Sports | DrumhellerMail

Track athlete's on her way to Alberta Summer Games

A Drumheller track and field athlete is heading to the Alberta Summer Games.
   The Alberta Summer Games is in Airdrie from July 24-27. Payton Zacharuk, 14, has qualified to compete in track and field events, and in her case, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
   She comes from a long line of athletes. In fact, her sister Sydney competed in the Alberta Summer Games as a teen in track and field, as did her mother Elizabeth, who competed in tennis. Sydney won silver at discus, and placed fourth in shot put and seventh in javelin. Elizabeth won tennis in the East Central Alberta Games and then placed sixth at the summer games.
   “I am excited she is going to have this experience,” said Elizabeth.
   Payton is relatively new to the sport, but has been making great strides. She is excelling in throwing events. Currently she is training with the Airdrie Aces Track team and most recently came back from a meet in Kelowna where she threw some personal bests. She placed in three out her four events.
   “She is blowing away records, right, left and centre,” said her mother, Elizabeth. “She has tripled her distances in a month.”
   For the games, Payton will be competing in high jump, discus, and shot put. To prepare she is training four times a week in Airdrie. This weekend she is in Edmonton to compete in provincials.
   This summer the City of Airdrie expects to host 3,200 athletes, coaches, officials, parents and volunteers.

Team Riverside wins soccer championship

Melissa Dionisio, left and Parker Davies race for the ball in the championship match last Thursday. Team Riverside Value Drug Mart edged out DVSS United for the win.

Team Riverside Value Drug Mart came out on top to conclude the first ever season for Adult co-ed soccer in Drumheller.
   The team took on DVSS United in the final last Thursday night, June 26, at the Drumheller soccer field. Team Riverside finished the round robin season in third place and beat team Esso to make it the final. DVSS United finished the regular season in fourth, but upset the number one team Brick to make it to the championship.
   DVSS United looked strong from the get-go and scored on their first drive to go up 1-nil.
   Before the halftime, Team Riverside Value Drug Mart tied the game on a scramble in front of the DVSS United net. Emilie Toews knocked it in.
   The teams were evenly matched throughout most of the game. Jay Mulgrew was able to punch it in and put Riverside up 2-1.
   Riverside was then tasked with holding off a DVSS United onslaught for the remainder of the half. They were able to outlast them for the win.
“A 2-1 game is phenomenal between the third and four place teams. It shows how much parity there was amongst the league, it was great to it was competitive but still recreational,” said league organizer Gavin Makse.
   This has been an exciting inaugural year for the adult coed eight a side league. The teams were evenly matched, making every game competitive. It also saw great participation with 60 players, enough for four teams to take to the field for the short but action packed season.
   “It was a success just to have the league happen,” said Makse. “It was great to see 60 people come together to have some fun and play some recreational soccer.”
   He is hopeful the league will grow and thrive.
   “Already people are asking about the summer, the fall and indoor. That is what we want to see,” he said.
   For the remainder of the summer, there will be drop-in at the field on Tuesday and Thursday nights. There is also the possibility of an indoor league this fall at the Badlands Community Facility.
   “Hopefully we can expand on four teams, maybe set our goals on five or six and possibly even go full field next year,” said Makse.

Skills camp closes out U10 softball season

The Drumheller Girls Softball Association finished their softball season hosting a skills camp in town Saturday, June 21.
   The skills camp, for players ages 8 to 13, was a wrap up to the season for the local Comets and Renegades, the two girls U10 teams.
   Instructors for the south division development camp came out of Calgary, and while most participants were from Drumheller, some came from Lacombe, Stettler and Foremost to attend.
   Kelsey Calon, coach of the Comets, and Renegades coach Barb Heptonstall, are proud of the hard work and skills the girls have developed over this season.
   Calon said the focus this year for the players was getting down the basics of hitting, catching and throwing, and developing the team’s pitching.

Drumheller girls softball U10 Comets, Front row (l-r): Miranda Kendell, Elizabeth Halliday, Cassia Teske, and Madalyn Ramsbottom. Second row(l-r): Ava Harrington, Alicia Christensen, Charli Calon, Brooklyn Wright, Alana Mackey. Coaches Tim and Kelsey Calon at the back.

   The Comets team of ten had four veteran players, four rookies, and two second year players.
   Brad Wright assisted the Calons with coaching duty this year.
   Barb and Dale Heptonstall have been coaching some of the Renegades players for four years now, some for three, and also have a few brand new players on the team.

Drumheller girls softball U10 Renegades, Front row (l-r): Hailey Panisiak, Rachel Bolin, Olivia Heptonstall, Angelina Stanger. Second row (l-r): Avigaile Hoffmann, Piper McCluskey, Camryn McDougald, Peyton Jede, Jessica Giffin, Ava Lund. Back row are coaches Dale Heptonstall, Dale Telford, and Barb Heptonstall.

   Dale Telford also worked with the Renegades on and off the field.
   The coaches of both teams appreciate the tremendous support of all the parents and volunteers, who helped out the teams in every way, from cheering to umpire to helping out at practice and during games.
   All that work helped make a fulfilling season for the young ball players, and their coaches.
   “As coaches, it is hugely rewarding to see them put all of the skills together and encourage each other through each practice and every game,” said Heptonstall.

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