This past weekend was the last of the regular season for the Drumheller Raptors and the rest of minor hockey. Many teams are heading to the playoffs.
    One team, the Bertram Drilling/Sports Room Midget Raptors year is heating up. The team is headed to the playoffs in their league and are competing to be zone champions this weekend.
    This weekend will be tense. The team plays three games in three nights and each is important.
    Tonight and tomorrow night, the Midget Raptors face Sundre to determine who will be zone champions, going on to compete for the title of provincial champions.
    Tomorrow’s game against Sundre starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Drumheller Memorial Arena.
    If the Midget Raptors win, they will go on to compete for the provincial championships for the Midget C division in Manning, March 15 to 18.
    Sunday, the team will be playing High River in the league playoffs.
    “They’ve come together as a team. There’s no individual effort anymore,” said head coach Darren Toffan. “This is a team that can put it together and get it done. If it’s going to happen, this is the year. We have a great group of kids.”
    Apart from the Midget Raptors, four other teams are heading to league playoffs: The DMHA Novice, Encana Atom, Hi-Way 9 Pee Wee, and the Boston Pizza/Western Chevrolet Bantam Raptors.
    The DMHA Raptors will be having their first playoff home game on Sunday at 10:45 a.m. against Strathmore.
    “We can beat them. We’re more looking forward to beating Brooks in the final,” explained head coach Tony Pliva.
    Brooks, the first place team, have won the past couple of games against the DMHA Raptors.
    “It’s their first year of organized hockey and to make it to the playoffs is exciting,” said Pliva.
    The Encana Atom Raptors are entering playoffs as well. They’ll be playing Nanton in the first round and the first game is on Saturday in Nanton. The two teams will come to Drumheller the next day at 1:00 p.m.
    The Hi-Way 9 Pee Wee team will be facing Okotoks at 5:45 p.m. here in Drumheller for their first game of the playoffs.
    “It’s been a good year for the kids,” said assistant coach Scott Westman. “They have really come together. With hard work they finished in fourth place.”
    Things are looking good for the team. This past weekend they went up against an undefeated High River team and came out with a tie, but almost won the game in the dying seconds.
    “That gives us some good momentum going into the playoffs,” said Westman.
    Lastly, the Bantam Raptors are heading to the playoffs after finishing in third place in their league. However, the team will be having a break before starting playoffs.
    For the remaining teams, the end of the regular season means they will pick up exhibition games when they can and perhaps participate in tournaments during March.
    “All in all it was a great season. It’s great to see the progression of the kids,” said Curt Notland, head coach of the Canalta Novice Raptors.
    For more information about Drumheller Minor Hockey, visit www.drumhellerminorhockey.com.

It was a close contest that leaves the men of Drumheller to listen to a year of gloating.
    The ladies have beaten the gents in the 2012 Battle of the Sexes competition. The men had won their first victory last year and raised the bar for the ladies.
    “Oh yeah, I wanted to win this year,” said Audrey DeBona, who did an impressive 700 lengths.
    Last week, the competition heated up. The men were behind, but catching up. Alas, it was not meant to be this year.
    “We were trying, but there was one day when the ladies swam 1000 lengths and us 400,” said Tyson Anderson. “That’s when they won. Next year we’ll get them.”
    In the end, the ladies won with 14,538 (363 km) compared to the 13,144 (329 km) swam by the men, a difference of 1394 (34 km) lengths.
    The number of participants for the ladies was up this year. The ladies had an army of 69, up by six from last year, whereas the men were the same with 51.
    It was this difference that was the deciding factor.
    “They won it, they deserve the victory. We were pretty close, but we had a couple of swimmers who were away,” said John Sparling “Statistically, we could have won it, but numbers count and they’ve got them.”
    “I’m glad to see such a great turnout. The new ladies definitely tipped the scales in our favour,” said Bev Cole. “I really hope we attract more men and women next year.”
    There was one lucky gent though. David Lloyd, who swam the maximum 700 lengths in the competition, was the recipient of the free three month pass. For the ladies, Shelly Blanchett won the three month pass.
    The swimmers who made the herculean effort to swim 700 lengths were, for the ladies, Cole, DeBona, Ann Wade, and Eileen Woods.
    For the men, Duane Bolin, Dave Eberth, Lloyd, Bink Losoncy, Sparling, Morgan Syversten,  Scott Toews, and Mike Yavis.
    Sadly, Terry Bilson, who had participated for many years, passed away during the competition. In his memory, friends completed his 700 lengths.
    “He was a great guy and we’ll miss him,” said Sparling.
    The men are ready to take back the championship next year.
    “We’ll be back and we’re going to take it next year,” said Sparling. “Ladies, savour the victory while you can.”