Bringing out the rivalry

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This article was published 29/01/2019 (2496 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

You can dismiss the Duckworth Challenge as a marketing ploy, but make no mistake, the crosstown university rivalry between the Winnipeg Wesmen and Manitoba Bisons still burns hot.

Thursday, the 28th edition of the annual competition between the schools’ soccer, basketball and volleyball teams restarts with the men’s and women’s hoops teams meeting at the Duckworth Centre. 

The women’s game tips off at 6 p.m., with the men to follow at 8 p.m.

The U of M is up 1-0 in this season’s challenge after a 1-0 women’s soccer victory on Oct. 6. The schools’ respective volleyball teams face off on Friday at Investors Group Athletic Centre. The men start at 6 p.m., with the women following at 7:45 p.m.

“It’s real,” Jessica Dyck, a second-year forward on the U of W women’s basketball team, said during a city hall media conference to promote the event. “No matter where the two teams are ranked. Years past, up until now, the games will always be very competitive. It’s always going to be a close, very emotional game.”

Dyck, whose friend and former Oak Park High School teammate Deidre Bartlett is a member of the Bisons, knows there are also serious Canada West playoff implications riding on the game.

Winnipeg, 6-12 and current owners of the 12th and final playoff spot in the conference, could finish as high as 11th when the league’s complex RPI rating system is factored in.

The Bisons, meanwhile, are 8-10 and sit 11th, but could improve to 10th or drop to 12th depending on how they wrap up the regular season.

“I don’t think it’s as much of a buildup as it used to be — emotionally,” U of M women’s coach Michele Sung said. “But I think in terms of the timing of it this year, it’s good excitement. And being the last week of the league and it being our senior night (playing the Wesmen again) on Saturday, the split I think gives it a different feel, too. The day between, recovering between games.” 

First-year Wesmen forward Deborah Nkiasa can’t wait for the fun to begin.

“As much as I’ve watched throughout the years, it is really important. Even the past players mention it,” Nkiasa said. “This is a big deal and I’m looking forward to being a part of it.”

Thursday’s matchup could depend heavily on some key players, including Winnipeg’s Dyck and Manitoba guard Taylor Randall. Randall leads the Bisons in scoring (17.2 points per game) and assists (3.4 per game).

Randall has grown to love the rivalry.

“Obviously, my first year coming in, I had no idea. I didn’t know what it meant. But every year, it’s become something that I look forward to,” said Randall, a third-year player from Dundas, Ont. “It does mean something to me and I think it means a lot to some of my teammates who have played against some of these girls their whole careers.”

Dyck, meanwhile, has taken on a bigger role and is third in Wesmen scoring (9.2 points per game) and rebounding (4.6 per game).

“I guess I’m happy that the hard work in the off-season has paid off,” Dyck said. “Probably just confidence and being a primary scorer. Last year, we had Antoinette Miller, who definitely took control. She had the ball a lot and we wanted her with the ball. This year, I guess some of the delegations have been a little more delegated, I guess you could say. I have more responsibility, so we have to have more people putting the ball in the basket and I took up some of that responsibility.”

On the men’s side, fifth-year Manitoba forward Malik Irwin enjoys the trash talk in these games, particularly when facing former teammates such as Billy Yaworsky and Joseph Medrano.

“It’s friendly, it’s interesting,” Irwin said with a smile.

“But I mean every word I say when I’m talking trash.” 

The Bisons, currently ninth in Canada West with a 9-9 record, have plenty of incentive to knock off the Wesmen, who are fifth at 12-6. The Herd, winners of six straight, could finish as high as seventh or as low as 10th and the teams could very well meet up in the opening round of the playoffs.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say I hate them personally, but I’m always going to try and put on for my school and I know about the roots and where it comes from, so I’m going to give it my all,” said fourth-year guard Rashawn Browne, who leads the team in scoring (15.6 points per game) and is second in rebounds (5.6 per game).

Added Manitoba head coach Kirby Schepp: “There’s a little bit of that natural rivalry that’s always going to be there. I think the idea of centring all four teams around the same time, playing in the same week, heightens the rivalry, brings out the other sports and draws more attention to it. To me, that makes it more special.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14