There was no shortage of exciting and intriguing storylines around the local sporting world through 2019. Pictured top left to right: BMF Bucks, Levi Scherman and Cory Wouters,. Pictured bottom left to right: Chance and Wyatt Fennig, Biggar Nationals. (File photos/battlefordsNOW)

By Martin Martinson

Looking Back

Local sports highlights from 2019 (Pt. 1/2)

Dec 25, 2019 | 12:00 PM

It was a big year for local sports in 2019, with a number of championships won, and memorable moments made. Here is Part 1 of a battlefordsNOW series highlighting some of the top stories from the past year in the local sporting world.

Battlefords dominate Saskatoon Minor Football ranks, as Bucks and Vikings post dual championships

It was an all Battlefords outcome at the Kinsmen Football League (KFL) finals in 2019, as both the Battlefords Minor Football (BMF) Bucks and North Battleford Junior Vikings, took home their respective league championships in the Saskatoon Minor Football League ranks.

For the Bucks, the Peewee championship served as the team’s third-consecutive league title over the last three years, and capped off a perfect 7-0 regular season campaign.

The Vikings’ win was also something special, serving as the perfect fairytale ending to the team’s first season back in the KFL, following a two-year hiatus.

BODY-WORM CAMERAS

RCMP begins nationwide rollout of body cameras for frontline officers

7h ago

Inflation

Rent inflation to slow in the next few years, Desjardins predicts

12h ago

North West U15 AA Sharks

AA Sharks continue success with tournament win in Regina

13h ago

Read more: Here.

Biggar Nationals capture gold at U-16 Provincials

Following up a solid regular season that saw the team post a 14-5 record, the Nationals U-16’s softball team entered provincial play confident in their ability to compete with even the top teams in Saskatchewan. But the team’s run to provincial gold was not without adversity.

After dropping each of their opening two games, the team bounced back for a big victory in their third round-robin matchup, to punch their ticket to the playoff rounds.

Revitalized, the girls crushed the Southeast Supernovas in the semi-finals, and then edged out Unity in the finals, to clinch the gold medal and earn their place atop the podium.

Read more: Here.

Two Battlefords boys are Western Canadian baseball champions

August saw two local baseball players who grew up playing on the community ball diamonds become Western Canadian champions.

Levi Scherman and Cory Wouters played for the Sask 5 Giants 15U AAA team out of Martensville this year.

Representing Saskatchewan, Martensville’s ball club had paved their way to Westerns each of the last three years, before ultimately clinching the first Western Canadian Championship in community history, thanks in part to the dynamic duo’s contribution.

The team finished with a 26-17-1 record through the regular season, before then defeating Lloydminster, Red Deer, and North Winnipeg; clinching the gold against Lloyd’s Prairie Pirates.

Amongst the pairs highlights, Wouters pitched a perfect game against North Winnipeg, while Scherman delivered a grand slam against Moose Jaw in provincials.

Read more: Here.

Riding bull: a Fennig family legacy

Being thrust back and forth on – and subsequently off — the back of an angry one-tonne animal, may not be the thrill most people are looking for. But for North Battleford’s Fennig brothers, nothing beats the rush that comes from riding bulls.

Together, Chance and Wyatt Fennig received the opportunity to shine in front of the hometown crowd over the summer, riding bulls in front of friends and family as juniors at the local Professional Bull Riders (PBR) event held at the NB Civic Centre in late July.

For the brothers, the sport continues a family tradition. Their father rode bulls in his day, and helped pass along a passion for the thrill to his boys, from an early age.

The Fennig boys’ journey of riding unruly animals can be traced back to the age of five, with the pair flying around on sheep to get their teeth cut. However, it didn’t take long until the two were graduating on to steers, and then – in their teen years – bulls, to carry on the family torch.

Read more: Here.

—

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1