Local Sports

Millions of enthusiastic, English football fans were glued to their televisions on Sunday, including hundreds in the Okotoks area.

The UEFA European Championship Final took place that day with Spain meeting England in the penultimate match. For England supporters, they hoped to witness their nation's first Euro title ever and first international championship since the 1966 FIFA Men's World Cup.

Sadly, it wasn't meant to be, as fans saw those dreams crushed in the 86th minute. Spain broke a 1-1 draw to lead 2-1 and eventually win its first European title since 2012.

The Carstar Okotoks Bisons have announced their new captains for the 2024-2025 Heritage Junior B (HJHL) season.

Four returning players will be donning a letter on their jersey, with Jake Snashall as captain and Adam Kirkpatrick, Caden Scott, and Easton Dean serving as the assistants.

The Steinbach Pistons open their regular season on Friday vs the Winkler Flyers. Ahead of the first weekend of games, Head Coach and GM Paul Dyck broke down the entire roster.

From returning players to new faces to the staff, Dyck believes this group can do something very special.

The whole breakdown is here:

The 2024-25 HJHL season kickoff is just a day away.

After three exhibition games, the Cannex Cochrane Generals are on the road for their season opener against the Airdrie Techmation Thunder on Sept. 20 at the Ron Ebbesen Arena.

The Gens met the Thunder in a home-and-home series in the preseason. The last game was a thrilling 4-3 overtime win for the Gens.

Last Saturday, the Gens lost to the Mountainview Colts, 3-2 to wrap up the preseason. The Colts broke a 2-2 tie in the third for the win.

Lanigan’s Kayden Stroeder has been selected to represent Team Saskatchewan at the 2024 WHL Cup in Red Deer next month.  

The WHL Cup features the best 2009-born hockey players in western Canada, with teams from Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia, giving the players to showcase their skills in front of scouts.  

It will be a busy day of football on Saturday in Ponoka.

Todd Lewis, head coach of the PeeWee and Bantam Broncs, says they have a full day planned.

"Not only are the PeeWee Broncs and the Bantam Broncs kicking off but also the Senior Broncs are kicking off all on the same day. It's never happened in our program's history before."

Lewis mentioned that the teams will be hitting the field with a grand entry.

The Swift Current Broncos have dealt overage forward Connor Hvidston to the Calgary Hitmen for three draft picks and Connor Dale.

Swift Current received a 2025 second-round pick, Prince George's 4th-round pick in 2025, and a second-round pick in 2026 for the WHL Prospects Draft. 

Dale, a forward, split time between the Vancouver Giants and Hitmen last year scoring five goals, 11 assists, and 16 points in 64 games.

Hvidston appeared in 170 regular season games scoring 61 goals, 95 assists, and 156 points in a Broncos uniform.

The Regina Thunder's 51 - 16 win over the Edmonton Wildcat, with the help of a Moose Jaw football product.

On Sunday, September 15, the Regina Thunder hosted the Wildcats in their second match-up of the season. Devin Baumann was named Prairie Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week with two blocked punts, recovered the second block for a touchdown, and made two assisted special teams tackles.

Dave Struch is looking forward to his first full season as the head coach for the WHL's Red Deer Rebels.

Struch was named head coach after serving as interim head coach through the final month of the 2023-24 regular season and playoffs. Red Deer beat Medicine Hat in the first round of the playoffs before being swept by Saskatoon in Round 2.

The Rebels will open up the 2024-25 regular season at home against Lethbridge on Saturday night.

Struch was pleased with his team's preparation during the preseason.

With a new season just around the corner for the newly-named Eagle Sky Estevan Bruins, the team has found itself a new leader in Cade Kennedy. 

The 20-year-old forward has been a fan favourite since he was acquired by the black-and-gold last December from the Yorkton Terriers. He finished the 2023-24 season with 22 points from 15 goals and seven assists. When asked about the announcement, Bruins' marketing director and play-by-play host Marty Martinson had five words to say about Kennedy. 

"I mean, what a guy."