Source: ACC Blog The Assiniboine Cougars women’s hockey team are headed to The Lone Star State later this month for the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Nationals, which runs March 27 – 31, 2019. “Communities across Westman will be cheering for the Cougars from 1,800 km away as the team competes for the top spot at this year’s championship,” said Athletics Director Beth Clark. “The team is ready and rarin’ to go, as they say in Texas.” The Cougars will descend on Frisco, just north of Dallas, Texas, ready for their first game on March 27, where they will face off against the Eastern Region’s #5 ranked Mercyhurst University Lakers at 10:30 a.m. The Cougars are currently ranked #2 in the West Region, with 18-6-1 in the regular season. The team’s only losses during league were to the #1 ranked Minot State University Beavers. This is the second consecutive year the team has competed in the ACHA and the second year they have qualified for the national championship. In addition to the Cougar’s first game against the Mercyhurst University Lakers on March 27, they also have games set against #3 (East) ranked Northeastern University Huskies on the 28th and the #6 (East) Rowan University on the 29th. “The girls have grown so much this season. They understand the systems we run and the principles we believe in: team, respect, and hard work,” said head coach Tony Bertone. “If they bring these three things to the rink and in life, they will be successful and we will do well at nationals.” “This year's team has a better idea of what to expect at the national championship,” says captain and Assiniboine Practical Nursing student, Mariah McCue. “Many of us experienced it last year and the knowledge gained is shared with new players. We have aggressive forwards and our scoring is more balanced this year. Our defensive corps are mostly veterans backed by a strong goalie so we are more solid this year.” Supporting the Cougars team this year on the ground in Texas is a student-run production team. Interactive Media Arts (IMA) instructor Murray Oliver and students will be capturing games, athlete interviews, and providing post-game video highlights and recaps for media outlets in Westman. The IMA production team will also provide game time and behind-the-scenes coverage on the Cougar’s Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts. Games will be livestreamed on the ACHA’s YouTube Channel. Schedules, scores, and more may be found at pointstreaksites.com/view/achanationals.

Kypling Black didn't start wrestling until October of 2018 but that didn't stop her from claiming the provincial title in the U13 division (46kg weight class) at an event held over the weekend in Winnipeg. In the final she secured a dominant victory in each of her three bouts--2 by pin and 1 via point spread. Each bout normally consists of 2 rounds of 2 minutes each unless a wrestler manages to pin their opponent or outpoint them by a 10-point margin. Kypling was first introduced to the sport by a friend at school who wrestled and convinced her to give it a try. She trains Sundays at BAMMA - Brandon Academy of Mixed Martial Arts. In addition to wrestling Kypling also plays rugby and volleyball however wrestling is now her favorite sport as she really enjoys the competition and loves the bouts.

The Brandon Black Knights won all four of their games on the weekend to lay claim to the Male Atom Rural A2 title. The team put on a dominant performance all weekend in Ste. Agathe outscoring their opposition 40-10 in the process. In the weekends final encounter the Knights toppled the Brandon Crush by a score of 9-1. Roster: Owen Stanley Ethan Furtney (AP) Cody Johanson (AP) Dylan Moore Ashton Shields Noah Jacobson Marcus Beardy Dylan Bolack Ethan Stanley Ashton Kalmakoff-Bird Griffin Lowery Riley Dutchak Keaton Lowery Khaysen Robbins-Melsted William Ross Jaxon Derlago  

The Miniota-Elkhorn C-Hawks captured the North Central Hockey League title last night after posting a 6-3 victory over the Russell Rams to sweep their Best of 5 series, 3-0. Shawn Bowles powered his team to victory with a 3-point performance on the strength of 2 goals and 1 assist. Kyle McLeod chipped in with 2 goals while Dustin Fisher and Bradley Bowles each managed to find the back of the net once. Shane Luke, Jordan Thomson, and Carl Bicknell replied in a losing cause for the Rams. The C-Hawks had won the previous two games by scores of 4-1 and 4-3.

Brandon University will host free viewing parties this weekend, giving hometown Bobcats fans a chance to watch live as the men’s volleyball team pursues a national championship. Bobcat fans have been enthusiastic this season, filling the Healthy Living Centre for home games and cheering loudly as the Bobcats went on a record-setting season. The free viewing parties will bring fans together as the Bobcats make their run at a national championship. All attending the viewing parties are encouraged to wear their Bobcats gear and to bring Bobcat noisemakers to create a fun and fan-friendly atmosphere. The number-one ranked Bobcats are in Quebec for the USports nationals after winning the Canada West title at home last weekend. The Bobcats play first against the eighth-ranked Montreal Carabins, with the match scheduled for a noon start (Brandon time) on Friday, March 15. The Friday game will be livestreamed to the big screen in the Healthy Living Centre. Bleachers will be pulled out for a fan experience, and the canteen will be open, with food and drink available for purchase. Brandon University staff, faculty and students are all encouraged to attend, if they are able. Friday match event post | Facebook event Saturday semifinals event post | Facebook event Sunday finals event post | Facebook event Depending on the results of Friday’s game, the Bobcats could play at different times on Saturday and Sunday. Brandon University is planning to stream both Saturday semifinals on dual screens set up in Harvest Hall, the university cafeteria. The first semifinal starts at 5 p.m. on Saturday, and is when the Bobcats are most likely to play. The second semifinal will play at 7 p.m. On Sunday, the Harvest Hall screens will again show a pair of matches, with the bronze-medal game set for noon and the USports national championship final set for 3 p.m. Harvest Hall can accommodate up to 500 fans, and will offer food and drink for purchase. On Saturday and Sunday, Harvest Hall will also feature a modified Prize Patrol for fans, as well as a kids table. Entry to all livestreamed viewing parties will be free. Those who can’t make the viewing parties can also stream all championship games from USports.live for a small fee.