DSFM schools duke it out for Zone 13 softball championship
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Throughout the Zone 13 Softball championships, Collège Régional Gabrielle-Roy and École Saint-Joachim schools had a competitive advantage. They were able to shout instructions to their players in French to keep their cards close to their chest.
That wasn’t the case in the final, as St Joachim defeated Gab-Roy 10-6 to claim the Zone 13 softball championships. Four Division scolaire franco-manitobaine schools were represented in the final, with Les Roys teaming up to field a co-op team with Pointe-des-Chênes and the Braves playing alongside Réal-Bérard.
“It’s the first time in probably 20 years two DSFM teams were in the finals in Zone 13,” St Joachim head coach Pat Tetreault said after the game.
“Hats off to their team, and I’m proud of my bunch for stepping up. Two little schools competing against some pretty big schools and we’re not done.”
The Braves will represent the zone at the upcoming provincial championships in Pilot Mound June 5-6, looking to repeat as provincial champions after an undefeated run in 2025.
“Even making it out of zone was tough,” Tetreault said.
“We’ve got some hefty competition out there. Do we believe in our team to succeed and to repeat? That’s our goal. Is it going to happen? We need luck on our side.”
The final flipped on a pair of home runs, including one from Joelle Normandeau in the fourth inning as part of a three-run inning which gave the Braves the lead for good.
Normandeau’s and Kaylie Tétrault’s home runs were identical, as the right-handed hitters sliced a ball into the left field corner against a shifted outfield and raced around the bases to beat out the throw home.
“We managed to hit a few out there where there was a lot of green and got extra bases to win the game,” coach Tetreault said.
“(Opposite field hits) are tough to defend against and you end up adding bases to your runners and puts them in scoring position in a good spot to get ahead of the game.”
St Joachim were nearly defeated in the semi-final after Kelsey Warkentine pitched a gem for Landmark. The Braves would eventually win 4-3 to advance to the final.
