Top 10 stories from the year in local sports (Part 1/2)

The Battlefords Minor Hockey Association (BMHA) saw a rebrand of their ‘AA program,’ featuring the Peewee AA, Bantam AA and Midget AA teams. All three changed their names from the ‘Battlefords AA Barons’ to the ‘Northwest AA Stars,’ to better align with the AAA Stars and ‘Junior A’ North Stars programs.

President of the BMHA, Kyle Kellgren said the organization had been considering a name change to ‘NorthWest something’ for some time.

“We’re based out of the Battlefords, but our region is northwest,” Kellgren said. “We cover up North, [and around the region] a little bit, so we’re not just a Battleford team, we’re a northwest regional team.” Read more here.

#9. Sonningdale’s Ty Ellis wins first PBR event

This summer marked the first year competing at the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) level for Ty Ellis. However, that didn’t stop the product of Sonningdale, Sask. – located just over 40 minutes from North Battleford – from making a name for himself at the PBR Cooper Tires Invitational in Lethbridge, AB.

Ellis tied for the event victory with Brock Radford of De Winton, AB., as the pair delivered matching 86-point rides in the championship round. As a result, each rider walked away with a cheque for over $2,500, in addition to 58.5 Canadian and 11.5 world points.

The victory bumped Ellis to seventh-overall in the Canadian national standings, 187 points back of top spot, overall. Read more here.

#8. Local sports continue despite pandemic

A number of local sports organizations including local golf courses, Battlefords Gymnastics Club, Skate Battlefords, Twin Rivers Curling Club and more went ahead with their seasons, offering an athletic outlet for residents and their families in the community.

Each organization that continued operating did have to make some adjustments, whether it be implementing a mandate to book tee-times in advance, breaking up gymnastics class sizes, eliminating physical touch from skating lessons, or dropping to just a single sweeper on the curling rink.

Some, like the local golf courses, saw great turnouts this year due to great demand, while others saw registration fall back a little due to uncertainties surrounding the season. Despite their circumstances, one common theme amongst the organizations was the community support shown along the way.

#7. JPII Junior Boys/Junior Girls repeat as Champions

The 2019-20 high school athletics season was one to remember for the junior basketball program at John Paul II Collegiate (JPII).

Both the junior boys and girls’ teams topped the podium for the second time in as many years, as they took home tandem gold medals at the Battlewest District Championships in February.

The junior boys defeated Kerrobert and Unity on their way to the championship in their home gym at JPII; while the girls topped Unity and North Battleford Comprehensive High School (NBCHS) to close the season as champions across town at NBCHS. Read more here.

#6. Silvernagle returns to national stage

Hometown curling hero, Robyn Silvernagle and her North Battleford rink returned to the national stage at the 2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Moose Jaw, in mid-February.

Silvernagle’s rink, based out of the Twin Rivers curling club in North Battleford, topped Sherry Anderson 8-5 in the provincial final in Melville, to claim the Saskatchewan woman’s championship for the second consecutive year.

Silvernagle, along with lead, Kara Thevenot; third, Stefanie Lawton; and second, Jessie Hunkin returned to the national stage fully intact from the year prior, after claiming bronze at the 2019 event. Read more here.

Stay tuned to battlefordsNOW for part 2/2 in this year’s countdown of the biggest stories in local sports from the past year. The countdown will be completed tomorrow at 2 p.m.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

Top 10 stories from the year in local sports (Part 1/2)

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