Category: Team

The St. Mary Marauders obliterated the Moose Jaw Peacock Tornadoes 61-27 on their home field at PACI to win the 1971 3A Saskatchewan High School Football Championship.

St. Mary closed out the win with 40 unanswered points. Tom Chad had 22 carries for 264 yards and scored four touchdowns. Mick Jutras had 22 carries for 117 yards and scored one touchdown. The Marauders grounded out 506 yards rushing as a team in the championship game.

The provincial championship was indicative of the Marauders season. The Marauders finished the 1971 season with a record of 10-1-1 and outscored their opponents 415-153.

The Marauders finished second in the Prince Albert High School Football League standings in 1971. In the semifinal, the Marauders downed PACI 56-7 to set up a showdown with their archrivals, the Riverside Rams. Tom Chad scored a touchdown in the final minute of Game 1 to give the Marauders a 14-10 victory. Because Riverside won the regular season title, the Marauders had to win two games to advance to the North East Saskatchewan School’s Athletic Conference Championship. Coming off their first game first game come-from-behind victory, the Marauders destroyed the Rams  27-1 to advance to the provincial northern finals.

The Marauders then stomped on the Melfort Comets in the northern final 39-0 en route to the provincial championship game.

No Prince Albert high school football team has won a provincial championship since.

The Marauders were innovators in high school football at that time. On defense, they switched personnel around to give teams different looks. They allowed defensive captain Archie McKay to call blitzes at any time he liked. The Marauders also studied primitive projector-style game film to gain an upper hand on their opponents. That was in addition to an offensive playbook that contained 200 different plays with multiple formations.

The Marauders coaching staff included head coach Keith Powell, Jim Lyons, Bob Miller, and George Yuzik, the student trainer and manager.

The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes the 1971 St. Mary Marauders to the Hall.

The 1970 Riverside Rams Football Team was the first Prince Albert collegiate 12-man football team to win a Saskatchewan title.

The provincial championship capped a run of four straight city championships for the Riverside Rams – 1967, 1968, 1969, and 1970.

The Riverside teams, in the preceding years, were sprinkled with excellent athletes that attained provincial and national prominence after their high school careers at the university and professional sporting levels. Names such as Rick Wilson and Barry Mudry come to mind in reviewing teams from the four-year run. The provincial crown eluded those earlier teams, despite strong efforts from year to year.

One noteworthy aspect of the 1970 championship team is that there were no individual outstanding star athletes. The team’s success was attained by virtue of a strong and united effort through the entire year, and a work ethic that was pervasive throughout the entire team.

The coaching staff, Bill Watson, Howard Gange, Bob Reed and Bob Smisko, inspired a level of loyalty and commitment on the field and that was generated by their example of hard work, commitment, and dedication.

In the years that have passed since the championship was attained, many of the players still sustain close personal relationships with the outstanding gentlemen who continued through to their respective retirements, and beyond, to contribute significantly to their profession, their communities, and the athletes they so successfully coached.

The 1970 season saw the Rams clinch the league championship by defeating the St. Mary Marauders 26-12. Quarterback, Rod Young, led the Riverside attack with two majors while

Wayne Hansen and Alan Logue each had one. Bob Daniels converted two of the four touchdowns.

The Riverside Rams met St. Mary Marauders in the Prince Albert High School Championship for the fourth consecutive year on Tuesday, October 27, 1970 where they defeated St. Mary 17-0 to advance to the Northern 3A final against North Battleford Composite High School. In the City Championship, Alan Logue scored both majors and two safety touches accounted for the other four points. Bob Daniels was good on one of two converts.

The Rams advanced and defeated North Battleford Composite Mustangs 37-19 in the Northern 3A final. Rams touchdowns were scored by Mike Furi, Alan Logue, Rod Young, Wayne Hansen with two, and Tom Andrews. Bob Daniels converted one touchdown.

The win advanced the Riverside Rams to the Provincial High School Football Championship against Notre Dame College of Wilcox. Riverside was considered the underdog in the Saskatchewan final, but that did not deter the Rams. They defeated the Notre Dame Hounds 32-12 to capture the Saskatchewan High School 3A Football Championship. Alan Logue paced the Rams with three majors while Doug Klarenback and Wayne Hansen scored one each. Bob Daniels was good on one of five converts and Tony Basaraba booted a single point.

The northern title and the provincial crown were the first ever by a Prince Albert team. The team was captained by Gary Laing, Don Friske, Tony Basaraba and Rod Young.

The Prince Albert Kings peace officers fastball team stepped onto the global stage and captured two gold

medals, a silver and a bronze at the World Police and Fire Games.

The Games were not an event to bring peace officers closer to community, but an event that brought peace officers from around the world together to promote their profession.

In early 1989 Prince Albert Police Service officer Ian Reiman initiated the formation of the Kings with goal of playing fastball at the World Police and Fire Games in Vancouver. The team needed to be a special group of players. Not only would they have to become a team quickly, every member had to be a fireman, police officer or peace officer to qualify.

In late July a group of 16 Prince Albert peace officers headed to the West Coast. The team included seven guards from the Saskatchewan Penitentiary, six jail provincial jail guards and three Prince Albert police officers. Wearing borrowed uniforms, the Kings took to the diamond taking on teams from across Canada and the United States. The Kings were able to gel as a team and won bronze defeating the San Jose, California police department.

In 1991, the Kings headed to Memphis, Tennessee and captured a silver medal. The Kings dropped a 4-2 decision to the defending champions from Toronto in the second game of the all-Canadian A-B final, they forced the second game with a 4-0 win in Game 1.

It was off to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1993 for a golden experience. Eleven Prince Albert peace officers survived the tournament undefeated despite not being able to wear steel cleats. A Colorado Springs sporting goods store owner took the Kings a variety of rubber cleats in different sizes and brands for the players to buy before they could play their first game. The Kings, having adjusted to playing in rubber cleats and after a few innings with bloody blisters developing, dug in to capture gold.

In July 1997, the Kings headed to Calgary as the tournament favourites and won their second gold medal in four years. The Prince Albert team beat Hayward, California 6-4 in the final to earn top honours in the five-team tournament.

This pick-up team of ball players not only represented Prince Albert and Saskatchewan but were proud ambassadors of Canada as teams from all around the globe played at the Games.

Kings’ players, their wives and families fundraised for each of the trips to the World Police and Fire Games. Gateway Mall made a donation of $3,500 to the team to help with players expenses in 1991.

Members of the Kings team were Blayne Nelson (player/coach), Ian Reiman, Barry Schrader, Floyd LaVallee, Darcy Kaglea, Charlie Mathiason, Darren Harrison, Curtis Juravinski, Larry Henry, Garry Pischke, Jody Pochipinski, Ronnie Boyer, Chris Hudon, Dale McFee, Brian Bonkowski, Gordie Epp, Tim Woods, Larry Neudorf, Larry Smytaniuk, Pat Robin, Eddie Buck, Jason Hope, James Brezinski, Sandy Ervin, Vince Pilon, Terry Read, Tim Pocha, Wayne Rocheleau (coach).

The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes the 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1997 Prince Albert Kings to the Team category.

The Prince Albert Cosmos Little League team was the city’s first provincial baseball champions.

In August 1954 the Prince Albert Cosmo Little League team advanced to the northern provincial finals by narrowly defeating the Prince Albert Anavets. The Northern playoffs included teams from Nipawin, Saskatoon and Luseland.

Rules allowed teams which made it to the playoffs to pickup three additional players from their local league.

Cosmo coaches Roy Hall and Bob Webb wisely chose Ron Bergen and Bob Thorpe from the Prince Albert Anavets and Reggie Peterson from the Prince Albert Legion, all who contributed to the Cosmos success. The Cosmos captured the Northern title by first defeating Nipawin and then Luseland in the final.

The provincial finals were held in Prince Albert in September. The Cosmos downed Yorkton two straight in a best-of-three series behind the great pitching of Fred Freeman and Arnie Habetler. The Cosmos thus became the first Little League team in Prince Albert to win a provincial title. Later that same day the Prince Albert Rotary Pony League baseball team won another provincial title for the city.

Growing up and playing sports in Prince Albert during the 1950s was a time when friendships were established and the memories of those times are still valued. The Cosmos are saddened by the passing of coach Roy Hall and that he could not be here to share this with the team. The Cosmos appreciate and will always remember the organizations such as the Cosmopolitans, the coaches, the umpires, the volunteers and parents who took the time and effort so they, as kids, could enjoy their youth and making the 1950s a most memorable time of their lives.

The Cosmos were: Roy Hall (coach), Bob Webb (coach), Jim Ward, Arnold Habetler, Gerald Friesen, Brian Allbright, Bob Thorpe, Fred Freeman, Ron Bergen, Derek Gibson, Guy Demaine, Wray Breadner, Reg Peterson, Don Somers, Ray Baker, Ron Melnyk, Paul Bundon, Ben Macht and batboy John Macht.

The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes the 1954 Prince Albert Cosmos Little

League Baseball Team to the Team Category.

The Prince Albert Anavets senior hockey team was formed in 1960-61 season and quickly became a dominate force in Saskatchewan.

The Anavets were a team put together for provincial playoffs. It was comprised of mostly homegrown talent including ex-Mintos Ray Ethier, Garnet Schai, Ken Hagen, Paul Dansereau, Herman Kraus, Bordie Adams and Emile St. Amand. Humboldt Indians graduates Ray Ethier, Dave Beskal and Paul Strasser also played with the Humboldt Indians before joining the Anavets for a run at the provincial title.  Fred Cluff played with the Estevan Bruins while Jack Harasyn honed his skills in Ontario and John Leibrecht in Drumheller, Alberta.  Len Campbell played in Holland.  Several players joined the Anavets with professional experience namely Garnet Schai who played in the International Hockey League, Paul Strasser with the Vancouver Canucks in the old Western Hockey League, Gene Kimbley with the Calgary Stampeders of the WHL and Fred Sasakamoose with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks.

The Anavets captured three consecutive Henderson trophies, emblematic of the Saskatchewan Intermediate A championships. During their rein, the Anavets also won the 1962 Saskatchewan-Manitoba Intermediate “A” title and were semifinalists for the Western Canadian championship.

1961 Anavets SAHA Intermediate “A” Champions Clockwise from bottom: Ron Currie, Paul Dansereau, Bordie Adams, Jerry McLennan, Dave Beskal, Ron Longworth, Dale Shore, Wayne Fernie, Jack Harasyn, Ray Ethier, Herman Kraus, Ralph Stevens, Paul Strasser, Ken Hagen, John Lehner. Center: Rowe Casey, Garnet Schai

The first championship drive started in Blaine Lake with a loss to the Saskatoon Royals.  The Anavets would not let that stop them. Two victories gave the Prince Albert squad the best-of-three quarter-final Northern series.  In the semifinal, the Carrot River Loggers fell 18-5 in the two-game, total-goal series.

The North Battleford Maroons put up a fight in the Northern Saskatchewan Intermediate “A” final, but the Anavets edged them 12-10 in the two-game, total-goal series to earn a trip to the provincial championship.

The Anavets easily glided past the Swift Current Indians to lay claim to their first Saskatchewan title. The Prince Albert team won the two-game, total-goal series 17-3.  In the Western Canada intermediate “A” quarter-finals, the Dauphin Kings defeated the Anavets three games to two in Brandon.

In 1962, the Anavets started defence of their provincial title by ousting the Saskatoon Royals and Battleford Millers to win the Northern Saskatchewan Intermediate “A” banner.

In the provincial final, Swift Current tied Game 1 of the two-game, total-goal series 3-3 in Swift Current.  In front of 2,000 fans at the Minto Arena, the Anavets easily glided to their second Saskatchewan championship beating the Indians 8-2.

The Anavets then hosted the Brandon Cloverleafs in the best-of-five Manitoba-Saskatchewan championship and swept the series to earn a trip to the Western Canadian semifinals.

Ontario’s Marathon Mercuries were next up for the Anavets.  More than 1,800 at the Minto Arena watched the Anavets win Game 1 of the best-of-five Western Canadian semifinal 3-2.  The Anavets victory extended the team’s playoff unbeaten streak to 10 games with nine wins and one tie.

The Mercuries snapped the Anavets winning streak in Game 2 with a 6-3 win. The Mercuries won Game 3 6-4 in a 10-minute overtime.  The Anavets persevered in Game 4 to win 3-2.  In the winner-take-all Game 5, the Mercuries scored three goals in the third   period to defeat the Anavets 4-2 and win the series.

The Anavets reunited to defend their Saskatchewan Intermediate “A” championship in 1963. In Game 1 the Anavets won 7-5 win over the North Battleford Miller-Maroons in the Northern final.  The Anavets clinched the northern title in Game 2 of the two-game, total-goal series with a 9-3 win.

The Regina Red Wings provided the competition in the Saskatchewan final.  The Anavets scored five times in the third period of Game 1 en route to a 6-1 win in the two-game, total-goal series. Game 2 was a 7-4 win for the Anavets.  The Anavets advanced to the Western Canada intermediate quarter-final against the Selkirk Fishermen in Winnipeg.  Selkirk won three games to one in the best-of-five series.

Members of the 1961 Anavet team were Ray Ethier (manager), Ken Hagen, Paul Strasser, captain Garnet Schai, Herman Kraus, Bordie Adams, Rowe Casey (coach), Dave Beskal, Jerry McLennan, Jack Harasyn, John Lehner, Wayne Fernie, Ron Longworth, Ralph Stevens, Dale Shore, Ron Currie and Gene Kimbley.  An inter-provincial recruit was Jack Giles.

The 1962 Anavets were Ray Ethier (manager), Marv Kolke, Fred Sasakamoose, Dave Beskal, Garnet Schai, Gene Kimbley, Paul Strasser, captain Bordie Adams, Jerry McLennan, Ken Hagen, Herman Kraus, Len Campbell, Jack Harasyn, Emile St. Amand, Al Hunter, Wayne Fernie, Ron Currie, and Rowe Casey (coach). Inter-provincial recruits included Beryl Fisher, Ken Grabeldinger, George Lamb and Jim Reisbeck.

The Anavets in 1963 were Ray Ethier, Fred Cluff, Garnet Schai, Wayne Fernie, Ron Currie, Herman Kraus, John Leibrecht (coach), Bordie Adams (captain), Paul Strasser, Jerry McLennan, Len Campbell, Ray Baker, Jack Harasyn, Emile St. Amand, Ken Hagen, Vic Boback, Paul Dansereau, Marv Kolke, Harvey Aadland, and Fred Switzer (manager).  Inter-provincial recruits included Ed Jerome, Bob Jerome and Dennis Curtis.

The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes the 1961, 1962 and 1963 Anavets to the Team category.

Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

The Molson Canadian team had dominated Prince Albert senior men’s basketball since the early 1960s.  But in 1978, the team set new standards for excellence on the court in Prince Albert.

In the 1978 Saskatchewan Intermediate Men’s Championship, the Canadians advanced to the final after eliminating a Saskatoon entry in the semifinals and a Regina team in the quarter-finals.  The Molson Canadians claimed their first Saskatchewan title beating a stacked team of university players from Kerrobert 64-60.  The victory also meant the 1978 Molson Canadians were the first provincial champions from the Prince Albert Senior Men’s Basketball League.

That same year, the Molson Canadians claimed their own Molson Canadian Northern Classic basketball tournament and the Prince Albert Senior Men’s Basketball League Championship.

The 1980 version of the Molson Canadians entered the provincial tournament as favourites.  Two new key   additions were Wes Stevenson and Don Lamont, former university players who elevated the play of all those around them.  The Molson Canadians again met Kerrobert in the final and easily claimed their second Saskatchewan title 92-60.  Earlier in the tournament, the Molson Canadians edged Weyburn in the quarter-final by one point and then ousted Meadow Lake, which had lost only one game that year.

The Molson Canadians also won the city championship in 1980 and the Molson Canadian Northern Classic tournament.

In 1984, the core of the team from the previous championship teams remained in tact. Al Beaver, Don Lamont, Rod Simair and Tim Reid continued to lead the way as the Molson Canadians claimed their third Saskatchewan title.  Prince Albert came back from a 20-point halftime deficit to beat a fast-paced, young Regina Capital Electric team 56-53.  Saskatoon teams fell to the Molson Canadians in the quarter-final and semifinal.

The Molson Canadians were also winners of their own tournament, the Molson Canadian Northern Classic, in 1984.  The tournament ran for 20 years, ending in 1995 with the Molson Canadians winning it eight times.

The Molson Canadians continued playing in provincial tournaments but were not victorious again.  The team finished playing basketball in 1995 with long-time players Pete Rieben, Don Delorme, Bill Barzeele, Glen Roberts and Tim Reid still playing.

The 1978 Molson Canadians were Al Beaver, Don Delorme, Pete Rieben, Bill Barzeele, Rod Simair, Glen Roberts, Tony Basaraba, Chris Hudon, Dave Anear, Tim Reid, coach Lanny Price and manager Neil Bartlett.

The 1980 team included Tim Reid, Pete Rieben, Bill Barzeele, Don Lamont, Rod Simair, Glen Roberts, Henry Strelioff, Al Beaver, Jim Rideout, Don Delorme, Wes Stevenson, coach Lanny Price and manager Neil Bartlett.

The 1984 Molson Canadians were Al Beaver, Bill Barzeele, Pete Rieben, Glen Roberts, Don Lamont, Rod Simair, Clair Campbell, Bryan Akre, Tim Reid, coach Lanny Price and manager Neil Bartlett.

The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes the 1978, 1980 and 1984 Molson Canadian senior men’s basketball team to its wall of fame in the team category.

Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

Young women of Prince Albert were dominating the bowling lanes of Saskatchewan in the early 1980s and they threatened on the national stage too.

The Prince Albert Youth Bowling Council junior girls’ five-pin bowling team of 1979-80 won silver at the Canadian Championships May 9-11, 1980 in London, Ont. With their mothers cheering in the background, the Prince Albert Minto Bowl team came very close to claiming the national title. But, alas, they fell one game to the championship team from Grand Falls, Newfoundland. The Grand Falls team ended with a record of 14 wins and four loses. Prince Albert ended the national championship with a record of 13 wins and five losses.

En route to the national championships, the Prince Albert Minto Bowl team of Carmel Piche, Holly Klamot, Carolyn Krivak, Melanie Boyer, Denise Disiewich and coach Margo Opseth won the Prince Albert, zone and Saskatchewan championships to earn the right to represent the province at the Canadian finals.

Carmel Piche, Denise Disiewich and Carolyn Krivak were in the quest for a national youth bowling council championship again. This time Carmel, Denise and Carolyn along with two new teammates – Gloria Coupal and Loralee Labossiere – would be hunting for a senior girls’ championship.

After capturing the Prince Albert and zone titles, the team was bound for the provincial championship at Eastview Bowl in Saskatoon. There, coached by former Canadian men’s bowling champion Brian Falconer, the girls staged a comeback to earn the Saskatchewan championship. The Minto bowl team rebounded from a 79-point deficit after two games down to beat Saskatoon’s team by 76 pints.

The Minto Bowl team traveled to St. John’s, Newfoundland for the Canadian championships April 26 – 28, 1984. The Saskatchewan champions were in second place after two days of the four-day event, and eventually finished third behind Alberta and southern Ontario.

The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame welcomes the 1980 & 1984 YBC Bowling Team into its team category.

Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

The Prince Albert Senior Jacks were the team to beat in 1963 & 64. The Senior Jacks fastball team won both the Prince Albert Senior B and Provincial Senior “A” Championships in both years.

In 1963, coached by Al McLellan and managed by Len Lemieux, the Senior Jacks earned a trip to the Saskatchewan Senior “A” Championships ousting the Saskatoon Westside Merchants in the provincial semifinal.

The Senior Jacks then went on to face the Moose Jaw Johnstones in the best-of-five provincial final. The Senior Jacks split the first two games of the series in Prince Albert. They had trounced the Johnstones 17-1 in game one, Moose Jaw evened the series with a 4-3 win before the series moved south.

In Moose Jaw, the Senior Jacks were unstoppable winning game three 7-3 and then the championship by a score of 13-3 in game four.

Dave Pankratz was the hero of the 1963 Saskatchewan final series. Not only did he pitch the Senior Jacks to victory in game four, but he drove in nine of the team’s 13 runs, including back-to-back three-run home runs.

With few roster changes in 1964, the Senior Jacks successfully defended their titles behind superb pitching, clutch hitting and strong team play.

The Senior Jacks successfully defended their Saskatchewan Senior “A” championship title against the Saskatoon College Lads. What was supposed to have been the northern final but turned in to the championship series, when the southern representative withdrew from competition.

In game one, the Lads came out on top 7-1 but the Senior Jacks were again unstoppable. In game two, Dave Pankratz hit a bases loaded triple and Jim Neilson hit three singles to pace the Senior Jacks to a 7-5 win in Saskatoon.

The Senior Jacks laid claim to their second consecutive provincial title at Exhibition Park in Prince Albert winning the fourth game of the best-of-five series 12-6. Game three was a 1-0 decision in favour of the Senior Jacks.

The 1963 team included Lloyd Whitford, Ed Jones, Jim Neilson, Gerry Welch, Murray Donahue, Arnie Habetler, Dennis Brisebois, Ron Coombs, Herman Kraus, Vic Lemieux, Dave Pankratz, Doug Garson, Ray Brunning, Steve Zurevinski, coach Al McLellan and manager Len Lemieux.

The 1964 team included Lloyd Whitford, Jim Neilson, Gerry Welch, Murray Donahue, Arnie Habetler, Dennis Brisebois, Ron Coombs, Vic Lemieux, Dave Pankratz, Ray Brunning, Steve Zurevinski, John Jordan, Pete Fiddler, Fergy Ewancyna, Gerry Huber, Joe Adams, Vic Boback, bat boy Paul Whitford, coach Al McLellan and manager Len Lemieux.

The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame wants to ensure the Senior Jacks place in history is secure as they welcome the Jacks in the team category.

Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

The Prince Albert Lumberjacks – or Jacks as they were more commonly known – had a perfect ending to a perfect season when they captured the provincial Senior B men’s softball championship in 1953.

In the final game of the best-of-five series against the Moose Jaw Arcades, Prince Albert’s ace pitcher Ollie Fiddler tossed a no-hitter to lead the Jacks to a convincing 9-0 triumph. Just one Moose Jaw player reached base and that was on an error. The Jacks were facing elimination earlier in the day after Moose Jaw grabbed a 2-1 series lead with a 7-3 victory, but Prince Albert rebounded with a 6-2 decision before Fiddler closed the door in the final contest. Moose Jaw and Prince Albert had split the first two games with the Arcades winning the opener 5-0 before the Jacks battled back with an 8-3 verdict.

The Jacks, who had been together as a unit for a few years, began their successful playoff run with a two-game sweep over the Riverside Royals in the city playoffs. The Jacks won the opener 4-2 and then sealed the deal with a 10-2 triumph. In the north semifinals the Jacks faced a strong team from Payton, but again the outcome was never in doubt as Prince Albert won all three meetings including a 14-2 drubbing in Game 2, a game that lasted just six innings.

In the north final, the Jacks took on Saskatoon CNR. Prince Albert lost the first game 4-2 and the teams tied the second match 2-2 before the Jacks reeled off three straight wins – 5-2, 5-4 and 9-3 – all in one day. Fiddler once again was the deciding factor as he struck out 21 batters in 21 innings of work in the three-game sweep on the final day of the series. Fiddler pitched every playoff game for the Jacks, a feat that will likely never happen again. The win over Saskatoon then propelled Prince Albert into the provincial final against Moose Jaw.

Members of the championship team included: Jim McDonald (manager), Dunc McKillop, Pete Rosa, Joe Nishnik, Ed Federenko, Tom Zwack, Ron Fiddler, Murray Donahue, Harold Risebrow, Tom Scott Sr. (coach), Cec Corrigal, Charlie Cowan, Stu Barden, Danny Kissel, Tom Scott Jr., Ollie Fiddler, Ray Hudson and Jim McDonald Jr. (bat boy.)

For a team that had to travel together in an old one-ton truck, they experienced a ride that won’t be forgotten and the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame wants to ensure their place in history as they welcome the Jacks into the team category of the local shrine.

Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.