Weekend sports wrap: Stoughton wins Safeway championship; Robertson a co-winner of Spiring award
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- Published on Monday, February 3, 2014
myWestman.ca
The following is a recap of what transpired in local sports over the weekend . . .
Stoughton wins Safeway championship
Jeff Stoughton is heading to his 11th Brier after defeating Mike McEwen 8-3 at the Safeway men's provincial curling championship final on Sunday afternoon in Winnipeg.
Stoughton held control of the game scoring three in the first end and never looked back.
After holding McEwen to a single in the second, Stoughton wound up scoring a deuce in the fourth to lead 5-1.
McEwen was able to take a single in the fifth and steal another point in the seventh to make the score 5-3 before Stoughton took advantage of the hammer in the eighth and picked up another three points en route to the win.
Stoughton, and his team of third Jon Mead, second Reid Carruthers and lead Mark Nichols, will now represent Manitoba at the 2014 Tim Hortons Brier, March 1-9 in Kamloops, B.C.
This was the fourth time in the last five years McEwen has lost in the Safeway final -- three of the losses were against Stoughton.
Meanwhile, Neepawa's Kelly Robertson defeated Virden's Graham Freeman 10-2 on Day 1 of the 
event, but would later lose to McEwen by a score of 10-4 on Thursday. He would then be eliminated after dropping an 8-7 decision to Riverton's Justin Richter later that night.
Robertson, Lyburn co-recipients of Spiring award
Neepawa's Kelly Robertson and Allan Lyburn, who is Rob Fowler's third, were honoured as co-winners of the Pat Spiring award at the Safeway Championship.
The newly-formed award memorializes Pat Spiring, a respected Manitoba competitor whose curling career was cut short by cancer. It was established in memory of Spiring and recognizes competitive spirit, love of the game, respect for the traditions of the sport of curling, as well as on-ice curling ability.
The competing players were asked to nominate players at the Safeway Championship for the award based on their season-long observation of the teams as well as during the championship event.
Natives fall to Kings, Stampeders in OT
The Neepawa Natives continued to struggle on the ice over the weekend in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
On Friday, the host Dauphin Kings defeated the Natives 6-2 at Credit Union Place.
Tanner Lomsnes scored twice and added two assists for the Kings, while former Native Brayden Cuthbert netted a tally and an assist for Dauphin. Dylan Butler, Brett Hope and Jesse Bernard scored the other goals for the Kings in the win.
Jaret Smith and Sam Briscoe scored for Neepawa in the loss.
Jordan Piccolino stopped 23 shots to pick up the win in net for Dauphin, while Natives netminder Tyson Verhelst turned aside 37 of 43 shots directed his way.
On Saturday, the Swan Valley Stampeders edged the Natives 7-6 in overtime at the Yellowhead Centre.
The Natives held a 6-3 lead early in the third period, but were unable to come away with the victory as Nic Erb scored three consecutive tallies, helping the Stampeders pull even with Neepawa.
Dylan Favell wound up scoring the game winner in overtime.
Steven Phillips scored twice for Neepawa, while Luke Karakas, Sam Briscoe, Riley Hillis and Henry Berger netted the other tallies for the Natives, who picked up their first point in 12 contests and currently sit with a 10-35-5 record.
Meanwhile, in other MJHL action, the league leading Selkirk Steelers had their 20-game winning streak snapped on Saturday as the club lost 5-4 to the Portage Terriers in a shootout. The Steelers rebounded on Sunday with a 7-3 win over the Winnipeg Blues.
For the rest of the scores from around the MJHL over the weekend , click here.
Farmers fall to Pilots
The Neepawa Farmers lost 4-2 to the host Pilot Mound Pilots in Tiger Hills Hockey League action on Friday night.
Chris Belisle and Bret Levandoski scored for the Farmers, who dropped to 7-13-1-0 this season and remain in last place in the Eastern Division.
Lisoway scores as Wheat Kings fall to Hitmen; Brandon rebounds against Blades
The Calgary Hitmen picked up a 7-4 victory over the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday night.
The Wheat Kings trailed 3-0 after one period but managed to battle back to even the score through 40 minutes. The Hitmen however would score four third period goals to snap a 3-3 tie en route to the win.
Greg Chase had a goal and two assists for Calgary including the go-ahead goal 5:32 into the third period while Ryley Lindgren had a goal and two assists for Brandon.
Eric Roy, Neepawa's Quintin Lisoway, Jayce Hawryluk and Ryley Lindgren scored the other goals for the Wheat Kings in a losing cause.
The Wheat Kings were able to rebound on Saturday, as the club defeated the Blades 4-1 in Saskatoon.
Rihards Bukarts scored twice for Brandon, while Eric Roy and Jesse Gabrielle netted the other tallies for the Wheat Kings, who now sit with a 27-19-5-1 record and are currently tied with the Swift Current Broncos for first place in the East Division.
Lisoway watch:
Lisoway's goal on Friday night gives the 18-year-old forward five tallies in total this season. In 49 regular season games, Lisoway has 16 points.
Tigers edge Colts
The Neepawa Tigers picked up a big win over the Deloraine/Hartney Colts by a score of 3-2 on Friday night at the Yellowhead Centre.
The Tigers are now tied with the Colts for second place in the league standings with 26 points.
BU review: men's volleyball team go 1-1 against Trinity Western
The Brandon University Bobcats men's volleyball team split their two-game series against the top-ranked Trinity Western Spartans at the Healthy Living Centre over the weekend.
The Bobcats defeated the Spartans in straight sets on Friday, but wound up falling in five sets the next night.
The Bobcats now sit with a 9-11 record and are currently tied for the final playoff spot in the Canada West standings.
The BU women's volleyball team meanwhile has secured a home playoff date in the opening round of the playoffs. The Lady 'Cats also split their weekend series with the Spartans -- losing in straight sets on Friday; winning in straight sets on Saturday -- and now sit with a 15-5 record.
The BU volleyball teams close out their Canada West regular season schedule next weekend when they travel to Calgary to take on the Dinos.
Meanwhile, in basketball action, the BU men's team was officially eliminated from playoff contention after the club dropped an 86-80 decision to Trinity Western on Friday night in Langley, B.C. The Bobcats lost the following night to Fraser Valley 83-71 and currently sit with a 5-13 record.
The Lady 'Cats also sit with a 5-13 record as well after dropping both of their games over the weekend.
Chiefs fall to Wheat Kings; rebound against Capitals
The Yellowhead Chiefs dropped a 10-4 decision to the Brandon Wheat Kings in Minnedosa in the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League on Friday night.
Carberry's Jordan Robertson, Ashton Anderson of Rivers, Virden's Derek Cross and Strathclair's Morgan Geekie scored for Yellowhead in the loss.
The Chiefs were able to rebound the next night however, defeating the Central Plains Capitals 7-2 in MacGregor.
Elkhorn's Josh Martin scored twice, while Neepawa's Nick Noonan-Robinson and Logan Young both picked up single tallies for the Chiefs in the win.
Tucker Scantlebury, Morgan Geekie and Jordan Robertson scored the other goals for the Chiefs, who currently sit with a 17-20-0-4 record.
For the rest of scores from around the league, click here.
Jets defeat Canucks, Habs
The NHL's Winnipeg Jets continue to play well since the club hired Paul Maurice as its new head coach.
The Jets edged the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on Friday night and followed that up with a 2-1 win over the host Montreal Canadiens on Sunday afternoon.
The Jets have won eight of 10 games since Maurice took over as bench boss on Jan. 12.
Seahawks win Super Bowl
The Seattle Seahawks are this year's Super Bowl champions after the club destroyed the Denver Broncos 43-8 on Sunday in New York.
Russell Wilson threw for two touchdowns, helping the Seahawks win their first ever Lombardi trophy.
Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith was named the game MVP after returning an interception for a touchdown in the first half as well as picking up 10 tackles in the contest.
In photo: Kelly Robertson in action at the Safeway Championship in Winnipeg.
Photo by Terry Ursel
