Having been undefeated since June 9, the 18U AA Estevan Brewers had a target on their backs heading into the Western Canada Championship in St. James, Manitoba this weekend. However, they were able to dispel any doubts as they went undefeated in five games, taking home the championship.
"[The teams in the championship are] the best that every province in Western Canada and we don't really know each other. So everybody's going there thinking they're already the best from where they come from. We went in there just hoping to have a good showing and have a little fun while we were there and it turns out we did a little both," shared Jeff Kuchinka, assistant coach for the team.
They started their weekend off strong. Friday saw a 3-0 win over the Bonivital Black Sox. Later that day, the Brewers pulled off another dominating performance, nabbing a win against the Vancouver Mounties 3-1.
On Saturday, Estevan blanked the Webber Wildcats, Alberta's representative, with a 6-0 result. Kuchinka recalled an outstanding pitching performance by Axton Martin, throwing a seven-inning game with 69 pitches that led to the shutout victory.
It was the host's turn on the field on Sunday. The St. James A's fought well in their first bout, but Estevan walked away with a 7-3 win, sending both teams to the gold medal round. The Brewers held their ground and were crowned champions with a 6-2 result.
Kuchinka partly credits the team's win, alongside their season-long success, to their work ethic and enjoyment of the game. "All I can say about our season and moving forward with our team, at the start of the year [we] decided we were all playing for fun. We kept it pretty loose and pretty casual. [The] boys enjoyed themselves every time they came out and I think that contributed a lot to our success throughout the year. It's just the boys showing up with the attitude that they were there to enjoy themselves and to have fun."
He noted that this is the last championship for the AA division. The Brewers are now putting away the gloves and bats until next spring, as they wind their season down as champions. Kuchinka thanked the players, their parents, volunteers, and sponsors for a successful baseball run.
The Estevan Brewers boast a 34-4 combined season record. They cap off the season on a 19-game winning streak.