Hanover Kickers finding their footing in MMSL Division 1

The Hanover Kickers are establishing themselves as a mid-table team in the Manitoba Major Soccer League’s Division 1.

The Kickers nabbed a win and a draw this week, defeating basement-dwellers Scorpions FC 3-0 July 2 and battling Grant Park Sporting Club to a 3-3 stalemate July 6.

Those results have the Hanover Soccer Club’s top team in the MMSL pyramid sitting with eight points across five games this season in the eight-team Division 1. The MMSL’s top division is one step higher, the premier division.

The Kickers made short work of Scorpions FC, as the visitors arrived in Steinbach without a full 11 players to start the match. Hanover was able to nab an early goal before any late arrivals could take to the pitch and rode out a comfortable win from there, keeping a clean sheet.

Canada Day stumble doesn’t cost Sultans in pennant race

The Carillon Sultans added some unnecessary drama to the end of the Manitoba Junior Baseball season, but managed to claim first place as the regular season closed July 6.

The Sultans dropped both games of a back-to-back against Pembina Valley July 1, giving a glimmer of hope to the teams chasing them for first place.

A 11-1 mercy rule victory at A.D. Penner Park over the Interlake Blue Jays July 3 officially locked up a first place finish and quarterfinal bye for the Sultans, which were considered the pre-season favourites after winning back-to-back MJBL championships and returning most of their line-up.

Anders Meilleur pitched a complete game in the win, as Cody Gunderson knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the fifth.

Carillon Sports Second Shots: July 2nd edition

Featuring photos from the Barb Cheop Track and Field meet from mid-June, a Winnipeg Senior Baseball League game June 25, A U15 Carillon Sultans game and softball tournament in Ile des Chenes June 26 and the St Malo Triathlon June 27.

Nighthawks nab Blues assistant captain Fenton Mann

The Niverville Nighthawks have bolstered their line-up for next season.

The Canadian and Manitoba Junior Hockey League champions traded for Winnipeg Blues defenseman Fenton Mann, sending back a player development fee and future considerations to get the defender.

Despite being born in 2008 Mann has played more than 100 MJHL games, all with the Blues. He even saw action with the Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League last season.

“We’re getting a solid, 200-foot defenseman with a high ceiling,” Niverville general manager Mike McAulay said.

Neufeld named top boys AAAA athlete in Manitoba

Steinbach Regional volleyball standout Erik Neufeld was recognized as one of the province’s top athletes for AAAA schools June 29.

Neufeld served as captain of the SRSS volleyball team, leading them to the Manitoba High School Athletic Association semi-finals and earning an all-star nod. He also competed for the school in ultimate and beach volleyball.

Outside of school athletics, Neufeld had a strong year, helping the Junior Bisons club to a tier 2 national championship. He also organized and led a community worship night at SRSS.

Neufeld will join Youth with a Mission Australia next year to continue his development as a faith leader. Dakota’s Emilie McLean was named the girls AAAA athlete of the year.

SPORTS FLASHBACK 1991: Sports card collecting snowballs

The newest rage among elementary school kids is the collecting of sports cards. With the card collecting fad snowballing, indeed it is drawing in collectors from all age groups. Many adults are reliving their childhood by taking up the hobby once again. Some do it for fun, others do it for money.

With the current interest in collecting, it is not surprising that more and more card shops are springing up in Steinbach.

Main Street Sports has been selling cards for two years, and in the last month, two more card shops have opened in the area. Collector’s Choice opened in Steinbach May 1 and Mr K’s Sports Kards opened last month in Grunthal.

Mark Hiebert of Main Street Sports says the card collecting business has taken off in the last two years. Hiebert says with most collectors, the whole emphasis is on profit.

Athletes beat weather to finish St Malo Triathlon

After years of scorching hot weather, the 2026 St Malo Triathlon provided a little bit of relief this year. Cooler temperatures gave way to a rainstorm, with the top finishers beating the weather, while others completed their run through a downpour.

An afternoon storm didn’t dampen spirits at the event, although many of the participants rushed out of the provincial park before lightning arrived. The triathlon was at capacity, with every available spot filled by an athlete this year.

Terron Baker won the Olympic distance event, which includes a 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike ride and a 10 km run. The event appeared on track for a photo finish, with four participants within two minutes following the cycling portion but Baker pulled away with a dominant run.

His 36:46 time in the run was five minutes faster than every other competitor, as he won the event by those five minutes.

Vigfusson latest Niverville Nighthawks player to get call to Jets camp

It’s clear the Winnipeg Jets have massive respect for the Niverville Nighthawks, extending to before the Manitoba Junior Hockey League franchise won a national junior A championship this May.

For the past three seasons, just three MJHL players have earned invites to the Jets Development Camp. All three of those players have played for Niverville.

Adam Vigfusson joins Nathan Brown from 2024 and Lorette’s Avery Laliberte from 2025, as the Gimli product was named to Winnipeg’s 32-player development camp roster last week.

Vigfusson will have a familiar face coaching him at camp, with the parade of Niverville content continuing at development camp as Nighthawks’ head coach Dwight Hirst was named as a guest coach.

Carolina picks Ste Anne’s Zach Lansard in third round of NHL draft

All of Ste Anne was on high alert as soon as the third round of the NHL draft started. Zach Lansard, who was ranked as high as 80th in prospect rankings, didn’t have to wait long, with the cup champion Hurricanes jumping the rankings by taking the Regina Pats forward with the 68th overall pick June 27.

The selection was just four picks into the third round, made with a pick the Hurricanes traded into the day before, moving back from 42nd overall and receiving the 51st and 68th picks in return from Calgary. Lansard was the first forward selected by Carolina in this year’s draft.

The selection was a shock to Lansard and his family, who were watching the draft from their home in Ste Anne. There was no pre-selection phone call, with Lansard noting he had his last meeting with Carolina a few weeks ago.

“When my name got called, everyone on the couch blacked out and was silent for a bit and then we realized it happened,” Lansard said in a phone call later in the day.

Carillon Sports Second Shots: June 25th edition

Featuring a U17 AAA Eastman Wildcats softball game June 18, the Summer Skate Series in downtown Steinbach June 19 and a Hanover Kickers match June 22 at the Steinbach Soccer Park.

Providence Pilots standout heading to Manitoba Bisons

The Providence Pilots have proven to be a potential launching pad into the USports ranks.

Two seasons ago, Paige Heide made the jump in women’s soccer to the University of Waterloo, last year saw men’s volleyball standout Sebastian Verdaguer head to the University of Manitoba and now women’s basketball talent Faith LaRocque will be heading to the University of Manitoba.

LaRocque, who is from Niverville, was a high school star with the Dakota Lancers and made an instant impact with the Providence women’s basketball team.

Despite playing in the team’s system that has the entire 15-player roster receive significant playing time, LaRocque was named both the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference and National Intercollegiate Athletic Conference player of the year.

Jets draft pick Martin announces college destination

Owen Martin has his hockey journey over the next few years scouted out.

The 2025 Winnipeg Jets third-round draft pick from Oakbank will play one more year with Spokane in the Western Hockey League, before joining the NCAA division 1 school Colorado College.

“I’d like to thank my family, friends, teammates, coaches and advisors for all the support along the way. None of this is possible without you guys,” Martin said in a social media post.

“With that being said I couldn’t be more excited to come back to Spokane for one more year and get back to work with the boys!”

Dual-sport star Carrière picks softball, Valley City State

The Valley City Vikings may need to play an exhibition game in Friedensfeld if they keep scooping up Eastman talent.

Chloé Carrière became the latest softball player from the Eastman Wildcats to commit to the North Dakota-based University, joining La Broquerie’s Pascale Kihn, who played her freshman season this year and Landmark’s Kelsey Warkentine, who committed this winter to the program.

“I always knew I wanted to play either hockey or softball in university after I graduated,” Carrière said, noting she had a campus visit at Valley City in the fall.

“It took me a while to decide if I wanted to play hockey or softball. This year I chose to go the softball route.”

SPORTS FLASHBACK 2002: Eastman Raiders upset Lions in semis

For the first time in the 12-year history of the Eastman minor football program, an Eastman Raiders teams has made it to the league finals.

In arguably the most exciting and dramatic victory an Eastman football team has ever been involved in, the 16-18 Raiders staged a monumental upset, as they edged the heavily favored Fort Garry Lions 23-20 to advance to the league championship against Winnipeg Nomads.

This is an unbelievable story, and this is how it reads. The Raiders snuck into the play-offs, nabbing the fourth and final berth with a 4-4 record. That pitted them against the vaunted first place Fort Garry Lions, a formidable opponent, to be sure. This is a team that, just two weeks earlier, at the same Lions Field in Winnipeg, demoralized the Raiders to the tune of 49-7.

Fort Garry won the two previous league championships with 10 straight victories each year. Just a few weeks ago, St Vital handed Fort Garry their first loss in three years, breaking a string of 25 straight wins for the juggernaut Lions. The Lions followed that loss the following week with that 49-7 debacle over the Raiders.