MJHL/SJHL young player showcase returns this season

The best young players in the Manitoba and Saskatchewan junior hockey leagues will once again face off against each other, as the two leagues announced the 2026 Western All-Star Challenge.

Each league is sending a 20-player team to the event, which will feature the best players born between 2008 and 2010.

“Our partnership with the SJHL in this and other ventures stems from the ongoing, fruitful spirit of cooperation between our two leagues, a mutual desire to showcase our players to the best of our abilities, and a desire to provide creative entertainment to fans new and old,” a league news release reads.

The release added last year was a strong year for advancing players to the post-secondary level.

SPORTS FLASHBACK OCT 2002: Shevchenko Sabres win soccer title

There are celebrations this week at Vita’s Shevchenko School. The Shevchenko Sabres claimed the Provincial Rural High School Boys’ Soccer Championship last weekend at St Laurent.

Shevchenko lost the provincial final to Zone 4 rival Garden Valley of Winkler last fall in Winkler and went through a so-so season this fall, compiling a 3-2-3 record in league play, finishing in sixth place overall.

But it was in the zone play-offs the Sabres found their mark. In the quarter-finals, Shevchenko got by Altona 1-0, as Kris Driedger scored the winner in overtime. This set the stage for the semi-final match-up against the defending champions and heavily favored squad from Winkler. With only 125 students from grades 9-12 at Shevchenko, Garden Valley had a decided advantage with 950 students from 9-12 to select a soccer team from.

Undaunted, Shevchenko battled the powerful Zodiacs from Winkler to a 1-1 draw after regulation, with Tim Thiessen scoring for the Sabres. Fifteen minutes of overtime didn’t settle it and the game was decided on penalty kicks, as Shevchenko outscored Garden Valley 3-2. Penalty kick goal scorers for Vita were Brad Waldner, Jeff Penner and Italian exchange student Alessandro Bondivalli.

AS I SEE IT COLUMN: The ongoing humiliation of Connor Hellebuyck

At press time Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was (a) still a no-show, (b) still choosing to go back on his word with the contractual promise he made to Jets fans and the organization by signing a long-term contract and (c) still turning his back on his teammates.

You know what else is still happening?

NHL general managers are still not making any decent offers to the Jets to acquire Hellebuyck.

What does that absence of a good trade offer mean?

SRSS girls varsity volleyball looking to build through season

It took a few games of South Central Athletic Conference play, but the Steinbach Regional Sabres varsity girls volleyball team has found the win column.

The Sabres defeated Léo-Rémillard 3-1 (25-20, 25-13, 23-25, 25-20) Oct. 7 in Steinbach to record their first victory in league play.

“We had a bit of a slow start and we’re progressively getting better,” head coach Amy Toews said after the win.

“The girls are excited about the win today. We’ve got a young group this year.”

SRSS Sabres boys volleyball aiming high this season

The Steinbach Regional Secondary School Sabres varsity boys volleyball team is looking to make some noise in the Manitoba High School Athletic Association this season.

Head coach Kyle Martens has brought a massive roster into the season, boasting 19 players for a large bench presence.

“It’s a lot to manage in practice, keeping everyone busy and working and developing,” Martens said after a straight sets victory over Louis-Riel Oct. 7 at SRSS.

“We’re a school program, we feel if we can develop guys, then why not. The skill is there, so that’s been good, we’ve got a lot of depth.”

Carillon Sports Second Shots: Oct. 8th edition

Featuring a Winnipeg High School Football League game in Springfield, MJHL games in Niverville and Steinbach Oct. 2/3, an Eastman Selects MFHL U18 AAA game Oct. 3 and HTJHL opening night action in Landmark.

Gabrielle-Roy volleyball player nabs MHSAA award

Gabrielle-Roy varsity girls standout Lola Parker has been recognized for her outstanding play to start the 2026 season. She was one of the first players to receive Dairy Farmers of Manitoba Athlete of the Week honours in the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association.

Les Roys won the Sanford Invitational tournament Sept. 26 and put up a strong sixth place finish at the Wesmen pre-season tournament.

Coaches praised the grade 11 student’s ability to contribute in both the front and back court, noting she regularly leads the team in digs.

“Lola shows great consistency and poise on the court and is part of the leadership core on the team,” her bio reads.

Pistons’ Molind named MJHL goalie of the month

Lincoln Molind has been recognized for his strong start to the season.

The Steinbach Pistons starting goaltender was in action for all four of his team’s games in September, picking up a 3-1 record and a 0.928 save percentage, earning McMunn and Yates goaltender of the month honours from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

Molind, a 2006-born goaltender has had a long journey to get to the MJHL. He played minor hockey at academies in Massachusetts, spent a season in the Finnish third division before joining the Canadian Junior A ranks.

He racked up a combined 17-2-3 record playing for Rockland in the Central Canada Hockey League and Brooks in the B.C. Hockey League last season.

Eastman Selects perfect to start MFHL U18 AAA season

The Eastman Selects have started the Manitoba Female Hockey League U18 season with a bang.

The Selects are 3-0 to start the season, boasting wins on back-to-back days inside the Niverville Resource and Rec Centre Oct. 3/4 over the Winnipeg Avros (3-0) and Central Plains Capitals (4-3 in a shootout).

“We liked our pace, we liked our compete,” head coach Trevor Hildebrand said after the shutout victory over Winnipeg.

“The Avros are quicker this year so they come at you with some pace and some speed. There were some parts in the game we got away from the way we want to play and it cost us and allowed the Avros to come at us a little bit… When we get on the forecheck, put pressure in all three zones, that’s what we want to do and we were able to find some success.”

SPORTS FLASHBACK OCT 1985: Wheelers win 14 straight

October 9, 1985

The Steinbach Wheelers spotted the L.A. Electrics a touchdown in the early going but then roared back to score a 52-12 victory in the 1985 championship game of the Steinbach and Area Touch Football League.

The Electrics picked off an errant Gary Unger pass early in the first quarter and a play later, George Loewen connected with Roger Taillefer for a 40-yard pass-and-run play to make the score 6-0.

Mark Kornelson got the first of three majors for the Wheelers before the first quarter ended and another long pass to Rod Reimer gave the Wheelers a six-point lead. The convert pass to Rod Thiessen made it 13-6 for the Wheelers at that point.

Providence Pilots sweep MCAC cross country opener

The Providence Pilots made conference history last weekend, sweeping the first-ever Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference cross-country meet, hosted at La Barriere Park in Winnipeg Oct. 3.

The Pilots dominated the women’s event, with Amariah Zult leading teammate Hailey Sawatzky over the finish line for a first/second finish.

Providence finished with just 14 points in the team event, 10 ahead of Canadian Mennonite University. In cross-country meets, lower scores are better in the team portion. Zult finished the six-kilometre run in 26:23, nine second ahead of Sawatzky.

The men’s individual event was won by CMU’s Luke Townsend, who edged out Pilots runner Owen EisBrunner by 20 seconds in the eight-kilometre race.

Niverville Clippers drop out of HTJHL

While the puck officially dropped on the Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League season last weekend, there was a missing spot on the schedule.

The Niverville Clippers announced they were taking a one-year leave of absence from the league in a social media post Sept. 24, citing “unforeseen circumstances.”

“We want to extend our deepest gratitude to our sponsors and fans for your unwavering support over the years and to our players for choosing to wear the Jr Clippers jersey,” the post reads.

The Clippers won the league championship in 2025, upsetting the top-seeded Springfield Xtreme 4-2 in the league championships. The Xtreme had lost just three games before the finals.

Springfield, SRSS Sabres improve records in WHSFL play

The region’s two AAAA football programs both came away with wins this week, as the Springfield Sabres shut out Garden City 30-0 in tier 2 play, while the Steinbach Regional Sabres took out Grant Park 38-27 in the top tier of high school football in the province.

Springfield was dominant on the ground, with River Wiebe racking up 237 yards and four rushing touchdowns on 20 attempts. Wiebe was especially effective in the first half, as the Sabres jumped out to an early lead and relied on their defense from there.

“When you can give the best players the opportunity, that’s what you do, and you can see that’s what we’re doing,” head coach Marcel Pelland said after the game against Garden City.

Wiebe gets the lion’s share of carries for the Sabres, serves as the team’s punter and kicker and chips in on defense as a defensive back. Pelland said he’s proud of how the rest of the grade 12 players on their roster have responded to shaking off the rust.

Carillon Sports Second Shots: Oct. 1st edition

Featuring shots from Steinbach Regional junior varsity volleyball and football games Sept. 23, SRSS football against Crocus Plains Sept. 25 and Steinbach Pistons games Sept. 25/26.