Sports This Week: Royals send 65 to sectional track meet in Kindersley

By David McIver

Rosetown Central High School will have about 65 students competing at a sectional track and field meet in Kindersley today (Tuesday), said Krista Wenaas, who is leading track coaching this season. The Royals began practising on April 14, she said.

Barrel racing

The Keep It Simple, Sweetheart barrel racing series won't be held this year.

The organizing committee is small and everyone on it has "big commitments," said chief organizer Ashley Moellenbeck.

"We're not just taking a pause. We're officially disbanding," said Moellenbeck on Saturday.

Any extra funds will be donated to STARS, she said, also thanking the sponsors and supporters over the five years the series has run.

While that KISS series won't go on there, the Rosetown riding arena will be the scene this year of five Just For Fun Gymkhanas and four Saskatchewan Barrel Racing Association jackpots, along with clinics, said the main JFF organizer, Tammie McGonigal.

Gymkhanas will be held once a month, starting on May 19 and finishing in September. SBRA jackpots will also go monthly and end in September, with the first being on June 17.

High school badminton wraps

Rayna James and Jacob Weber competed at provincial badminton playoffs in mixed doubles at Walter Murray Collegiate in Saskatoon on Saturday, May 9.

They played against teams from O'Neill of Regina, Wynyard and Wilkie in their pool.

"Although they ended up 0-3, they competed very well, losing three-set matches to Regina (the eventual silver medallists) and Wynyard and losing their last set to Wilkie 25-23," said Royals head senior badminton coach Gary Paproski of his players, both of whom graduate in June.

"It was great once again to take competitors to provincial badminton and Rayna and Jacob should be proud of their accomplishments this season," said Paproski.

It's also a great way for the long-time coach of badminton and football to close out his own full-time career of accomplishments in coaching high school sports. That's not counting Mr. Paproski's amazing behind-the-back, half-court basketball basket of the recent past.

I don't think you're the kind of person who would like to take a bow, Gary, but you're entitled to do that.

Thanks also go to you for all that you've done behind the scenes for me and our readers all of these years.

Senior baseball

Besides the Rosetown Angels opening tonight (Tuesday) in the Fertile Valley Baseball League at home against the expansion Kerrobert Red Dogs, the Coteau Hills Baseball League also starts at this same time.

The 18U Wartime Marlins are to host the Beechy Breakers tonight.

Dinsmore travels to Beechy on Wednesday and the Outlook Riverhawks go there on Thursday. The Kyle Yellowjackets also play in Elrose on Thursday.

Whether it's to get around seeding and spraying or not, that's three games on three consecutive nights for the Beechy Breakers.

Josh Uhrich joins Dinsmore, said Grady Larson of that team. Uhrich will play outfield, as will Cash Arntsen, who returns to the Dinsmore team after a two-year absence, said Larson.

The Elrose Aces have ordered some new uniforms, said Barry Martin, on-field manager for the Aces. So they might be looking spiffy for Thursday's opener.