Sports | DrumhellerMail

Dynos get back on track

    The Drumheller Valley Secondary School (DVSS) senior girls basketball team is getting back on track.
   Two weeks ago, the Dynos were denied by the always tough Acme Redmen. The game opened with the Redmen gaining a small lead over the Dynos.
   However, both teams seemed evenly matched. Each basket the Redmen scored, the Dynos would reply with one of their own. For every turnover by the Dynos, the Redmen would return the favour.
   By the end of the first half, the Dynos were only down by three points.
   Once play resumed, the Dynos were continually on the heels of the Redmen. Despite their efforts, the Dynos couldn’t overtake their opponent and lost by one point.
   The game was challenging and physical for the Dynos, but head coach Jennifer Raugust saw the team returning to their pre-holidays form.
   “It was an incredible game and so much fun. The girls played so well. I was very proud of them,” said Raugust. “We just need to do some conditioning and we’ll be even more threatening.”
   Last week, the Dynos had a break after their game against the Trochu Blue Jays was cancelled due to the inclement weather. The game gave them a chance to practice for their game on Monday versus Prairie Christian Academy.
   “Playing PCA was good practice for the girls. They’ve learned some new plays and had a chance to try to iron out the wrinkles,” said Raugust. “The only thing they need to work on is putting the ball in the net.”
   After battling with injuries and sickness, which left them with only seven players against the Redmen, the Dynos are now healthy again.
   The Dynos return to the court this weekend for a tournament and then again on Monday for round two of the Battle of Drumheller versus the St. Anthony’s Sabres. They then travel to Acme for a rematch against the Redmen.

PeeWee’s ready for zone championships

    The NGC Peewee 2 Raptors continued their undefeated ways this weekend, moving past Indus and clinching a berth in the provincial finals last Friday with a decisive 11-4 win in Gleichen.
   Even though the team has clinched a spot in the provincials in Three Hills/Trochu in March, they will face the tournament hosts, Kneehill, tomorrow in Drumheller for the first game to determine the zone championship.
   “It’s nice to know you have qualified for provincials, but we really want that banner,” said head coach Jason James.
   The Raptors went on to battle Oyen on Saturday to a 4-4 tie and a 11-2 win over Brooks in Tilley on Sunday.
   The Raptor’s are also still riding the wave of their second tournament championship in Brooks, where they defeated Indus, Medicine Hat and Strathmore before facing Lethbridge in the final.
   The tournament victory in Brooks is the team’s second tournament win. The team won their first tournament in Camrose in December.
   The Raptors are also on top of their division, with 27 points.
   The PeeWee’s will be at home on Saturday at 3:15 to take on Medicine Hat in league play.

Bantam Raptors ready for home tournament

    The Drumheller Memorial Arena will be packed this weekend. Teams from all over Alberta will be descending upon the Valley to battle in the most quintessentially Canadian way; a good old fashioned hockey tournament.
   Five teams, with roughly 100 players in total, from Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, and Picture Butte have signed up for the tournament,
   The tournament starts bright and early Saturday morning at 8 a.m. The final game will start at 12:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
   So far this season, the Raptors have been a powerhouse on the ice.
   “I have always felt for any team to be successful, it demands team bonding from coaches, players and parents. They must demonstrate the skill of being a team player and not be an individual player out there on the ice. If they play individually, that’s when a team starts to slide. One has to continue to think and demonstrate these abilities, as these are the strengths of a great team,” said Mary Hodge, manager of the Bantam Raptors.
   The team has also been tearing through provincials and are gearing up for the zone finals.
   “We will heading into the final round of provincials against Canmore to see who takes home the zone banner as well as to see who will continue to the provincial tournament,” said Hodge.
   The Raptors are dominating the Central Alberta Hockey League (CAHL) Bantam Tier 3 division. Since moving up from the Tier 4 Bantam division in December, they have skyrocketed to first place, with 11 wins and 27 points.
   Their last three games have been tough, however, with a narrow 7-6 win over Chestermere two weeks ago and back-to-back ties this past weekend.
   Despite the recent setbacks, they’re confident they’ll give a good fight in the tournament and provincials.

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