Pictured left to right: Gavin Nolin (No. 11), Andrew Hudec (No. 9), Kyle Gregoire (No. 28) and Blair Geering (No. 11), will be among the names at the core of a strong Beavers roster this spring, featuring the best in senior baseball from the community. (Submitted photo/Gavin Nolin)

By Martin Martinson

one team, united

Beavers/Trappers to join forces for spring NSRBL season

Apr 8, 2022 | 3:08 PM

Senior baseball fans in the Battlefords are in for a thrill this year at Beaver Lions Stadium, as the North Battleford Beavers and Battlefords Trappers have announced the teams will amalgamate to form one community team under the Beavers moniker this season.

Having teamed up for provincial events in recent years, it will mark the first time the community’s top players are all one team for NSRBL play since the Trappers were initially formed a half-decade ago, in the spring of 2017.

This year’s Beavers team will feature the top players from both the Beavers and Trappers teams together on one roster, including (pictured L-R:) Bob Hudec, 2021 Top Pitcher Nominee Aaron Cadrin, 2021 MVP Nominee Andrew Hudec, Skyler Dimmick, 2019 League MVP Gavin Nolin, and 2021 MVP Nominee Kyle Gregoire. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Player/manager with the Beavers, Kyle Gregoire said the club is looking forward to having the Trappers’ players join their squad to unite the local teams with an eye on success this year.

“We’ve had two provincials together as a combination of a team, and we just decided it was the right fit and time to come together as one team,” Gregoire said. “We’re looking forward to competing pretty well in the NSRBL this year and then provincials down the road later this season as well.”

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The roster combination makes North Battleford an instant contender for a North Sask River Baseball League (NSRBL) title. Both teams have seen some real success in recent years even prior to reuniting, headlined by a run to the league final in 2020 for the Beavers.

With much of that roster still intact, the team now adds names including 2019 League MVP, Gavin Nolin, and 2021 Trappers MVP, Andrew Hudec, along with others such as Bob and Matt Hudec, Mike Ross and Jared Schmidt among those likely to suit up for the club.

Player/manager with the Trappers, Gavin Nolin said playing together on the provincial stage really served as a keen motivator to re-unite for a full season again, in an effort to achieve something special.

“We’ve been fierce competitors for the last few years but all in good fun, and after the last few years where we’ve combined for provincials we were just thinking we have a lot of good guys here and a lot who want to win, so combining and taking the best of us is probably the best way to give us a shot at doing just that.”

Andrew Hudec said it’s an opportunity the guys are looking forward to.

“It’s exciting; we came up just a little bit short at provincials last year and I think the boys were all pretty hungry after that, so I think it’s time to get together and bring a championship back to North Battleford.”

The new-look Beavers will open their season May 19 at the Macklin Lakers. More on the upcoming NSRBL season is available here.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1