Sports | DrumhellerMail - Page #231
11272024Wed
Last updateSat, 23 Nov 2024 12pm

Drumheller Footballers boost Airdrie Raiders to semifinals*



    Four Drumheller footballers are making a play on a different field.
    Tracker Robinson, Aden Enns, Rhett Duggan, and Eric Seiller are standouts for the Drumheller Titans. This spring they are getting more experience in the fields playing for the Airdrie Northern Raiders in the Calgary and Area Midget Football League.
    Last season Tracker played for the Raiders and it was a good experience. Last season the Raiders were at the bottom of the league, but improved throughout the season and won Division 2 of the league.
     This season they are strong with the injection of Drumheller players, finished the regular season with a 4-2 record, and just began playoffs at the Divison1 level.
    “They are sitting in second place, this has never been done, they have had two shut out games and their defense is just brutal,” reports Tracker’s mother Jodie.
    “They are making a name for Airdrie.”
    Recently she said the team played the Calgary Cowboys who are coached by Tony Spoletini of Spolumbo’s. He was so impressed with their determination and play, he sponsored a barbecue for the whole team.
    Last week the Raiders beat the Calgary Bulldogs to advance and on May 23 play the Calgary Falcons in the semi finals. 


Rugby team gaining momentum*

 

The DVSS girl’s rugby team is still working on improving their game, and continues to gain popularity.
    About 100 fans came out to DVSS field to cheer on the Dynos as they took on Bow Valley School last Thursday. While they lost 31-0, coach Darren Jones was impressed with the improvement on the field.

The DVSS rugby team had about 100 come out for their first home game last Thursday. They are off to Chestermere on May 7 for more rugby action.

    “It came in waves. We were able to hold them off for the first quarter with no scoring at all,” said coach Jones. “They had a couple breaks and got a couple quick tries on us.”
    He is grateful for the support from fans and from players.
    “There was a great turnout, it was more than I could have imagined,” said Jones. “There are a couple girls who were thinking about playing, and now it sounds like we’ll have a few more joining after seeing what it is like.”
    Already the DVSS team has attracted players from Drumheller, as well as Morrin and Delia.
    “We are up to 23 girls, and we’ll keep as many as we’ll take,” said Jones.
    The Dynos were to play Rundle at home on Monday, but the game was cancelled. Tonight (Wednesday, May 7), they are off to Chestermere.

Stage set for championship series

For the first Time since 1975, a Drumheller team is headed to the  AJHL final. Tonight the Dragons are in Spruce Grove to take on the Saints in Game 1 of the championship series. 

The stage is set and the Dragons are ready for their curtain call this Friday in Spruce Grove.
    The Saints won their series versus the Fort McMurray Oil Barons on Tuesday night setting up a championship series to remember.  Coach Brian Curran said no matter who they ended up facing, they were going to be a strong team.
    “They (the Spruce Grove Saints) are the best team in the AJHL this year, there are a lot of things they do well, they are very well coached and systematic and have some great youth on their team and are working very hard,” said Curran in his assessment of the Saints.
    The Saints concluded the regular season with an incredible 47 wins, but were pushed to seven games in the playoffs versus the Sherwood Park Crusaders and then the Oil Barons.
    “They came back from 3-1 (versus Fort McMurray), so that shows the character they have on their team,” said Curran.
    “Their powerplay is strong and they have a good penalty kill. There’s a reason teams like Fort McMurray, Spruce Grove and Brooks are at the top all the time. They are good, period. They get some good players and the program is good.”
    To be successful, the Dragons have to do what they do best. This season the two teams have met twice, and on both occasions, the Saints prevailed.
    “The long story short, we are going to have to play our game, we can’t play another way. They’re going to be a tough opponent and I think if both teams play their best hockey, it is going to be one heck of a series,” said Curran.
    In Drumheller, a trip to the AJHL final goes back to the 1974-1975 Drumheller Falcons, when they faced the Spruce Grove Mets, a team coached by Doug Messier and featured Mark’s older brother Paul.
    Curran said the Dragons’ success would help the organization build.
    “Our hope is we are going to be successful. We have been successful to this point, but we have a few more places to go and that will give us some notoriety, and players will want to come here to play. That is how programs are built,” he said.
    Playoffs start tonight for the Dragons as they head to Spruce grove for Game one  at 7:30 p.m.  Game two is on Saturday.
    The teams will be back in Drumheller for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday.


The Drumheller Mail encourages commenting on our stories but due to our harassment policy we must remove any comments that are offensive, or don’t meet the guidelines of our commenting policy.