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The Parkland U18 Rangers officially put a bow on the 2024-25 season with their awards ceremony and wind-up.

Hosted at the Gilbert Plains Country Club, the team played a round of golf, then ended the year with a banquet inside the beautiful Events Centre.

Tom White was the team's head coach last year.

"It was great. It was nice to see all the guys back together," said White. "I think they had a lot of laughs. It was a great night."

The team handed out several awards.

Piet Mierau was the team's most valuable player. He won 17 games this season.

"He's a fiery competitor. Every night, he gave us a chance to win," offered White. "He had an excellent season, and we appreciate his efforts."

Quinten Fisk of Dauphin took home the Skill & Sportsmanlike Player Award. The Dauphin Kings prospect had an excellent season, leading the team with 29 goals and 62 points. He also played eight games with the Kings.

"He's another fiery competitor. He hates to lose, he's skilled, and plays a full 200-foot game," said White. "Going forward, he's going to have an excellent career."

Ryder Gardner is a player who plays with great passion. He was named the team's Defensive Player of the Year. 

"He's a tough competitor. He's not a nice guy to play against, works so hard," commented White. "He always found a way to contribute."

Dayson Martin put the province on notice. In his rookie season, the star from Swan River had 16 goals and 38 points. Martin would take over games at times and was named the team's Rookie of the Year.

"He came into the program ready to go. It took a few games to catch up, but he really impressed," said White. "He has a bright future."

Jordan Height grew tremendously throughout the season and was named the team's Most Improved Player.

"He came in a bit late to the program. He never disappointed, he improved every practice and game," said White. "By the end, he fit right in with our group."

The final award of the night went to Forrest Karlson. The Dauphinite scored eight goals and had 17 points in 47 games. He also had 104 penalty minutes and was a player who put his body on the line to help the team every game. He won the Hardest Worker Award. 

"He gave it everything he had, practice or game," said White. "He loves playing the game, he's so passionate."

When it comes to the rest of the group, White wanted to thank every player for their efforts throughout the season.

"We ended with 23 wins, that's the best it's been in many years," said White. "Although we didn't make the playoffs, I think every guy should be proud of what we accomplished this season."

The organization also acknowledged its graduating players. Cade Legaarden, Piet Mierau, Colton Knox, and Sam Swanton have graduated from AAA hockey. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 10, 2025 - 10:00 am

Ron Chartrand is a lefty.

However, that’s not how he swung the club when he first took up the game. For his first three years on the course, the Dauphin star was defying convention, using right-handed clubs with a cross-handed grip—an unorthodox setup that he made work for him. 

Ron finally got his hands on a set of left-handed Northwestern clubs from Walmart. Fast forward nearly three decades, and Ron is hitting Taylor Made. On Saturday, he joined a club exclusively for those who execute the perfect shot on a par three.

Playing at the Gilbert Plains Country Club with Nathan Zadorozny, Chartrand stepped onto the tee box on the fourth hole after a double bogey on the third. He quickly forgot about that and focused on putting forth a good swing on the tough par three. It was 142 yards on a windy day, and Ron pulled out his pitching wedge.

The rest is history. Ron hit a perfect shot. The result? His first-ever hole-in-one. 

"I hit it pretty good, it was going straight at the pin. I've hit them straight at the pin before, but it's usually short or long," said Chartrand. "I saw it bounce once, it rolled towards the hole, and disappeared. Nate thought it went in, but I didn't believe it was time. There were three young boys near the green, and they started yelling. It was just shock at that point."

Ron had just played in the Fusion Credit Union tournament two days prior. The prize for an ace on the fourth hole that day was $10,000. While the payout for an ace on Saturday certainly wasn't that, it was a moment that he will never forget. The odds of an average golfer making a hole-in-one are approximately 1-in-12,500.

There's a good chance that you won't come out with an ace when you step onto a par three. On a windy and chilly day at the Gilbert Plains Country Club on June 7, 2025, Ron Chartrand did just that.

"He was more excited than I was," said Chartrand with a laugh. "It was pretty funny. I think it was more shock; I seemed a bit subdued, considering I just hit my first hole-in-one. Nate was pumped, and the kids by the green, it was a pretty special moment."

Ron's perfect shot started a trend of low scores for the rest of the front nine. 

"I have to give a shoutout to him, it was a pretty special nine," continued Chartrand. "After that, he eagled six and eight. He hit the pin for albatross on six."

Chartrand plays with Nathan during men's nights on Thursdays and also plays on Tuesdays. He's currently playing to a handicap of 8.4 and has two wins in his first three matches on Tuesday. He will play his first Thursday night match later this week with Nathan by his side.

Ron is hitting just less than 40% of greens in regulation this season, and while not every shot is as perfect as Saturday's on the fourth hole, Chartrand hits a long ball and loves spending time on the course.

"It's been pretty inconsistent this year, kind of off and on," said Chartrand. "At the end of the day, it's just fun to be on the course."

His goals for the season? To chase a championship on Tuesday and Thursday nights and continue to chase the perfect shot. The difference this time? His next ace will be number two.

"Just trying to be consistent and break 80 consistently," ended Chartrand. "It's a tough game. It's taken me 30 years to get a hole-in-one."

He's made history, and Ron Chartrand is just getting started. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 9, 2025 - 10:00 am

Jay Thiesen's bid for a three-peat came up short over the weekend at the Clear Lake Golf Course.

After winning the Grey Owl the past two years, Thiesen was back looking to win it for a third year in a row. Unfortunately, he came up just short. The Russell sharpshooter was three strokes back of Darcy Howarth after a 72 in round one.

In tough conditions on Sunday, Thiesen carded a second-round 78. He finished five strokes back, still in a tie for third. 

Howarth, a 50-year-old from MacGregor, won his first-ever Grey Owl title. He carded rounds of 69 and 76 to win by three strokes. Jared Jacobson, owner of the Brandon Wheat Kings, shot rounds of 71 and 77 to finish solo second. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 9, 2025 - 6:07 am

64 teams battled, and one major champion was crowned.

Payton and Nelson Lepla beat Tandri Sigurdson and Trevor Fox in the championship match at the Gary Brandon Memorial Golf Tournament at the Dauphin Lake Golf Club over the weekend.

It was a sold-out event and once again, a major success. Thousands of dollars were raised, and some incredible golf was played.

Noah Wiens and Steve Desroches beat Darcy and Keyon Malcolm to claim third in the championship bracket.

1st Flight:
1st: Eric Prokopowich and Ben Talbot beat Tyler Carefoot and Linden Smigelsky.
3rd: James Davidson and Keith Hanke beat Rob Bouchard and Mike Sparrow. 

2nd Flight:
1st: Larry Johnston and Brian Johnston beat Mike Van Alstyne and McMullen.
3rd: Christian Laughland and Bob Gilroy beat Mark Odut and Regan Hedley.

3rd Flight:
1st: Willi Budzinski and Zack Mertens beat Jordan and Mike Pernarowski.

4th Flight:
1st: Dave Campbell and Jerron Kyle beat Jody Bilous and Derrick Kabel

5th Flight:
1st: Sutherland and Terry James beat Safronetz and Collins.

6th Flight:
1st: Eastman and Diboll beat Roos and Hrychuk. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 9, 2025 - 5:16 am

We are just a month away from the Gilbert Plains/Grandview Ag Society Fair & Rodeo.

It runs from July 11 to 13 and is one of the best events of the summer. As a part of this year's festivities, there's a slo-pitch tournament. Registration is now open, but you're running out of time to register. With a cap of eight teams, Brett Ewanyshyn told CKDM Sports on Friday morning that five teams are confirmed.

It's $200 per team. 10 players per team, and three must be female.

"It's open to all skill levels, it's a fun tournament. There are some better teams and some just come out for fun," said Ewanyshyn. "We do 10 batters and everyone bats every inning. It's a ton of fun."

Cash prizes up for grabs, with a $1,000 boost from Stony Plains Farms — every dollar of entry fees gets paid back out!

"The tournament happens at the same time as the Fair & Rodeo, so that's a bonus," ended Ewanyshyn. "When you're not playing, you can watch the chuckwagons or the rodeo going on. There is food on the grounds as well."

Camping is available for teams that come from out of town. Three spots left. To confirm your team, call or text Brett at 621-7545.

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 6, 2025 - 10:00 am

He was only 14 when his dream came true.

Ryder Thompson of Russell was drafted in the fifth round, 105th overall, by the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League in the WHL Prospects Draft. Just because you're drafted doesn't guarantee you anything. Many players say that's when the real work starts.

Thompson did everything he could to make sure he would get a chance to play with the team that drafted him. Less than two years later, Ryder made a name for himself. He made the Winterhawks as a 16-year-old. Five years later, Ryder's Major Junior career ended.

Thompson made his WHL debut in the 2019-20 season, playing one game with Portland. He then started the following season with the Waywayseecappo Wolverines of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL). His time there was very short. Ryder played eight games with the Wolverines before he was called up to Portland, and the rest is history.

Ryder played 264 regular-season games in the WHL, collecting 14 goals and 69 assists. He also skated in 56 playoff games, nabbing two goals and 11 assists. In the 2023-24 season, as one of the team's assistant captains, Ryder helped guide Portland to a 48-win season. That was the third-most regular season wins in the league, only behind Prince George and Saskatoon. They went on a memorable playoff run, advancing to the championship series. Ryder and his teammates went up against Aiden Ziprick of Russell and the Moose Jaw Warriors. It was Ziprick's Warriors that finished the deal in four straight.

Returning to Portland for his overage year this past season, Thompson was again a leader and helped the team win 36 games. It was an excellent regular season, especially considering the elite talent the team lost after the run the previous year. They beat Prince George in seven games in round one and Everett in seven games in round two. Thompson's time with Portland ended on Thursday, May 1, when Spokane swept the Winterhawks.

"A lot of people didn't have us making it that far this season, and even some of the guys in the room with what we lost last year," said Thompson. "With the experience we had going through it last year, we wanted to get back. I think it was very important for the young guys to experience this run. Hopefully, they can get back here next year. It was a super special run this year."

Point-wise, this past year was Ryder's best. In 67 games, he scored nine goals and had 23 points. His nine goals were six more than any other season. It's also extremely impressive that Thompson had only 33 penalty minutes. 

Ryder posted one more goal, paired with six assists in the playoffs. 

"This year, I think I took a really big step personally. I took a big step as a leader," continued Thompson. "I tried to come to the rink every day and enjoy it with the guys. It all ended with a snap of the finger, and no one warned you about it. It was a super special year. One of my favourites."

When the Winterhawks handed out their season-ending awards, the Russell product made history. Ryder was presented with the Winterhawk Award. Presented by the coaching staff, the award recognizes the player who best exemplifies character, leadership, heart, and soul. For the first time in the team's 49-year history, a player won the award back-to-back-to-back. 

"That was really cool. Working hard and coming ready to go every day is something I learned from the 20-year-olds when I was 16," ended Thompson. "To have that accolade is really cool. We'll see if anyone else can win three or four moving forward. It's hard to put into words how much my time here has meant."

While his time in the WHL has ended, Thompson has advanced to the next level. He'll be playing NCAA Division 1 hockey with Miami University (Ohio). Playing in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), Miami's recruiting class is ranked fourth in the nation. The Redhawks begin their season on home ice against Ferris State on October 3.

Thompson and his new teammates will play former Dauphin King all-star Cole Sheffield and the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs on February 20 and 21. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 5, 2025 - 10:00 am

The Grandview Lakers entered the season expecting to go through some ups and downs.

Back in the Southeast Senior Baseball League for the first time in six years, the team opened with a 3-3 tie against the Saltcoats Lakers. In their next three games, the team gave up 49 runs and lost all of them. 

In the team's 20-4 defeat against Canora, they were up 3-1 going into the bottom of the third. They struggled defensively the rest of the way and saw their losing streak grow to three games.

While they weren't pleased with the result, Darian Giasson says they showed signs of brilliance.

"A lot of effort and improvement. A lot of the guys haven't played in a number of years, so they're starting to come around. It's about getting reps at this point," said Giasson. "Although the scores weren't good, our pitchers did a pretty good job. Mistakes cost us."

On Tuesday night, the streak was snapped. Powered by great pitching performances from Kaden Ferland and Reese Andres, the Lakers beat the Parkland Pirates, 8-7. It was Grandview's first win in six years. It was also a piece of revenge pie. The Pirates beat the Lakers earlier this season, 15-3. 

Andres also had a home run while Jayce Legaarden, Kaine Morran, and Dave Elder all had two runs batted in. Darian Giasson chipped in with two hits and two runs while Kael Maxwell reached base twice, stole a base, and scored the game-winning run. 

"Winning is always nice. It was the way we played, pitching was solid, and several guys chipped in," said Giasson. "It was the best defensive performance of the year."

Next up for the Lakers is some home cooking. After opening the season with five straight games away from home, Grandview will play its next six on its home field at Wilson Park.

First up is the Canora Supers on Sunday afternoon at 3. Just like Tuesday's win was their first in six years, Sunday's game will be their first home contest in more than half a decade.

"Yeah, that's pretty exciting. A lot of people around town are talking about it," continued Giasson. "We hope to have a huge crowd. Hopefully, we can play as well as we did on Tuesday night."

Eight of nine batters reached base safely on Tuesday night. It was a complete team effort, and Darian says that's the key to success: everyone on the same page, and rolling.

Tuesday was a confidence builder, and the Grandview Lakers are just getting started.

"After that first game where we had a tie, we struggled a bit," ended Giasson. "Just knowing that if we play well defensively, we can compete with most teams. We have the bats, we have to play well defensively, and stay sharp."

You can check out Grandview's full schedule here. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 4, 2025 - 10:00 am

They have not lost since 2023.

23 wins, no losses. 1,206 points for. 50 against. The Dauphin Clippers 15s girls' rugby team has been on a roll that most teams can only dream about. On Monday evening, they capped off a run for the ages.

They won their third straight Westman League championship late last month. On Monday night, they won their third straight provincial championship. In a rematch with the Souris Sabres, whom they beat in the league final, the Clippers beat them again. This time the final was 31-15. 

Ryann Richard-Soltis led the way with two tries for Dauphin while Victoria Carter, Paityn Bourgouin, and Kiersten Vanderkerhove had a try each. Bourgouin also had three converts. 

Shawn Sarkonak joined CKDM Sports on Tuesday morning to chat about the magical run.

"Over the last three years, it's been amazing to see this program rise to the challenge. The girls have put in so much effort," added Sarkonak. "It's an amazing feeling. I am so happy and proud of the girls, they're the ones who have put the work in."

No team was even close to Dauphin this year. From start to finish, they were a team destined for incredible things. On Monday night, in front of their home crowd, their status as a dynasty was cemented.

"There was a last-minute penalty, so we didn't know if the game was over or not," ended Sarkonak. "Once the ref blew time, there was elation. All the hard work, the girls knew it finally paid off."

Over the weekend, the Clipper boys claimed bronze at the provincial championships. They also won their league championship. Rugby in the Parkland is in great hands and the Dauphin Clippers program will continue to make noise for years to come. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 3, 2025 - 10:00 am

They were looking for a little bit more than the result.

The Dauphin Clippers 15's boys rugby team ended their season over the weekend at the provincial championships. After a 19-5 loss against St. John's Ravenscourt in the semifinals, the Clippers had to refocus.

"It wasn't the happy ending we were looking for; we were looking for at least a silver medal finish," said Aaron Miner. "We'll take the bronze medal, and hopefully, grow off that."

Fresh off the heartbreak of losing in the provincial semifinal, the Clippers came out firing. In the bronze medal game against Souris, it was all Dauphin, from start to finish. They secured a third-place finish with a 39-17 win over the Sabres.

It was Dauphin's second straight win against Souris, after they beat them in the league final. 

"Dialed in, the guys were hyped up. It was a rubber match against Souris," added Miner. "They beat us in the regular season, then we beat them in the league final. So we wanted this one. We played like it was for all the marbles."

The Clippers will graduate four players from this year's team. That means four great athletes from Dauphin went out with a league championship, the program's third straight, and a bronze medal at the provincial championships. 

"Going forward, the future looks extremely bright," continued Miner. "We have over 30 players returning next year, plus what is coming up from grade eight. With the Parkland Pirates youth program being so strong, the numbers are only going to get bigger, and the high school program will benefit. We have high expectations for next year. Anything less than a silver medal will be catastrophic."

At the end of March, Aaron will lead a group of 25 young men on a journey of a lifetime. They're heading to England and Wales. They will practice with professional athletes and watch some professional matches. They also have some games lined up against some of the best teams in the world.

"It's huge, we have a full roster, all the spots filled up pretty instantly," ended Miner. "We can only take 25, and those spots filled up very quickly. It's amazing to see how many kids want to go."

Rugby in the Parkland is in good hands. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 2, 2025 - 10:00 am

The Grandview Lakers are heading back to the drawing board.

After an excellent opening game in their return to the diamond after six years away from competitive action, the team couldn't get it going on Thursday night. The Parkland Pirates of Melville won their second game of the year, 15-3.

Lyndon Zimmer pitched three innings for the Lakers in the defeat. Kayden Ferland pitched the final three. Fielding errors and base running mistakes cost the Lakers on the night. Reese Andres, who had a sensational pitching performance in the team's first game, continued to contribute with an RBI double. Kayden Ferland had an RBI single. 

There isn't much time to rest for the Lakers. They're off to Canora for a doubleheader on Saturday. Game times are 12 and 2:30. Don't forget about the team's home opener. It's next Sunday, June 8, against Canora at 3. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: May 30, 2025 - 8:36 am