Stuart Walter Sports

Four teams remain alive in their quest to capture the 2018 Turnbull Cup.  Tonight marks the start of both semi final series', with the Steinbach Pistons taking on the Winnipeg Blues and the Winkler Flyers taking on the Virden Oil Capitals. The Blues will be in tough against the Pistons, who finished the season as the #3 ranked Junior "A" club in the country. Steinbach won the season series against Winnipeg with a record of 5-0-1. The Pistons are coming of a sweep of the Swan Valley Stampeders, while the Blues are coming off a hard-fought series with the Portage Terriers. Steinbach is led by Bradley Schoonbaert. Schoonbaert, who is in his third full Junior "A" season, finished with 91 points. He was narrowly edged out for the MJHL scoring title by Dexter Kuczek ,who led the Blues in the regular season with 92 points. The other series, between Virden and Winkler, will be hard fought. While the Oil Capitals finished the regular season in second pla...

A former Norman Northstar is continuing to make waves following his Midget "AAA" career, having been named the co-rookie of the year for the OCN Blizzard. Norway House, MB native Anthony Apetagon received his award at the OCN Blizzard end of year banquet, which took place at the Aseneskak Casino earlier this week. Apetagon finished the season with 33 points (19G, 14A) and 31 PIM in 54 games played. This was his first full season playing Junior "A" hockey, following a season with the Junior "B" OCN Storm. In his one season with the Storm, Apetagon picked up the Keystone Junior Hockey League scoring title, putting up 102 points (42G, 59A) with 31 PIM in 34 regular season games. He followed up that performance with 25 points (9G, 16A) in 9 playoff games. Rookie centre Mark Liwiski joined Apetagon in the ROY honours for the Blizzard. The 16 year old from Dauphin put up 14 goals and 11 assists in 36 games, after failing to make much of an impact this ...

If you’ve watched or participated in speed skating here at the 2018 Manitoba Games you might have seen, if not heard the voice of, one of Canada’s greatest speed skaters. Susan Auch, who currently serves as the CEO of Speed Skating Canada, has been here in Thompson wearing a few different hats. Her badge says official, but she’s also been announcing for some races and cheering on her twin daughters who have been competing in short track. Auch competed in multiple Olympic games at both short and long track, taking home silver medals in 1994 and 1998 in the 500m, and a bronze in 1988 in the 3000m relay. She has since been inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame (2003), the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame (2010) and the Canada Sports Hall of Fame (2015). This was her first time here in Thompson and said that she has been enjoying her time. She added that this isn’t her first time in the north, as she’s been to Churchill and even as far north as Yellowkni...

This may come as a surprise to many people who live here in Thompson, but Team North will be playing for a hockey medal today for the second time this week. The boys took home bronze on Wednesday, and the girls will play today. Just like their male counterparts, the female Team North is made up of girls both from the north, and all around the province. Lee Cummings is the head coach of Team North, and says that he’s glad to be back behind the bench again after coaching the Midget “AAA” Norman Wild last year. He said that he really likes the fact that the team is made up of girls from the different parts of the province. He said that it’s exciting for him to be able to coach girls who are looking to make their mark on Hockey Manitoba, hoping to earn a spot that will compete at the Canada Games next year in Red Deer, Alberta. Cummings said that the hardest part of his job is making sure the girls are put in a spot where they can succeed and showcase ...

Today is International Women’s Day. It was adopted by the United Nations in 1975 as a day to commemorate the movement for women’s rights, and celebrate women. It is fitting then that it also marks the start of the female hockey tournament at these 2018 Manitoba Games. When it comes to female hockey, be it bantam or all the way to professional, a lot of people still knock it saying that it’s boring and that it isn’t as exciting as men’s. That’s simply not true. To anyone who would say that, I say that they aren’t watching the same sport I am. When it comes to men’s hockey, it’s often the same things that draw the love, and ire, from the crowd: physicality. They cheer when their player lands a big hit, and boo when their player gets hit. Let’s not forget though about something that gets everyone on his or her feet: a fight. Often times, through no fault of the players, the focus shifts from the skill to the grit. Enter female hockey, where there is not body ...

It was a big moment for Hunter Rambow and Mikey Baron this past weekend, as the pair of Northstars forwards made their Junior "A" debuts for the OCN Blizzard. The two drew into the lineup for the game on March 4th, as the Blizzard played the Swan Valley Stampeders in the last MJHL game of the season; a make-up game from an earlier cancelled match-up. The Stampeders would win the game handily, 4-0. Neither Baron or Rambow ended up on the scoresheet. Hunter Rambow, centre, on the forecheck during his OCN Blizzard debut on March 4, 2018. Photo courtesy of Hunter Rambow. Rambow, a native of The Pas, finished his second season with the Norman Northstars Midget "AAA" side as the teams' leading scorer. He had 12 goals and 24 assists for 36 points in 47 games. This years total is more than double from last years, when he only had 17 points as a 15-year-old rookie. Hunter Rambow, right, during the final Norman Northstars Midget "AAA" game of the se...