.”