Local roundup: Regina Red Sox, basketball nationals and more

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Regina Red Sox

The Regina Red Sox have secured first place in the Western Canadian Baseball League’s East Division heading into the playoffs.

After beating the Moose Jaw Miller Express 17-13 earlier in the week, the Red Sox fell 14-11 to the Weyburn Beavers and 14-7 to the Medicine Hat Mavericks before rebounding with a 7-2 win over the Mavericks on Friday and a 14-13 win over Weyburn on Sunday.

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With the victories, which improved Regina to 37-18 on the season, the Red Sox clinched top spot in the division heading into their regular season finale Monday night in Weyburn.

On Wednesday, the Red Sox will begin the post-season as the WCBL’s East Division best-of-three semifinal begins at Currie Field with Regina hosting Moose Jaw. Game 2 will be Thursday at Ross Wells Park in Moose Jaw while Game 3, if necessary, will be back in Regina on Friday. All games begin at 7 p.m.

In the other East Division semifinal, Medicine Hat will take on the Saskatoon Berries. Weyburn and the Swift Current 57s missed the playoffs.

In the West Division, the top-seed Sylvan Lake Gulls will face the Brooks Bombers while the Lethbridge Bulls will take on the Okotoks Dawgs.

Regina Thunder

The Regina Thunder will kick off the 2024 Prairie Football Conference season this weekend.

Celebrating their 25th season as a junior football club, the Thunder are set to visit the Winnipeg Rifles on Sunday to begin Canadian Junior Football League action.

Regina will also be on the road in Week 2 before their home opener on Aug. 25 against the Rifles at Leibel Field at 1 p.m.

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Last year after a 6-2 regular season, the Thunder lost in the PFC Championship 21-13 to the Saskatoon Hilltops.

Basketball nationals

Saskatchewan’s 15U and 17U basketball teams have travelled east to compete in the Canada Basketball National Championships.

The two girls’ teams are playing in St. John’s this week while the two boys’ teams are in Toronto. In total, there are 48 players and 15 coaches representing Team Saskatchewan.

Hockey Canada U18

Whitewood product Reese Hamilton, a defenceman for the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, has made Hockey Canada’s under-18 squad for the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup for a second straight year.

Hamilton and the Canadian squad will be competing in Edmonton this week as the tournament gets underway Monday before the gold medal match on Saturday.

Last year, Canada won the gold medal with a 3-2 overtime win over Czechia.

Golf Sask

Several Saskatchewan golfers are in the field this week at the 119th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in Saskatoon.

Held at the Riverside Country Club and Saskatoon Golf and Country Club from Monday to Thursday this week, there are 264 amateurs competing in the four-round event, including 23 from Saskatchewan.

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On Friday, Regina products Noah Kozack and Will Blake secured two of the final eight qualifier spots. They will join fellow Regina products Aiden Walker, Hunter Kutcher, Luke Cote and Wade Huber.

Meanwhile at the Canadian Women’s Amateur championship last week, Saskatchewan’s squad featuring Regina’s Alex Schmidt, Creighton’s Lauren Fox and Kyle’s Chloe Wills finished the interprovincial tournament in sixth place after all three missed the cut.

Schmidt, a Royal Regina Golf Club member, was the top Saskatchewan golfer after shooting rounds of 79 and 80.

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