Sports | DrumhellerMail

DVSS basketball building tradition

    It is time to exchange the gridiron for the cage, and at DVSS, they are building a basketball tradition.
   The Dynos are getting ready for the start of the 2011-2012 season. Their first game of the season is in Trochu on Monday, December 5. Their home opener is on December 21 versus Carbon.
   “This year's team is a good mixture of veterans and youth, who hope to continue and build upon the success of our boys basketball program,” said head coach Jeff Messom.
   The team has been building a tradition over the last few seasons. They recaptured the league championship last season by beating Acme and went on to win silver at zones. They earned a berth in provincials and finished in sixth place in the province.
   They have a strong core coming back this season, and have an exciting year planned, and much of that action will be close to home.
   For the first time in six years, the Dynos are hosting a home tournament. In fact, there will be three tournaments this season at DVSS. The Dynos will be hosting top teams on the weekend of January 13 and 14. They are hosting a second tournament the weekend of March 2-3, just a week before they play host to the Zone tournament on March 9 and 10.
   Another exciting event planned for the team is taking on the Harlem Crowns. This mix of basketball prowess, showmanship and gags is a crowd pleaser and will help the team financially through the season. This is slated for January 17.
   The success of the program is more than just wins and loses. It is building a team, and identity, and in turn developing strong character.
   “When it comes to boys' basketball at DVSS, we have always tried to promote the concept that this is more than just a team for that given year, but the players are part of something bigger, the Dynos basketball program. So in those initial years it was about developing an identity and a foundation of what represents Dynos basketball, a system of intensity, heart, hard work, and unity,” said Messom.
   Many of the players have taken these lessons and have continued with basketball. Over the last few years, nine Dynos have gone on to play basketball at the college level. They include Joe Browning, James Fournier, Jason Aiken, Gavin Pittman, Mitch Smith, Chad Molzan and Kyle Masson.
   Currently Tyler Fournier and Will Belliveau are playing at Kings University College under the guidance of Jesse McLean and Chad Pidhaichuk, who this year took over coaching the postsecondary team. Both were part of the Dynos program as Badlands Basketball.
   “I would attribute the success of these individuals to their character, dedication to hard work, and commitment, which they were able to take to the next level with them. And I believe it was these qualities from these individuals and other individuals who have been part of the program that have led to our success,” said Messom.
   He adds that many of the players give back to the program.
   “We believe success breeds success and in the last six years we have been fortunate that when a group of young men move on, another group the next year wants to step in and continue the success of the recent past,” said Messom. “When players have graduated, we have been fortunate that many of them want to remain vital part of the program’s success by coming back to help with spring league, basketball camps, or helping coach our teams at DVSS.”

Sabres win home opener

    The senior boys Sabres basketball team had their first on-court test of the season last Tuesday, facing the Airdrie Koinonia Falcons at home.
   The young team was short of its two big men in the match and came out sluggish. Turnovers plagued the team and they found themselves down 38-35 after the first half, leaving 13 points at the free throw line.
   In the second half, the Sabres began to execute their offense better and found some points fast breaking. They outscored the falcons 39-27 in the second half to pull out a 74-65 win.
   Nathan Comstock was the high scorer with 18 points, followed by Jordan Comstock and T.J. Jones, who each had 17.
   Coming off last season when the Sabres made their second consecutive trip to the provincial finals, the team has some strong players returning, as well as a young eager core coming up. The team demonstrated to its coaches they have the will to not give up and have a strong work ethic in practice.
   The team is not able to play in a league this season, but have a strong slate of exhibition games lined up in addition to tournaments. They will be heading to Forestburg to defend their championship from last season and will be hosting their Sabres Classic in January.
   Their next game is this coming Tuesday when they head to Trochu to take on the Blue Jays.

“CHAMPS”

    It is a win that will go down in Drumheller sports history.
   The Titans managed to wrest away the crown from the Ardrossan Bisons in overtime to win the Tier 4 provincial championship for the first time in the team’s history.
   And for the first time in history head coach Ken Fournier and the rest of the coaching staff were silenced.
   “After the game, and the team was celebrating the coaches were in a huddle, and we couldn’t even speak, none of us, we were just looking a each other,” said head coach Ken Fournier. “We didn’t know how to react to it. It is something you don’t get to experience that often.”
   What was not silent was the enthusiastic crowd that made the trek by bus and by car to the championship game in Lethbridge last Friday night. For those who didn’t make the game, they watched the live feed online, listened to the radio or waited for live updates via text and social media. The community learned in myriad ways of the result. For those who witnessed the game, the battle was worth seeing.
   And it was a battle from beginning to end, with the score seesawing. Casualties took their toll on the Titans.
   “We played that entire second half with only three Grade 12’s on defense,” said Fournier.
   Veterans Kyle Smith and Dale Poulsen were both knocked out of the game with head injuries, and Jason Johnson injured his shoulder. The rest of the team stood strong and held a one-touchdown lead down the stretch. The Bisons scored a late touchdown to put them in the lead. The Titans marched it back down to within field goal range.
   “We kicked for the field goal but we missed it. It bounced into the end zone. Their player knew that he had to get it out and he went for a run and we ended up tackling him about a yard shy of clearing the end zone which gave us a single point to tie it,” said Fournier. “It was our kicker and quarterback that made the tackle.”
   This tied the two teams at 34, and forced overtime.
   Braden Scriven continued his assault on the Bisons and carried it home for the winning touchdown. The Bisons were not able to score, and the Titans walked of the field with a 41-34 win.
   “The players battled against a very physical team. I saw more bloody noses in that single game than I have seen in the last three years. They were warriors,” said Fournier.
   The win was special for players as well as the Titans organization, which started from an idea in the mid ‘90s, and in 1996 put their first team on the field. Coach Fournier began as a Bantam Titan in 1998, went on to play as a senior and then coach.
   It was especially meaningful for Jason Blanke, who helped to found the team.
   “I am so proud to be a Drumheller Titan today,” said Blanke. “Congratulations to the current Titans and to the Titans Alumni, this is what we have worked so hard to get to.”
   Kellie Smith is another vocal member of the organization, and she was elated with the result.
   “Everyone from Drumheller can be so proud of how our boys played so hard and left everything they had and then some on the field... through major injuries, cold weather and OT, our boys pushed through and showed their true character. We must thank our coaches and managers but also the parents and community for helping these boys get here,” she said.
   The Titans brought home the top prize in a season that they were only expecting modest results. The team looks promising for years to come with the talent entrenched already as well as strong players coming up from the Bantam ranks. Spencer Fournier, who ran for 279 yards last Friday is only in Grade 10. Other players stepped up in the heat of battle.
   “Alan Lister, he’s in Grade 10 and he led that defense for most of the game,” said Fournier.
   “As long as we fill those spots that are left empty, those key holes on defense and linemen, and if they play effectively, we’ll have another good season,” said Fournier.

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