The Valkyries ‘ streak started in 2019 —the 2020 and 2021 WWCFL seasons were both cancelled due to COVID. — and it was their ninth title overall since the league was formed in 2011.
With a 36-21 victory over provincial rival and game host the Regina Riot, the Saskatoon Valkyries captured their fourth-straight Western Women’s Canadian Football League championship Sunday night.
The streak started in 2019; the 2020 and 2021 WWCFL seasons were both cancelled due to COVID.
It was their ninth title overall since the league was formed in 2011.
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Saskatoon got the scoring started midway through the first quarter when quarterback Alex Eyolfson found receiver and game MVP Haley Girolami in the end zone. Grace Moehler added the convert to give the Valkyries a 7-0 lead.
Moehler nailed a 29-yard field goal two minutes and four seconds into the second quarter and made it 10-0 for the Valkyries.
A few minutes later, the Valkyries were driving to the Riot end zone again, but were cut short by a Regina interception. However, Valkyries defensive back Danielle Girolami avenged the interception with one of her own on the next play, running it back in for the pick-six, which Moehler converted.
The Valkyries padded their score in the remaining time left in the half, forcing the Riot to give up a safety and adding another converted major on a Eyolfson to Haley Girolami connection, to make it 26-0 at the break.
In the third quarter, after Moehler notched a 25-yard field goal to increase the Valkyries’ lead to 29-0, the Riot got their first points of the game, with a touchdown that finally stuck after two previous touchdowns on the same drive had been called off due to penalties.
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The score remained 29-7 until midway through the fourth quarter, when the Valkyries faked a punt with a direct snap to running back Sarah Wright. She took the ball all the way down to the Riot one-yard line and Emmarae Dale capped off the series with a touchdown two plays later, which was again converted by Moehler to make the score 36-7.
However, the Riot weren’t willing to go quietly and added another two touchdowns and a two-point convert in the time remaining.
SASK ATHLETES NAMED TO OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC TEAMS
Several Saskatchewan athletes were announced for Olympic and Paralympic teams in the last week, including artistic swimmers Sydney Carroll of Saskatoon and Kenzie Priddell of Regina, women’s 3×3 basketball player Paige Crozon of Humboldt, divers Rylan Wiens of Pike Lake and Margo Erlam of Saskatoon, as well as Saskatoon para swimmer Hannah Ouellette and Humboldt para rower Jacob Wasserman.
Also announced was diving coach Mary Carroll of Saskatoon.
The Olympics will take place in Paris from July 26 to Aug. 11, with the Paralympics to follow Aug. 28 to Sept. 8.
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RATTLERS LOSE NAIL-BITER TO SEA BEARS
After a strong start to the game, the Saskatchewan Rattlers fell 103-101 to the host Winnipeg Sea Bears in Canadian Elite Basketball League action on Saturday night.
The Rattlers started off strong in the first quarter, getting out to a commanding 30-13 lead with multiple players making baskets and carried that lead through to the halfway point to lead 57-36 at the break.
In the third quarter, the Sea Bears sunk eight three-point shots to close the gap to just seven points, but the Rattlers still held the 74-67 edge entering the fourth quarter.
The Rattlers managed to extend their lead to 12 points with 3:51 left in the game, but Winnipeg continued chipping away and at 2:32, the target score of 102 was set by the officials.
Winnipeg fought back to take a small lead and then the two teams battled back and forth, eventually tying at 101; however, Winnipeg’s Emannuel Akot made a two-point layup to win the game and complete the comeback.
Elijah Harkless was the top scorer for the Rattlers with 25 points.
The Rattlers are 5-5 on the season, placing them fourth in the CEBL Western Conference.
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BERRIES FALL TO RED SOX
The Saskatoon Berries and visiting Regina Red Sox were tied after five innings in Saturday’s Western Canadian Baseball League game, but the Red Sox were able to pick up another two runs, one in the sixth and one in the ninth, to earn the 3-1 victory.
Michael Singleton was given the loss for the Berries, allowing nine hits and two runs in the 5.2 innings he pitched to go along with his seven strikeouts. Colton Anderson received the win for Regina, picking up 10 strikeouts, while allowing only four hits and one run in the six innings he pitched.
With the loss, the Berries are now 9-12 on the season and sit fourth in the WCBL East Division standings.
Saskatoon also hosted the Weyburn Beavers on Friday night, but that game was postponed on the day and eventually rescheduled to July 22 due to a downpour.
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