Sports – Our Communities

Photo by John Kendle
Vincent Massey goalie Noah Barnes (30) was the star of the MHSAA AAAA boy’s provincial hockey tournament, allowing just one goal in four games. His efforts led the Trojans to the championship, as they defeated the Oak Park Raiders 4-1 in the final.

Trojans recapture provincial AAAA hockey title

FP Community Review Staff 1 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026

The Vincent Massey Trojans captured their second straight Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association boys’ AAAA hockey championship on March 16, with a 4-1 victory over the Oak Park Raiders at Seven Oaks Arena.

The Trojans held a 3-0 lead after two periods, through first-period goals from Aiden Dilay and Will Bader and a second-period marker from Carter Kaczmarz. Oak Park’s Karsten Ross pulled one back for the Raiders before Dilay iced the game with an empty-netter.

The goal by Ross was the first allowed by Massey in four provincial tournament games. Trojans goalie Noah Barnes was named to the tournament all-star team beside teammates Bader, Dilay and Trevor Johnstone, as well as the Raiders’ Ross and David Sudoski.

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Precision + power = gold

Tony Zerucha Special to FP Community Review 3 minute read Preview

Precision + power = gold

Tony Zerucha Special to FP Community Review 3 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026

Brent Smith has had a successful powerlifting career, without doubt, but he’s not done yet. Attention to detail, striving for improvement, and sharing his passion with others will keep him involved for years to come.

Smith, 62, recently won gold in the Masters 3/83 kilogram category at the Canadian National Powerlifting Championships in St. John’s, N.L. He set a new national record for squat and qualified for the Commonwealth Games, adding to a resume that includes provincial, Canadian and North American records.

While he had long trained with weights, Smith said powerlifing found him in his mid-40s, when he joined a small group at his regular gym.

That was the beginning of an education that had him starting from scratch.

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Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026

Supplied photo
Brent Smith, pictured at last year’s national competition, recently won gold in the Masters 3/83 kilogram class at the 2026 Canadian powerlifting championships.

Wolverines win big

Sheldon Birnie STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Preview

Wolverines win big

Sheldon Birnie STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026

West Kildonan Collegiate has a new championship banner to hang in its halls.

On March 12, the West Kildonan Wolverines won the Winnipeg High School Hockey League’s Price Division championship, securing a two games to one series victory over the Collège Lorette Collegiate Scorpions.

“It went well,” said volunteer coach Jamie Leach. “We had pretty good buy-in from most everybody. We just kind of caught fire in the playoffs, winning the first five games. We had an unbelievable final. The boys played great. That all comes from the buy-in all year long.”

The Wolverines struck first in the best-of-three final, winning the opening game 3-2 over Lorette at the Seven Oaks Sportsplex on March 9. The Scorpions evened the series with a 4-2 win on March 11 to force a deciding game the next day. In the deciding match, West K proved victorious, earning a 3-2 win to bring the championship banner home.

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Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026

Supplied photo
The West Kildonan Wolverines boys hockey team are the 2025-26 Winnipeg High School Hockey League Price Division champions. West K defeated Lorette 2-1 in the best-of-three championship final.

‘As long as you are doing what you love’

Simon Fuller STAFF REPORTER 5 minute read Preview

‘As long as you are doing what you love’

Simon Fuller STAFF REPORTER 5 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026

As World Baton Twirling Day approaches — it is celebrated April 10 — a key figure in the local baton community is reflecting on how the sport has created so many connections for her through the years.

East Kildonan resident Tammy de Jong — a Sport Manitoba coach-of-the-year nominee this year — is the head coach of Sakura Baton Twirlers, which offers classes for boys and girls aged four and older at a number of locations across the city, including at Champlain, Glenwood and Linden Woods community centres, and at Hampstead, Harold Hatcher and Bison Run schools.

Last year’s team highlights included a trip to Europe in August, when several members of Sakura qualified to represent Canada in Turin, Italy, at the Nations Cup, after qualifying at a Nations Cup event earlier in the year.

The contingent that went to Italy included coaches de Jong, her daughter Caitlyn, and Yonatan Orlov; as well as duet twirlers Hailey Tsitrin and Danika Huff, along with teammate Kyle Doherty. Gennie Muller of Aerial Fusion, another Winnipeg-based club, was also part of the team.

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Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026

Supplied photo
Kyle Doherty and Tammy de Jong, who share a mutual admiration, pictured together recently.

Meet a wonderful bundle of energy

Troy Westwood 3 minute read Preview

Meet a wonderful bundle of energy

Troy Westwood 3 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026

Mr. Aker Wilde Musto is a four-year-old preschooler who is causing quite a stir in the academic and athletic world.

“Preschool is going great! I really like reading time. The teachers pick my favourite books to read. I really like outside time, too, where I can run around really fast,” he told me.

“I play on snow mountains too!”

There is no doubt as to how serious Aker (Wilde Man) Musto is as an athlete when, at just four years old, the young fella is already training on snow mountains.

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Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026

Supplied photo
Aker Wilde Musto (a.k.a. Wilde Man) said he’s going to play for two soccer teams this summer and play like Ronaldo.

Elmwood Giants registration slated for March 28, 29

FP Community Review staff 1 minute read Preview

Elmwood Giants registration slated for March 28, 29

FP Community Review staff 1 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026

Elmwood Giants Baseball Club will be holding in-person registrations for girls and boys born between 2011 and 2022 on Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29 from noon to 3 p.m. both days at Chalmers Community Centre (480 Chalmers Ave.), in the main floor meeting room.

Registration is for the Learn to Play program, which ranges ages four to seven, as well as for the 9U, 11U, 13U and 15U age groups, organizers say.

The baseball club is also looking for anyone interested in helping coach one of these age groups.

For more information, call Al Kinley at 204-338-9603.

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Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026

Free Press file photo
Elmwood Giants Baseball Club is holding in-person registration March 29 and 29 at Chalmers Community Centre.

Voyageurs victorious

Sheldon Birnie STAFF REPORTER 4 minute read Preview

Voyageurs victorious

Sheldon Birnie STAFF REPORTER 4 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 18, 2026

The Collège Louis-Riel Voyageurs capped off a near perfect season in fine fashion.

Two powerhouse squads from southeast Winnipeg faced off in the championship series last week when the Voyageurs took on the Dakota Collegiate Lancers. On March 11, Riel won the Winnipeg High School Hockey League’s Winnipeg Free Press Division championship in two straight games.

“It’s really rewarding for the boys, above anything,” said coach Justin Buissé-Laroche. “It was a great season overall.”

CLR won the first game of the final 4-3 in overtime at Seven Oaks Sportsplex on March 9. Luka Tetrault and John-Thomas Cavell scored in the first to give the Voyageurs a 2-0 lead, but Dakota struck back with three quick goals from Triton Joudrey, Ivan Kuschev, and Cruz Agostino (on the power play) in the second period to take the lead. Riel’s Tristan Sabourin tied the game with less than a minute left in the second, and a scoreless third led to overtime. Jesse Trager scored the game winner, on the power play, near the midway mark of the overtime period.

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Wednesday, Mar. 18, 2026

Supplied photo
The Louis-Riel Voyageurs are the 2025-26 Winnipeg High School Hockey League Winnipeg Free Press Division champions. The team lost just one game all season.

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A host of upcoming hall inductions

T. Kent Morgan 4 minute read Preview

A host of upcoming hall inductions

T. Kent Morgan 4 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 18, 2026

A long list of Manitoba athletes, builders and teams will be honoured between May 2 and 5. Over the four-day period, the provincial softball, curling and golf halls of fame will hold their annual induction ceremonies.

The 23rd induction ceremony of the Manitoba Softball Hall of Fame is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, at the Victoria Inn and Conference Centre in Brandon. The Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame will induct its 2026 class on Sunday, May 3, at the Victoria Inn in Winnipeg. The Pine Ridge Golf and Country Club will be where the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame inducts its 2025 group of honourees on Tuesday, May 5.

The 2026 softball class includes Al Norris and Dave Saulnier, who played the outfield for the Winnipeg Colonels, who won the first Western Major Fastball League championships in 1973. In addition to captaining the Colonels, Norris played on other senior A championships teams in Manitoba before relocating to Calgary in the 1980s, where he coached and managed. Saulnier switched to slo-pitch where he played for Beavers, who dominated the sport for many years.

An infielder, Brian Gadsby played fastball for many seasons, winning a senior A provincial title with the Steinbach A&W Stealers. In slo-pitch, he played for a SPN National 60+ champion and won three silver medals with the Manitoba Keystone Canucks at the Huntsman World Championships in Utah. Dean Fuller from Boissevain caught for the Minto Mustangs and Winnipeg Penguins for 11 seasons, winning provincial intermediate A and senior B titles. James Mann was an outstanding outfielder in Brandon fastball for 20 seasons, then switched to slo-pitch in his early 60s and played until he was 76.

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Wednesday, Mar. 18, 2026

Free Press file photo
The Manitoba team that won the 2008 Canadian junior women’s curling championship will be inducted into the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame in May. They are (from left) skip Kaitlyn Lawes, third Jenna Loder, second Liz Peters and lead Sarah Wazney, pictured with their medals after landing at home in Winnipeg.

Sports in brief — week of March 18, 2026

FP Community Review staff 2 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 18, 2026

MMJHL playoffs underway

The Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League wrapped up its 45-game regular season last week.

The Transcona Railer Express finished at the top of the 10-team league with a 36-7-1 record, good for 73 points. Meanwhile, the St. Vital Victorias and the Pembina Valley Twisters finished at the bottom of the league, failing to qualify for the playoffs, which started March 12.

In the quarter-final round, top-ranked Transcona faces the eighth-place Raiders Junior Hockey Club, second-place St. Boniface Riels face seventh-place Fort Garry/Fort Rouge Twins, third-place Stonewall Jets face the sixth-place River East Royal Knights, and the fourth-place St. James Junior Canucks take on the fifth-place Charleswood Hawks. Results from the weekend’s opening matches were not available at press time.

High school hockey playoffs heating up

FP Community Review staff 4 minute read Preview

High school hockey playoffs heating up

FP Community Review staff 4 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

Winnipeg

High school hockey playoffs heating up

High school hockey players across Winnipeg and beyond are deep into playoff action.

The Winnipeg High School Hockey League’s top Platinum Promotions division wrapped up its championship series last week, with the Oak Park Raiders prevailing over the Vincent Massey Trojans in the best-of-three final. The two teams finished at the top of the regular season standings before blazing through the playoffs.

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Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

Free Press file photo
College Jeanne-Sauvé Olympiens (in white) took on Steinbach Regional Sabres in recent high school hockey playoff action.

Young Marauder makes an impression

Troy Westwood 4 minute read Preview

Young Marauder makes an impression

Troy Westwood 4 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

Andrey Yamborko is a 17-year-old Grade 12 student and basketball player at Maples Collegiate.

He is a well-rounded athlete, but his focus now is playing basketball for the Maples Marauders, the third-ranked team in the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association’s AAAA varsity boys rankings.

“I love basketball because it is very fun and lets me get away from anything that could be going wrong in my life,” he said. “I play wing primarily and also play guard. Playing wing allows me to make a lot of off-the-ball reads and also crash the glass while spacing the floor, which I like doing most.”

Andrey was named the MHSAA male athlete of the week on Feb. 25, for his exploits leading the Maples attack. The Marauders are enjoying a successful year, finishing Maples second in the Nick Laping tournament, second in the St. Vital Invitational, third in the Maples Invitational, and third in the Bedford Road Invitational in Saskatoon, Sask.

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Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

Supplied photo
Andrey Yamborko is one of on-court leaders of the Maples Marauders AAAA varsity boys basketball team.

Top volleyballers earn Iwanoczko scholarships

FP Community Review staff 1 minute read Preview

Top volleyballers earn Iwanoczko scholarships

FP Community Review staff 1 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

Top volleyballers earn Iwanoczko scholarships

Transcona

The Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association and Volleyball Manitoba announced the 2026 recipients of the Dr. Dale Iwanoczko Memorial Volleyball Scholarships last week.

Gabriel Beaudin of Dauphin Regional Comprehensive Secondary School; Kaitlyn Couckuyt of Vincent Massey High School (Brandon, Man.); Céleste Pelletier of Collège Jeane-Sauvé and Elliot Smith of Miles Macdonnell Collegiate each received $1,000 for exceptional work both on and off the court.

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Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

Photo by John Kendle
Céleste Pelletier was setter and captain of the Collège Jeanne-Sauvé varsity girls volleyball team, which reached the MHSAA provincial final this season. She’s also a provincial champion in beach volleyball and golf, and plays goalie in hockey. She maintains a 95 per cent average and will attend Toronto Metropolitan University next year, where she will study civil engineering and play volleyball.

Manitoba a hotbed of goaltending greats

T. Kent Morgan 5 minute read Preview

Manitoba a hotbed of goaltending greats

T. Kent Morgan 5 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

In our last Memories of Sport column, which featured Jimmy Foster, the goaltender who led Great Britain to hockey gold in the 1936 Winter Olympics, there was a comment that Manitoba had been blessed with many outstanding goalies. Charlie Gardiner, Sugar Jim Henry, Terry Sawchuk, Brandon-born Turk Broda and Ed Belfour, from Carman, were named as examples.

The Manitoba Hockey Players Foundation was formed in 1967 as an umbrella organization for hockey-oriented people such as former players, officials, coaches and fans. Over the years, the foundation has supported ex-players in need, as well as scholarships and charities. In 1985, the foundation formed the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum to preserve and promote our province’s hockey heritage. Sam Fabro was the first chairman.

On Oct. 13, 1985, the first class of inductees was named. The group included Manitobans who had been inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame. The goalies were Gardiner, Broda, Sawchuk and Charlie Rayner, who played for the Kenora Thistles in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and won the NHL MVP award in 1949-50 with the New York Rangers.

Sugar Jim, who shared the Rangers net with Rayner for three seasons of his NHL career, was inducted in the initial Manitoba Hall of Fame group. Gordon Bell, Wilf Cude, and Paul Goodman were the other goalies. Bell helped the Portage Terriers win the 1942 Canadian junior championship and had a lengthy pro career, primarily in the AHL. Cude played junior for St. Vital and spent 10 years in the NHL from 1930 to 1940 with five different teams. Goodman played junior in Selkirk and won a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Black Hawks in 1938.

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Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

File photo
Brandon-born Bill Ranford backstopped the Edmonton Oilers to the Stanley Cup in 1990.

Next stop: junior ball

Tony Zerucha Special to FP Community Review 3 minute read Preview

Next stop: junior ball

Tony Zerucha Special to FP Community Review 3 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

The Winnipeg Rifles’ latest group of player signings has head coach Geordie Wilson looking forward to training camp and the upcoming season. Several local high school stars recently committed to play with the Canadian Junior Football League club, with more names to be announced in the months ahead.

A pair of Grant Park Pirates top the list. Quarterback Alex Balasko looks to make the jump to junior in the coming season. In 2025, Balasko completed 78 of 127 passes for 1,341 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also averaged 6.4 yards per carry and scoring three touchdowns. In an October game against the Crocus Plainsmen, he threw for 377 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for a fifth.

“He’s tall, and a good athlete with good mechanics,” Wilson said. “He has the ‘it factor’.”

Balasko will have a familiar face protecting him on the offensive line. Fellow Pirate Sebastian Weisberger comes from a football family. Wilson said the young lineman has a great frame and loves to move bodies.

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Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

Supplied photo
Offensive lineman Logan Garrow, of Murdoch MacKay Collegiate, recently committed to play the 2026 season with the Winnipeg Rifles junior football team, led by coach Geordie Wilson.

Boutet, Hayward win Manitoba junior titles

FP Community Review staff 2 minute read Preview

Boutet, Hayward win Manitoba junior titles

FP Community Review staff 2 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

Skip Evan Boutet led his team to its second provincial title of the season when it capture the Manitoba junior men’s championship on Feb. 22 in Morris, Man.

Boutet’s rink from the Heather Curling Club, which also includes Luc Cormier, Bryce Buchel, Quinn Lagace and coach Blaine Malo, defeated Morden’s Nash Sugden 7-4 in the final, adding the junior men’s championship to the U-18 title it won earlier this year.

Shaela Hayward’s Carman foursome won the junior women’s championship for the third year in a row, defeating Cassidy Dundas of Heather 6-5 in the final. Hayward will be joined by teammates Keira Krahn, India Young, Dayna Wahl and coach Ron Westcott at the Canadian junior championships in Sudbury, Ont., next month.

Both Boutet and Sugden will represent Manitoba at the men’s tournament in Sudbury.

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Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

Curl Manitoba photo
Team Hayward won the Manitoba junior women’s curling championship on Feb. 22 in Morris, Man. They are (from left): Skip Shaela Hayward, third Keira Krahn, second India Young, lead Dayna Wahl and coach Ron Westcott. Hayward and Krahn won the title for the third year in a row, while it was the second in three years for Young.

A sport for everyone

Emma Honeybun STAFF REPORTER 4 minute read Preview

A sport for everyone

Emma Honeybun STAFF REPORTER 4 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

Table tennis is hot right now.

So hot that Marty Supreme, a recent movie about a table tennis player from New York’s Lower East Side, played by Timothée Chalamet, has earned itself nine Academy Award nominations — including best picture, best actor (Chalamet) and a best director nod for Josh Safdie.

So it’s no wonder that the Manitoba Table Tennis Association is putting in the work to make table tennis as accessible as possible to those looking to pick up a paddle and join in on the fun.

While Marty Supreme features its share of healthy movie magic, presenting the sport at its global peak in the 1950s and lacing the match scenes with energetic cuts and cinematography for maximum effect, its depiction of competitive play wasn’t that far off the mark.

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

March 31, 2026