Raiders win Provincial Championship in dramatic fashion
BY JAY STRUTH
After finishing as the WHSHL’s top team of the regular season last week, the Killarney/Wawanesa Raiders went on to become Provincial “AA” Champions in Russell on Saturday with a dramatic 6-5 overtime win in the gold medal game against the Carman/St. Claude/Elm Creek Cougars.
All of the Raiders’ games were close as they went undefeated throughout the tournament, beating the CNMPMT Tigers 4-3, the Glenboro/Carberry/Baldur Wildcats 4-2, and the Major Pratt Trojans 5-3, to send them to Saturday’s championship final.
Tournament All-Star Ryder Heaphy scored the overtime winner for the Raiders, assisted by fellow All-Star Kieran DeBacker and Connor Martin who was awarded MVP of the Tournament. It was a thrilling finish to a great Provincial Championship in Russell.
The Raiders got one day’s rest before they were back in Wawanesa to start their WHSHL playoffs against the M/S Mountaineers. They won game one 3-0 against the Mountaineers on Monday, and another exciting 5-4 OT victory in game two on Tuesday to win the best-of-three series.
Now the Raiders will face-off in back to back games against the GCB Wildcats in the semi-finals, which start this Sunday at 7:45 p.m. at the Shamrock Centre. Game two goes in Glenboro on Monday at 7 p.m., and game three, if needed, is back in Killarney on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m.
PROVINCIAL CHAMPS – The Killarney/Wawanesa Raiders are Provincial “AA” Hockey Champions after a thrilling 6-5 overtime victory over the Carman/St. Claude/Elm Creek Cougars in Russell on Saturday. The gold medal winning Raiders are: back row (from left) – Myles Ganske, Evan Svoboda, coaches Brett Opperman and Michael Reykdal, Ryder Heaphy, Sam Melnychuk, Logan Gudnason, Josh Archambault, Nikolaus Kummer, Connor Martin, coach Rick Korman, and Rylan Brown. Front row – Kieran DeBacker, Brayden Bartley, Parker Mayo, Russell Outhwaite, Dylan Brown, Gage Nafziger, Carter Bartley, Nathan Elder, Mac Heide, and Kyle O’Connor.
SHELLEY BEBACKER/PHOTO
CELEBRATION – The Killarney/Wawanesa Raiders celebrate after Ryder Heaphy’s overtime goal against the Cougars to win the Provincial “AA” Hockey Championship.
SHAUNA KUMMER/PHOTO
REGULAR SEASON AWARDS – Ryder Heaphy (above, left) was the Top Scoring Defenceman in the WHSHL’s regular season while (below, from left) Evan Svoboda, Myles Ganske and Nathan Elder scored the award for Top Goalie Trio in the league. Coach Michael Reykdal (in black) is proudly pictured with the boys in their awards photos.
BEST TEAM OF THE REGULAR SEASON – Captain Russell Outhwaite and coach Michael Reykdal hold up the President’s Award banner after the Killarney/Wawanesa Raiders finished as the top team of the regular season in the WHSHL.
SANDY PHILLIPS/PHOTOS