U18 Men’s and U14 Boy’s Canadian Softball Championships in Saskatoon

August 5, 2016

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U18 Men’s and U14 Boy’s Canadian Softball Championships in Saskatoon

 

                                    

    http://championship.softball.ca/u18mens/                   http://championship.softball.ca/u14boys/

Dates: August 9 -14                                                                August 10 – 14                                                                          Primary Diamond: Bob Van Impe Stadium                          Gordie Howe Fastball Field                                          Opening Ceremonies: Tues. Aug 9 at 6:00PM at BVI          Wed. August 10, at  6:00PM at BVI*                   Playoffs begin: Friday, Aug 12 8:30AM                                Saturday, Aug 13 9:00AM                                                          Final Game: Sunday, Aug. 14 1:30 BVI                                Sunday, Aug. 14 1:30 Gordie Howe               

The schedule up now on the websites under the Events/Teams tab, Details will be made available under Event’s/Schedule Results tab soon.

U18 Teams:

Host - Saskatoon Selects	MB – Pimicikamak Thunder
SK1 – Prince Albert Astros	ON 1 – Campbellford Cougars
SK2 – Earl Grey Rockets	ON 2- Chepstow Lang Farms
BC -  Cloverdale Rockies	ON 3 - Wellesley Wildcats
QC   Quebec Midget Team	NL - Team Newfoundland

The Host team Saskatoon AA Selects played this year in the SASA’s Ken Gunn Division where they placed 5^th with a 10-7 record. They placed second in the U18 Provincials losing to Prince Albert 7-2 in the final. At last years’ U18 Nationals they had an excellent preliminary round but lost out quickly in the playoff around finishing 5^th. They feature 3 players that were selected to the Canada’s Jr Men’s National Team that won a bronze medal at the World Championship in Midland Michigan on July 30. Jordan Hudson pitched in Canada’s loss to New Zealand that forced them to take the bronze. Evan Morris was selected but was replaced by James Shirley due to injury.  

SK1, Prince Albert Astros are the Saskatchewan U18 Champions. Last year at this championship they finished 4^th, eliminating the Selects from the playoffs. A number of their players will come from the bronze medal winning team at last years U16 Nationals The Astros will be led in the circle by Mathew Kutnikoff.  Prince Albert  had one player selected to the Jr. National Team, Nik Basaraba who also was an all star at last year’s nationals. There is an intense rivalry between Saskatoon and Prince Albert that has been present since many of these players were in U12.  

SK2, Earl Grey Rockets placed 3^rd at this year’s Saskatchewan Provincials. This will be their first time ever in the U18 Nationals

BC, Cloverdale Rockies won the BC Provincial championship beating a team from BC’s Men’s softball hotbed, Sooke, in the final. They did not compete in nationals last either at the U16 or U18 divisions.  

Quebec Midget Team – is made up of players from a variety of locations to compete at the national championship as part of the provinces development towards the Canada Summer Games next summer. Quebec last won this championship in 2013. This team will feature two players for the Jr National Team, pitcher/ frist baseman Daniel Godbout and short stop Issac Lefebvre.

MB, Pimicikamak Thunder come to us from Cross Lake Manitoba. They have won 2 Western Canadian titles at the U16 category and last year finished 6^th at the U16 Nationals in Prince Albert, winning 2 of 7 games.  They feature the U16 Nationals All Star first baseman, Justin Nachbaur. They will be led by Softball Canada’s 2015 Coach of the Year, David Muswaggon. Northern Manitoba’s Pimicikamak Cree Nation grabbed the country’s attention in the spring over it staggering adolescent suicide problem. TSN will be at the championship, producing a segment on the coach and how this team is building hope in the community.

ON1 Campbellford Cougars went undefeated in the very tough Ontario elimination tournament to qualify as Ontario 1. However, later at the provincial championship they had to settle for second.  They won a silver medal at last year’s U18 Canadian Championship. They will be led in the circle by Jr. National team pitcher Ben Broek, who was also an All Star at last year nationals. Joining Broek on the All Star team last year was first baseman Stewart Batman.  

ON2 Chepstow Lang Farms lost to Campbellford in the eliminations, but beat them in the provincial final. They did not compete in the U18 Nationals last year, but did win the Canadians Championship in the U16 category.  They will be led in the circle by Team Canada pitcher/first baseman Cole Pavey. Catcher Brady Hogg was named Top Hitter at the U16 Nationals and pitcher/third baseman Mac Fischer was named Preliminary Round MVP and Top Player in the Championship Round.   

ON3 Wellesley Wildcats won the U16 Nationals two years ago and are coming with pretty much the same team this year. They finished third in the Ontario eliminations and finished 5^th in Provincials. They will be led in the circle by last year’s U18Nationals  All Star Ryan Mallot as well as Dylan Lebold.

NL Team Newfoundland come here featuring the best players from a province that has always been home to  outstanding men’s softball.  Last year as the Newfoundland and Labrador Selects they placed 6^t.h  in the U18 Nationals.

 

U14 Teams

Host:  Saskatoon Selects

Sask 1: Prince Albert Astros

Sask 2: Wadena Wildcats

Sask 3: Warman Panthers

Manitoba: Pimicikamak Thunder                      

Ontario 1 Tavistock A's

Ontario 2: Innerkip Junior Eagles

Host, Saskatoon Selects won the Saskatchewan U14A Provincial Championship. They play league action in the Saskatoon Minor Softball League as well as weekend play in the Saskatchewan North Central Boy’s Fastball League. They will be led in the circle by pitcher  Carter Hiebert.

Sask1, Prince Albert Astros will carry on the Prince Albert and  Saskatoon boy’s softball rivalry after losing to the Selects in Provincial Final. Prince Albert has been a hotbed for male softball in Saskatchewan. 

Sask2, Wadena Wildcats The Wildcats were formed in April,2012. That year, all they did was practice...never played a game.  In 2013, they entered the Saskatoon Hustler Classic in May and lost their first ever game 15-0. They quickly got better and won the bronze that weekend and six weeks later, they won the U12 provincial "B" title, Wadena’s first provincial ball championship.  The boys continued their success, winning the 2014 and 2015 Saskatchewan U12 provincial "B" titles and the 2015 U14 "B" championship. The community of 1400 has been very proud of this program and the kids involved with it.  Four years ago, being involved in a Canadian Championship seemed like a bit of stretch, but they are here now.

Sask3, Warman Panthers has made a lot of progress throughout the season finishing 4^th in the U14A Provincial title. They are building a strong program which includes players from Warman, Delisle and the surrounding areas. They are starting from the grass roots up, as this years team will feature a number of players who are brand new to softball

Manitoba, Pimicikamak Thunder come from north central Manitoba, about a 900 km drive northeast from Saskatoon. The team is based in the community of Cross Lake, but uses the name Pimicikamak to reflect the Cree tribe and the traditional territory from where it comes. David Muswaggon coach of the U18 team started the elite softball program in 2012 with one team. Now there are multiple youth teams from the area to go along with the high number of men’s teams that have been playing for decades.

Ontario1 Tavistock A's Every two years, the 2002 age group out of Tavistock has found success on the diamond. After winning the provincial Mite championship in 2012 then the Ontario Squirt finals in 2014. The Athletics qualified for Nationals after winning the Ontario Amateur Softball Association’s Pee Wee Boys’ eliminations June 24 to 26 in Palmerston. They will be led in the circle by Chad Brown who was named  the Top Pitcher in Ontario’s eliminations after throwing 23 scoreless innings.

Ontario 2, Innerkip Junior Eagles lost their first game in the Ontario Eliminations and had to win six straight games to get to the final and qualify for Nationals. They lost a heartbreaking 1-0 game to the undefeated Tavistock A’s. The Junior Eagles  will be led in the circle by the dynamic duo of Andrew Van Boekel and  Nathan Running.

Contacts

Mark Loehndorf – Communications Director – 3062411633  (Please contact Mark for Media Passes)

Bryan Kosteroksi – Championship Chairman - 3062298986