Meridian Source - July 16, 2026

New Rotary president outlines goals for year

The Rotary Club of Lloydminster’s new president had a chance to lay out some goals for the upcoming year, including a focus on service and membership.

Charlene Rowein, Rotary Club of Lloydminster president, took to the podium outlining her term’s focus.

“When we look at membership, I think that one is very important. To keep clubs going like Rotary, we need those volunteers from our community,” she said, noting their goal is to add seven new members, increasing membership to 55. She explained her time in Rotary began over a decade ago when she was still a part of the then Lloydminster Interval Home Society.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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OUTDOOR POOL

OUTDOOR POOL BASH

JULY 16 • 1-8:30 PM

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Dive into summer fun at the Outdoor Pool Bash presented by Lloydminster & District Co-op! Enjoy an action-packed a ernoon of swimming, games, and family-friendly activities.

Activities and giveaways run from 1–3 p.m.

SERVUS SPORTS CENTRE

FALL COMMUNITY REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION NIGHT

SEP 2 • 4-8 PM • COSTS VARY

Vendor registration is open for groups, clubs, organizations, support resources, etc. Lloydminster.ca/CommunityReg

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JULY 18 • 10 AM-3:30 PM

Join Alberta Land Based Education for a hands-on buffalo hide tanning workshop. Admission by donation.

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AUG 3 • 8:30 AM-3 PM • FREE

Celebrate Heritage Day, presented by Cenovus Energy, with heritage demonstrations, wagon rides, live entertainment, and more!

8:30-10 AM | FREE Pancake Breakfast

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ROTARY FROM PAGE 5

“I found that the values and what we’re trying to achieve as Rotarians fits very well with my own values and my desire to always do good in the community,” Rowein said. As president, some of her goals include increasing service participation.

“I really encourage everyone to start thinking about what would you like to do this year in Rotary,” Rowein said. She spoke about some donation goals the club has: $3,000 for the Rotary Foundation and $2,000 for PolioPlus. Service projects are also on the list of things she wants Rotarians to be involved in.

“I think that came through the survey, actually doing hands-on projects throughout the community,” she said. Rowein also highlighted youth in the community, discussing the possibility of working with the Lloydminster Youth Council.

“Considering that we have the youth council here in town already, rather than starting up a brand new interact club, a lot of the work that the youth council does is quite a good fit for what we do here in Rotary,” she explained.

“So, rather than going through the whole process of creating another club, why not partner with the youth council.”

Lloyd Ex responds following incident with autistic boy amid public outrage

A weekend incident at the Lloyd Ex Fair involving private security guards and an autistic child has sparked widespread community concern and calls for accountability after videos of the confrontation began circulating on social media.

The incident occurred Saturday night during the annual fair hosted by the Lloydminster Agricultural Exhibition Association.

Witnesses and social media posts

indicate that the child, identified by his family as Cassius, became separated from his grandmother, Esther Bird. An eyewitness who had been sitting with Cassius reported that he was calm until several security guards surrounded him.

The boy panicked, tried to run away and repeatedly cried out that he was lost. According to witnesses, guards from Executive Protection Services, a contracted security firm, pursued and physically restrained him.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

On-site witnesses reported the handling was aggressive, noting that bystanders repeatedly asked security to stop and explained that the youth has autism.

Jackie Tomayer, general manager of the Lloyd Ex, released the following statement addressing the situation:

“What happened Saturday night at the fair was incredibly unfortunate. I’ve spoken with the child’s grandmother, as well as the security company, since the incident. Without knowing the full extent of what had happened before we arrived we (myself and a volunteer) tried to de-escalate the situation and keep the public out of the area, to make it as safe as possible.

“Lloyd Ex has worked hard to be an inclusive environment for all enrolling in special programming, as well as offering inclusion hours at other events. Clearly, there is an opportunity here for training, growth and procedural changes. We want to continue to work to ensure that ours is a safe facility that creates positive memories and experiences for all our patrons. Of course, we will aid the RCMP in any investigations they have ongoing.”

Town of Vermilion council sets sights on tackling multiple issues

Health care, housing, economic development and relationship building are all areas the Town of Vermilion council is looking to tackle, according to Mayor Robert Snow.

Sitting in his office at the front of town hall, Snow spoke to the importance of being available.

“When I was running, my vision was always to have the office up front here,” he said. “In a day, my day is full with people stopping in (and chatting).”

Looking forward, Snow explained one thing the current council was able to bring back was stability, following a rocky previous term that saw the previous mayor sanctioned.

“I think we’re right on track, but just bringing some stability back (to the town),” Snow said.

He said one of their major goals is working in collaboration with local partners.

“The other big goal in the future is ensuring that we support our stakeholders and our partners,” he said. “It starts with neighbouring municipalities, but it doesn’t end there. I think of Lakeland College — it’s such an asset in our community.

“Ensuring that we can work with our neighbours, work with those people that are in our town.”

A change implemented by local council is how they operate their economic development committee.

“We’ve taken the stance, we’re the ones that have to make the decisions, but we’re not the specialists,” Snow said. “We’ve changed our model in that committee and now we have businesses come in. We sit down with them at the table and collaborate on how do we, first support businesses that we have, but also attract new businesses.”

He said he spoke to a local business owner who told him the best way to draw businesses into the community is to see existing businesses thrive.

“We’ve taken that to heart, how do we support our local businesses,” Snow said. “When you look at our strategic plan, economic development and growth is crucial.”

A win for the town included the recent passing of a fire agreement between them and the County of Vermilion River.

“As you heard at Tuesday’s (June 23) council meeting, we’ve reached a fire agreement (with the County of Vermilion River),” he said. “Both municipalities came together. It was never that we had disagreements, but we were thinking of our own communities.

“We’ve really started to say as a region we’re stronger, so let’s work together. You start to build that relationship and I think it’s really neat to see that relationship grow,” Snow said.

The relationship building has also extended to the province.

“Our goal is, they’re a partner, they’re a stakeholder in our community. When we go to them, we want to work as partners,” he said.

While nothing is formalized yet, Snow said they’ve been working on restoring the CN Station Building at Vermilion Provincial Park.

“We have a lot of great discussions and opportunities arise from those discussions,” he said.

Something council has been working

We’re growing again!

on is housing, an issue they continue to deal with.

“I think our biggest challenge right now is just getting the housing that we need for a sustainable future,” Snow said.

Health care continues to be top of mind for the small Alberta town, including the need for paramedics.

“We need a full complement of paramedics in our community and we don’t have that,” he said. “We need to ensure that health care is strong; our council has been very committed to that.”

A potential solution, according to Snow, could be the college.

“It also goes back to having a college in Lloydminster and in Vermilion. What a great opportunity to look at how do we maybe train some health-care professionals,” he said. “Statistically, if you train them and they’re from that area, they’re most likely going to stay in that area.

“Health care is a challenge and I think we’re getting there. We have a good complement of physicians right now, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need more. Then, the other side, our nurse practitioners have really shined.”

Onion Lake drug alert

Two suspected deaths, multiple overdoses

MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

Onion Lake Cree Nation has issued an urgent drug alert following multiple overdoses and two suspected overdose-related deaths in the community earlier this month. The advisory, issued in co-ordination with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and Onion Lake Emergency Medical Services, highlights a series of drug poisoning incidents that occurred between July 1 and July 8. According to the community notice, the substance is described as a brown-coloured drug that is sometimes packaged in a black bag. It is being sold locally as “down” or fentanyl, and is believed to contain fentanyl or other unknown opioids. In all reported cases, the substance was smoked.

Health officials say several of the overdoses required emergency medical treatment, with one individual requiring care in an emergency department’s intensive care unit.

First responders administered naloxone to victims with varying results.

The alert notes that multiple doses of the opioid-reversing treatment may be required, and warns that naloxone will not counter the effects of non-opioid substances if the drug

is mixed.

Local leadership and health authorities are urging residents to take harm-reduction measures, including:

- Calling 911 immediately if someone is suspected of overdosing.

- Carrying a Take Home Naloxone Kit, which can be located by calling HealthLine 811.

- Using supervision services, such as calling the National Overdose Response Service at 1-888-688-6677 if using substances alone.

- Utilizing drug checking services to test substances before use.

Officials also reminded the public that the federal Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act protects anyone seeking emergency help during an overdose from being charged with simple drug possession.

The local drug alert remains in effect until today, July 16.

12

Thursday, July 16, 2026

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Soaking in the Lloyd Ex Fair Leave it to Weaver

As in years past, I had the pleasure of soaking in the Lloyd Ex Fair as it took over the exhibition grounds from July 8 to 11. Fairgoers may have experienced a couple of rainy days, but when the sun was out, it was scorching hot.

Highlights from the weekend included covering the inaugural Farmer Games and witnessing the camaraderie among competitors, photographing Toque (who are phenomenal live) and seeing all the smiles on attendees’ faces. Saturday’s grandstand performance by Toque may have been moved indoors due to the threat of bad weather, but the fireworks went ahead as scheduled in what proved to be an impressive and lengthy display.

We sometimes forget the work that goes into organizing such an event. Kudos to the committee and the countless volunteers who make the fair a reality for the thousands who attend each year.

After this year’s four days of fun, I’m excited to see what next year brings.

Chris’ A-Z: Stompin’ at Stampede

I have officially taken in my first Calgary Stampede.

It was a week filled with strange weather back home in the Border City, while in Calgary, it seemed to stay mostly clear for the festivities.

The first thing we did prior to attending the Stampede was take in a pancake breakfast. It was a busy affair in the CrossIron Mills Mall parking lot. There was plenty of entertainment there to keep folks busy prior to getting their breakfast.

The pancakes were good, but eating those hockey puck sausages left something to be desired. There was live entertainment, as well as Indigenous dancers and drummers, which made for a fun viewing experience. Of course, it wouldn’t be a pancake breakfast without vendors, and people lined up to get free stuff.

The day we decided to go to the Stampede grounds was Tuesday, July 7, which was free admission day. The thing I didn’t realize going in, if you want to attend rodeo events, that’s a separate pass from the grounds entrance.

However, if you were to get a rodeo ticket, that also gets you into the park, something I wish I knew ahead of time. We took the train into downtown, which was absolutely packed full for our trip there and back. I found myself chatting

with random people on the train and the World Cup was still a hot topic.

Getting to the grounds, the line to get in was long. I don’t travel with much, so I had nothing for security to search and was into the event quickly.

As we got there early, the grounds weren’t quite packed yet, but the ride lines were already ballooning.

Hope and I had a caricature done. It was my first time getting one and and the artist made me look far more handsome than I am.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

Passport to YLL

Bingo at Moose Lodge

Bingo is back at Moose Lodge every Monday and Wednesdayevening.Doors open at 5 p.m. and play starts at 7 p.m. Must be 18 toplay.

Southridge Playschool Registration is Open

The Southridge Playschool and Kindergym Society has opened registration for the fall 2026-27 term for kids ages 3-5. One day a week is covered by a government affordability grant, and two days a week is $325 for the whole term. Contact Mrs. Shandy at southridgeplayschool@ gmail.com or message them on Facebook.

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Chair Yoga

The Alcurve

Community Hall is hosting chair yoga every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Cost is $15 for drop-in or $50permonth.Callortext Deb at 780-808-0015 for moredetails.

Crib Tourney

The Legacy Centre is hosting a crib tournament on July 23, starting at 10 a.m. Cost is $10 to play and$12forlunch/person.

Legacy Centre Overnight Trip

The Legacy Centre is hosting an overnight trip toReginaonJuly23and24 for the Roughriders/Elks CFL game. Limitied spots available! Call the Legacy office at 780-875-4584 for moredetails.

Legacy Centre Pub Night

The Legacy Centre is hostingapubnightonJuly 29. Doors and dancin’ at 5 p.m., supper is at 6 p.m., then more dancin’ after supper. Cost is $25/person at the door. All members andguestswelcome.

Von Bieker at the Vic Juba Theatre

The Government

of Alberta, City of Lloydminster and Vic Juba Community Theatre present Von Bieker on Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are free, reserved seating only. Reservetickets, Here.

The

Hip

Experience

at the Vic Juba

The Hip Experience: Canada’sPremierTributeto The Tragically Hip, returns totheVicJubaCommunity TheatreonSept.23fora7:30 p.m.show. Tickets are$40.

Menopause the Musical

The Vic Juba Community Theatre presents the Dr. H.A. McDonald Season production of Menopause the Musical on Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are$70.

Elton John Tribute

at the Vic Juba Electric Elton, the music andlegacyof EltonJohn,is attheVicJubaCommunity Theatre on Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. Tickets are$69.

Elvis and Dolly at the Vic Elvis and Dolly: Blue SuedeandRhinestoneshits the stage at the Vic Juba Theatre on Oct. 8. Tickets are$60.25.

A-Z FROM PAGE 13

My biggest pet peeve of the event was the lack of available water. It was a hot day and the crowds made it even warmer, meaning I’m paying $6 for a bottle of Dasani water.

The rides were quite fun and the vendors and exhibitors scattered around the grounds were a marvel to see. Paying for an unlimited ride pass seemed like a mistake as I got on two rides, something that spun us in seats pretty fast, and a large slide.

There was plenty of animals being shown off. Farms had displays and people were being educated on everything related to farming.

Before we got lunch, we decided to get some old-timey photos done. They were posed from the Victorian era. The photos turned out quite nice, and along with the caricature, will make for a nice keepsake. Overall, the Calgary Stampede was about

what I expected.

We ended the week with another pancake breakfast, this one closer to where we were staying, and I was sporting a tan. I’ve had a couple of days to look back on the event, and my conclusion is, I’d go back again. It was a thrilling experience and if I went back, I’d likely get tickets for the rodeo and the concert to take in the various sights.

I was very sad to miss out on the Lloyd Ex Fair,

I was temporarily in jail, until I realized the door was open.

Meridian Source photos

a personal favourite of mine, but I’m looking forward to the Vermilion Fair at the end of this month.

Brassington and his family, Jacey,JacobandCharley;sister, Eva Waterfield; brother, David and Ron (Dorothy) Brassington; sister-in-law, Irene Knowlson and Edna Curtis; brother-in-law, Alan Svean (Dianne) and numerous nieces, nephews, extendedfamilyandfriends.

Gordon was predeceased by: his parents Frank and Muriel Brassington; parents-in-law, Conrad and Olive Svean; uncles and aunts, Frank and Nellie Kirby,Lloyd and Eva Chambers, Harry andAnna Brassington;Art and Joyce Brassington and Ken and Bertha Brassington; sisters-in-law, Pat Brassington and Gladys Roebuck; and brothers-in-law,JohnKnowlson, MasonCurtisandArtWaterfield. TheFuneralServiceforGordon wasconductedfromE.H.Walter School, Paradise Valley, Alberta on Saturday, July 4, 2026 at 10:00 am. If you are unable to attend in person,you may view thelivestreamingoftheservice posted on McCaw Funeral Service website under Gordon's

Donations in memory of Gordon may be made to ParadiseValleyAgSociety. McCaw Funeral Service Ltd., of Lloydminster, Alberta administered the funeral arrangements.

CARD OF THANKS

The Brassington family would like to thank all those who showedtheirsupport.

16

Thursday, July 16, 2024

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Alberta author drops 23rd edition of ‘Fix Canada’

MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

Unabashedly conservative author and commentator Jeff Willerton is back on the road, taking aim at the Canadian political establishment with the release of the 23rd edition of his book, Fix Canada.

The Airdrie-based writer, who began his career in the late 1990s as a freelance columnist for three northcentral Alberta newspapers, describes his latest release as an “atomic bomb” compared to the conventional weapons of his previous editions.

“Basically, it’s about cutting the legs out from under everything Liberal governments have ever done,” Willerton said in a recent interview. “They’re all liberal — some are just worse than others.”

The book’s foundation rests on direct, uncensored columns Willerton originally penned for the Barrhead Leader, the Westlock News, and the Athabasca Advocate. To ensure the material stays current with the shifting political landscape, each column is accompanied by updated commentary and analysis.

Willerton says his goal is to connect history and current events like puzzle pieces, presenting them in a straightforward manner that breaks past the traditional Canadian political landscape.

“We’ve been in this blue-red paradigm for 160 years and this is where it’s gotten us,” Willerton said. “If we continue to think it’s going to change

if we go back to the blue for four or eight years, we’re dreaming. We need to think outside the box.”

First published in the fall of 2000, the Fix Canada series has steadily evolved. Willerton notes that the book draws strong reactions from across the political spectrum, noting some readers pass it down to grandchildren while others would gladly burn it.

Willerton plans to remain on tour promoting the new edition until the copies are gone. More information and book orders can be found at fixcanada.ca.

Farming meets strength meets

For local gym owner Rene Weinkauf, bringing his two greatest passions together was a dream years in the making. Weinkauf wanted to fuse his deep-rooted agricultural background with the gritty, highintensity world of strongman competitions.

After a heartbreaking attempt to launch the “Farmer Games” last summer collapsed due to a lack of sponsors, he was left wondering if his vision would ever see the light of day.

Then, the Lloydminster Exhibition stepped in to help revive the concept. “It blew my mind,”

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CONTINUED

TOP OF PAGE: Farmer Games competitor Eugene Allen starts his day with a 6,000-pound tractor pull at the Lloyd Ex. ABOVE: Farmer Games organizer Rene Weinkauf gets the crowd going on Friday, July 10.

Now ofÏcially wrapped, the inaugural event has cemented itself as a huge success, capturing the attention of weightlifting and farming communities across the Prairies.

While local businesses backed the Games, Weinkauf also secured a major coup: a headline sponsorship from Mutant, a global supplement giant best known for sponsoring elite events like Mr. Olympia. For a local exhibition show to land such a sponsor is practically unheard of, but Weinkauf’s

in the axle clean and press competition at the first annual Farmer Games on July 10 at the Lloyd Ex. BELOW:

Ryan pulls a 6,500-pound tractor.

TaylorWeaverMeridianSource

13-year history with the brand made the impossible happen.

Ultimately, 29 competitors stepped onto the platform to test their limits. The competitive energy on the field was matched only by the explosion of interest online, with videos racking up tens of thousands of views.

One clip of local athlete Eugene Allen deadlifting in blue jeans and cowboy boots garnered more than 120,000 combined views across Instagram and Facebook within days.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Farmer Games might take show on the road

FARMER GAMES FROM PAGE 19

“He literally just bent over and picked it up ... farmer style,” Weinkauf laughed.

The roster of athletes drew a unique mix of seasoned gym-goers and rural locals relying on practical, everyday strength. Quinton Ryan, a cattle farmer from nearby Neilburg, Sask., admitted he isn’t a traditional gym rat.

“It’s more practical strength,” Ryan said, noting that heavy events are second nature.

That blend of backgrounds created an incredibly supportive environment.

“I feel really out of place, but everybody is super welcoming,” Adamson said. “You want to try new challenges in life.”

Fellow Wainwright competitor Marty Munroe, a 17-year Canadian Armed Forces member, agreed.

“I don’t care if I come second, third, or last,” Munroe said. “I’m having fun and I want that next person to be stronger than me.”

Jillian Adamson travelled from Wainwright, Alta., to bridge her agricultural background with a personal fitness challenge.

With the first year in the books, Weinkauf is already planning for the future.

The event has been invited back to the Lloyd Ex next year and the Saskatchewan Agricultural Society has even proposed taking the Farmer Games tour on the road across the province.

Word on the beat: characters in policing

Policing is about more than law and order; it is also about personal connections.

Throughout our careers and various postings, we encounter people I can only describe as characters. I met most of mine during my first posting in northern Manitoba.

We got to know our “regulars” through near-daily interactions, often after arresting them for public intoxication. Three of these individuals were DD, Jim and C. Addictions were, and still are, a reality in that community.

During the winter, we patrolled specifically to ensure no one was left out in the cold.

Most had homes or were visiting from outlying communities, but they frequently ended up staying the night in our cells after socializing downtown at “chip-in corner.”

These individuals were usually happy-go-lucky and easy to deal with. They knew we had a job to do, and we understood their personal struggles. I always kept a pack of cigarettes in my duty bag to help defuse tense situations.

Depending on how much he had to drink, C could get testy when arrested. When he was unco-operative, the sight of a cigarette would calm him down. I would light one for him to enjoy before he got into the back seat of the cruiser.

One night, my partner and I spotted Jim, DD and C heavily intoxicated just as we were heading out for coffee. After picking them up, we offered to buy them a round.

We made a quick trip through a local drive-thru — the one made famous by Rick Mercer — before heading back to the detachment.

I often ran into these characters while off duty with my family, and they became familiar with each other. My kids would point them out by name, and we frequently bought them lunch from the Northern Store or Burger King.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

SUDOKU

RCMP arrest two following disturbance at fair

MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

Lloydminster RCMP arrested and charged two individuals following a report of a disturbance at the Lloyd Ex Fair on July 11.

According to RCMP, when they arrived on scene, they located an intoxicated male who had made numerous attempts to instigate fights with fair attendees. The man resisted arrest and failed to comply with ofÏcers’ directions.

During this time, a second man became involved and assaulted one of the responding ofÏcers, police reported.

As a result of the incident, Quincy Wolfe, a 37-year-old resident of Saskatoon, and Pierson Wolfe, a 31-year-old resident of Onion Lake,

were arrested.

Quincy was charged with the following:

- Overcome resistance;

- Assaulting peace officer causing bodily harm;

- Resisting or obstruct a peace ofÏcer;

- Causing a disturbance.

Pierson was charged with:

- Assault;

- Assaulting a peace ofÏcer;

- Resisting or obstructing a peace ofÏcer;

- Causing a disturbance;

- Fail to comply with an order

Both Quincy and Pierson were remanded into custody and were scheduled to appear in the Saskatchewan Court of Justice in Lloydminster on July 13.

WORD ON THE BEAT FROM PAGE 21

They meant something to us that went well beyond the law. Listening to their stories was always enjoyable, regardless of their level of intoxication.

To me, these characters were a career highlight, becoming less like acquaintances and more like friends. Sadly, since I transferred out of Manitoba 17 years ago, both Jim and DD have died. But when I look back, it isn’t their arrests I recall. Instead, I remember them as the characters who enriched my time in the North.

Staff Sgt. Jerry Nutbown is the NCO in charge of the Lloydminster RCMP detachment’s General Investigation Section. Stay tuned for future online columns from the Lloydminster RCMP.

The Lloydminster Border Brutes were the bronze-medallists at the Alberta U17 B lacrosse championship. In the back row (from left) are trainer Kote Beriault, assistant coach Drew Hawthorne, head coach Jeremy Plamondon, Jase Beriault, Nash Mason, Kale Pierce, Hunter Deck, Isaiah Wiens, Ryssan Thiessen, Ryder Plamondon, Carson Bergerud, Braylen Martin, Tay Mann, Dane Newport and assistant coaches Mark Wallis and Tayte Goddard. In the middle row (from left) are Cooper Payne, Charlie Firus, Reeve Hawthorne, Josy Gelech, Rayna Nygren, Danika Madej, Oliver Burrell and Madilyn Stephens. In front is Rocklin Schwenk. Missing from the photo are Zayne Yushchyshyn and manager Kandyss Mason. Submitted photo

Border Brutes bring home bronze

JOHN MacNEIL

Officially, it was a bronze-medal finish for the Lloydminster Border Brutes in the Alberta U17 B lacrosse championship Sunday at Medicine Hat.

But it might just as well have been recorded as a golden performance for the Border City bunch.

The Border Brutes’ 4-1 record was as good as any club’s showing in the U17 event, played in sweltering arena heat over three days.

“Honestly, there were six teams there and any one of them could have won it,” said Lloydminster coach Jeremy Plamondon. “For us to go 4-1 was incredible, I thought.

“We were definitely the underdogs. We weren’t making a lot of noise. Nobody really thought the Brutes were going to win it.”

Underestimated perhaps because they play in a three-team league, the Wheatland Lacrosse Association champions showed their mettle and earned a medal in the provincial championship tournament.

The Border Brutes won three straight games in round-robin action but lost 14-11 to the Leduc Crush in the semifinals Saturday night.

“They’re a good team,” Plamondon said of Leduc. “We’ve played them this year and last year, and they’re always close games. We’ve had a good rivalry with them.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

‘That’s

the best lacrosse I’ve seen’

Lloyd regrouped to defeat the Okotoks Raiders 9-6 in the bronze-medal match Sunday afternoon.

“The whole round-robin, everybody was beating each other, and we pulled it together and got the wins early and that really helped us,” Plamondon reported.

“When we played Okotoks in the roundrobin, they hadn’t lost a game all year. So, we were the first ones to give them a loss, and that was a big confidence-booster. Our kids played really well.

“But when we played them again in the (bronze-medal game), we just pulled into a different gear. Our defence was the best I’ve seen them play all year. Our goalie was the best I’ve seen him play all year. And our

CROSSWORD

forwards were just smart and solid. It was just the perfect way to end it.”

It’s no wonder that third-place game seemed like the championship match.

“It felt like a gold medal to me, and everybody,” Plamondon said. “The kids, they deserved it. They really, really worked hard.”

And they did so in steamy temperatures near 30 C in a stifling-warm and packed arena.

“I couldn’t believe how hot it was,” said Lloyd’s head coach. “For as hard as (the players) would sweat, they’d throw their equipment on the back of the truck and then an hour later it would be totally dry. It was so hot.”

The Border Brutes were hotter than they’ve been all season.

“That’s the best lacrosse I’ve seen,” Plamondon said. “We just enjoyed that final game so much.”

It was the last game in more ways than one for Plamondon, now stepping aside after 30-some years of coaching lacrosse, hockey and baseball teams in Lloydminster.

“It kind of capped it off and it felt good,” he said. “I feel like I’m walking away at the right time.”

His 16-year-old son, Ryder, captained the Border Brutes and was the top scorer in the Wheatland league this season. He’s among 15 graduating players with Lloyd’s U17 team of boys and girls.

Multiple members of the Border Brutes are expected to graduate to the junior B Lloydminster Xtreme next season. Ryder Plamondon has been called up to the pennant-winning Xtreme immediately as they begin their Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League playoffs this weekend in Hillmond.

The Xtreme host the Red Deer Renegades in a best-of-three series, with all the action at Hillmond Redden Arena. Games are set for 6 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. Sunday and, if necessary, 4 p.m. Sunday.

‘Rocklin ... was a rock’

At the U17 B provincials, three Border Brutes — Ryder Plamondon, Ryssan Thiessen and Isaiah Wiens — accounted for 46 of the team’s 54 goals.

“They were getting shadowed quite a bit,” said coach Plamondon. “They definitely took a beating up front.”

At the other end of the floor, Lloyd’s goaltending was in the capable hands of Rocklin Schwenk. He handled all the action in the absence of goalie partner Zayne Yushchyshyn, who was busy playing U17 football with Team Alberta.

“We went with one goalie in hopes he wouldn’t get hurt,” Plamondon said. “He saved his best game for last. His name is Rocklin and he was a rock for us. He was unbelievable.

“Everyone played so well in that last game. We were just so proud of every kid.”

Winning ways pave Border Brutes’ provincial run

The Lloydminster Border Brutes won four of their five games en route to a bronze-medal finish in the Alberta Lacrosse Association’s U17 B provincials this past weekend at Medicine Hat.

In the third-place game Sunday, the Border Brutes topped the Okotoks Raiders 9-6.

Lloydminster had won three straight games in round-robin play before losing 14-11 to the Leduc Crush in their semifinal Saturday night.

In the final Sunday afternoon, the Lethbridge Cudas Blue defeated Leduc 13-7.

Lethbridge edged Okotoks 12-10 in their semifinal matchup Saturday evening.

After winning the Wheatland Lacrosse Association title two weeks earlier, Lloydminster carried that momentum into the six-team provincials and posted a 4-1 record that was matched only by the champion Cudas.

BORDER BRUTES 9 OKOTOKS 6

(bronze-medal game): Lloyd never trailed Sunday on its way to the medal podium.

Carson Bergerud and Ryder Plamondon each scored two goals and four points, while Isaiah Wiens potted a hat trick. Ryssan Thiessen’s three-point performance included two goals.

Rocklin Schwenk picked up the goaltending victory. He was between the Lloyd pipes for the entire provincial championship tournament, with fellow goaltender Zayne Yushchyshyn unavailable because of provincial football commitments with Team Alberta.

LEDUC 14 BORDER BRUTES 11 (semifinal): Thiessen fired four goals and seven points for Lloydminster, and captain

Plamondon registered a five-goal night.

The Border Brutes’ other markers came from Wiens (1-2) and Bergerud (1-1).

BORDER BRUTES 11 LETHBRIDGE 8:

The Wheatland champions kicked off their weekend with a Friday win over the eventual provincial gold-medallists.

The teams were tied 6-6 going into the third period, in which the Border Brutes outscored the Cudas 5-2.

Plamondon, with five points, and Thiessen each scored four goals. Wiens contributed four points, including three assists.

Reeve Hawthorne (1-1) and Hunter Deck (1-0) had the other Lloyd goals.

The Cudas’ Hayden Eldridge led all scorers with four goals and six points.

BORDER BRUTES 15

OKOTOKS

13: In their night game Friday, the Border Brutes rebounded from a 13-9 deficit early in the third period and went on to score six unanswered goals.

Wiens, with seven goals and nine points, led the Lloyd attack. Thiessen added six points, including five tallies, and Plamondon collected two goals and five points. Bergerud (1-1) rounded out the Border Brutes’ scoring.

BORDER BRUTES 8 MEDICINE HAT

SUN

DEVILS

6: Lloydminster ran its record to 3-0 with a Saturday afternoon victory over the host team.

Wiens struck for three goals and five points. Plamondon tallied twice as part of his threepoint game. The Border Brutes other goals came from Tay Mann (1-1), Dane Newport (1-0) and Thiessen (1-0).

Lloyd boys help Alberta win the West

Nikiforuk connects with teammates at U16 tourney

With the sun gleaming off the gold medal around his neck, Daniel Nikiforuk was brimming with satisfaction after Team Alberta’s football championship at the U16 Western Canadian Challenge in Winnipeg.

“It feels really good,” said the 15-year-old Nikiforuk, sporting his No. 1 Alberta jersey and sitting outside his high school, Holy Rosary, in Lloydminster.

“I’m really happy that our team got really close together and were able to beat Saskatchewan for the first time since 2018.”

Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 34-8 in the final, three days after blanking host Manitoba 46-0.

“I thought we did really well, and we beat teams by quite a bit of points,” said Nikiforuk, a receiver.

Off the field, the Albertans developed chemistry while bunking together at the University of Manitoba campus during the tournament and at their Edmonton hotel for training sessions before flying to Winnipeg.

Payne relishes breaking the Sask streak

Cobi Payne and the rest of Team Alberta rewrote the script at the Western Canadian Challenge U16 football championship in early July at Winnipeg.

The Albertans, including Payne’s Lloydminster buddy and Holy Rosary High School teammate Daniel Nikiforuk, bucked a trend in defeating a Saskatchewan juggernaut in the championship game.

“Yeah, they’ve been on a hot streak for five years and they had never lost,” said Payne, a five-foot-11, 165-

pound linebacker. “We’ve been losing to them in the finals forever now. We just went out there as a team and as a family, and we beat them.”

It was as though Alberta’s 34-8 victory was a double championship, finishing first while also solving a formidable foe.

“It feels great,” said Payne, wearing his gold medal back home in Lloyd. “Just experiencing it and growing closer to teammates, it feels even better to share that gold with a bunch of friends.

‘The experience has developed me really well’

NIKIFORUK FROM PAGE 27

“We came together by sleeping in the same rooms at the hotel,” Nikiforuk said. “Our coaches told us to figure out a few things to learn about other people. Just really hanging out with different other guys, instead of just the same guys and your teammates from the same school.”

At the same time, Nikiforuk and fellow Holy Rosary student Cobi Payne appreciated each other’s presence as Alberta teammates. They’ve played football together for more than five years, going back to their peewee days.

Beginning with tryouts this spring in Red Deer, both Border City boys made the U16 provincial team in their final year of eligibility for that level.

“I tried out last year and I didn’t make it, so I knew much about (the program and process),” Nikiforuk said. “It was my goal to make this team, and I did, so I was really happy about it.

“I think the experience has developed me really well. I’ve gained a lot more knowledge and skills for the game.

“I worked on my depths of routes, worked on my cuts, and I kept working on my catching, my jump ball, and all those things.”

While residing on the University of Manitoba campus, Western Challenge participants roomed with other players, and some

even had their own rooms.

“I got my own room,” Nikiforuk reported. “It was really nice.

“We ate at a cafeteria. We had time periods for meetings. We had a meeting room and all that. We had times when we had to be in our rooms. We had times when we could go out around the U of M.”

Nikiforuk also enjoyed strong support in Winnipeg.

“I had my mom and my dad, and I had my brother and my grandma and my dog,” he said with a smile.

Going into Grade 10, the five-foot-10, 150-pound Nikiforuk has been training this summer in preparation for his first season of senior high school football with the Holy Rosary Raiders. He’s graduating from the provincial Tier 3 bantam champion Junior Raiders to the perennial Alberta 3A high school champion Raiders.

“It’s more work,” he said. “It’s the same (football pipeline), but I think it’s going to be a lot more because it’s a new team and new teammates. It’s going into high school, so it matters a lot, and you could get coaches (from junior clubs and university teams) looking at you.

“I’ve actually been training quite a bit over the summer, working and stuff like that.”

Team Alberta U16 berth worth the wait

“It’s hard to explain the feeling that you feel with your brothers, after putting in all that work, to go out there and play the championship team that hasn’t lost for five years and beat them for the first time with Alberta, it’s unreal.”

Just like his longtime Lloydminster teammate Nikiforuk, Payne was successful in cracking the Alberta lineup in his second year trying out for the provincial team.

“It kind of put a little bit of a chip on my shoulder, going into this year’s tryouts, wanting to make that team,” Payne said. “And then when I did, I just felt a great relief.”

Junior Raiders graduates Payne and Nikiforuk already knew some of their Alberta teammates from playing against them in the Capital District Football League. Last fall, the Lloyd-area team won the bantam division in that league and went on to capture the Tier 3 provincial championship.

The Junior Raiders’ coaching staff included Payne’s father Cole, who played junior football in Edmonton after a high school career at Lloydminster Comprehensive.

“It’s a different feeling,” said the 15-year-old Payne, comparing last fall’s Alberta

After a championship season with the Junior Raiders, Cobi Payne is graduating to the provincial 3A high school champion Holy Rosary Raiders. John MacNeil Meridian Source

bantam title to this month’s Western U16 championship.

“With the Junior Raiders, I go to school with those guys all the time and we talk about going to provincials together and beating out whoever we find there. But when we went to Winnipeg, I got to live with those (Team Alberta) guys for a week and learn about their families in

a different sense.

“It’s hard to compare the feelings each time, but they’re both great experiences.”

From flying to Westerns to taking home bags of Alberta swag, along with the gold medal, the tournament shapes up to be a lifetime memory for the teenagers.

“Yeah, it was really special,” Payne said. “It was really fun to be able to talk with people from all across Alberta and just learn about the differences in their day-to-day life, compared to mine. It was really eye-opening to see the different places that they’ve come from and their stories.”

Payne’s story takes another turn this September as he enters Grade 10 at Holy Rosary and steps up to the reigning provincial 3A high school champion Raiders. He believes his Team Alberta experience sets him up well for senior high school football.

“It’s going to be a lot different,” he said. “We do run a spring camp, so I got to play with some of the guys that played last year. It’s a much different experience than playing on the Junior Raiders, playing with older and better guys. They taught me a lot and really helped my progression, when I played for Alberta.”

Along with his linebacker duties, Payne also drew special-team assignments and blocked a kick on a late PAT in a 46-0 victory over Manitoba.

Leinenweber takes Giant step forward

Vancouver shows more faith in two-way defenceman from Kerrobert, Sask.

Brady Leinenweber sampled a taste of his Western Hockey League future when he participated in a June camp at Regina for his agency’s clients born in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Leinenweber is a 15-yearold defenceman from Kerrobert, Sask., whom the Vancouver Giants selected in the second round (26th overall) of this spring’s WHL prospects draft. He has since signed with the major junior team.

His eventful off-season included the Newport Sports agency camp, where the highprofile prospects included Regina Pats’ 16-year-old forwards Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue.

“Yeah, they’re unreal,” Leinenweber said. “Crazy good players.

“It makes you better, just playing with those guys. Like, I would do a drill with Schultz, and I think I was turning it up a little bit. You’ve got to try and match him.

“It went really well. It was a lot of fun.”

It’s been that kind of a spring and summer for Leinenweber, drafted from the Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 prep program after playing the previous year with the 14U Lloydminster Athletics.

Now poised to play with the

The Vancouver Giants outfitted prospect Brady Leinenweber in team colours and signed him to a Western Hockey League scholarship and development agreement John MacNeil Meridian Source

Saskatoon Contacts for the coming Saskatchewan U18 AAA Hockey League season, Leinenweber’s future with Vancouver became that much more secure after the Giants signed him in June, just a few weeks after drafting him.

“It’s kind of just closing it,” Leinenweber said about signing his WHL scholarship and development agreement.

“You’re nervous before the draft, and then you get picked and it’s a sigh of relief. And then, signing is like that

final (afÏrmation). You know that they want you, and that they’re willing to sign you, so now you’ve just got to prove them right.”

The Giants delivered team paraphernalia to Leinenweber’s house, including a cap and personalized jersey bearing his name. After signing, he received another congratulatory call from Vancouver director of player personnel Greg Batters.

Giants’ new coach welcomes prospect on board

LEINENWEBER FROM PAGE 31

“He said they’re really looking forward to having me,” said the six-foot-two, 173-pound Leinenweber, a standout last season in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League.

“They think I’m going to impact the game positively on both sides of the puck and be someone that will positively impact the team going forward. He said they wanted to sign me sooner rather than later.”

Just days into his job, the Giants’ new coach and general manager, Michael Dyck, contacted Leinenweber as July began.

“He said he’s just been catching up and wanted to introduce himself,” Leinenweber said. “That was nice.

“He seemed like a really nice guy. He knew what he was doing.”

Dyck is most familiar with Vancouver and the WHL. He had success in previous stints as coach of the Giants and the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Most recently, he won a Calder Cup this spring as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.

Leinenweber’s first WHL training camp with the Giants is set for Aug. 24-27.

Afterward, he’ll settle in with the Contacts in Saskatoon, which is where his maternal grandparents reside. He’s been skating with

the U18 AAA team regularly this summer.

Leinenweber, who attended Holy Rosary High School during his Grade 8 year in Lloydminster, is enrolling in Grade 10 at Holy Cross High School in Saskatoon.

He’ll live with two of his Contacts teammates while billeting with the family of Wyatt Bitz, a defenceman whom the Everett Silvertips selected 13th overall in this year’s WHL draft.

Also moving in with the Bitz family is another one of Leinenweber’s buddies, Cullen Stephenson, the Outlook, Sask., forward whom the Portland Winterhawks picked 10th overall in May’s WHL draft.

“So, it’ll be a fun house,” said Leinenweber, noting Bitz’s father Byron and Stephenson’s dad Shay both played in the NHL.

Speaking of hockey connections that span generations, Leinenweber’s uncle, Ryan Wandler, skated in the WHL with the Calgary Hitmen back in the 1990s.

Leinenweber’s teammates in Saskatoon include his longtime friend, Landon Reschny, a forward from Macklin, Sask., also drafted to Vancouver this year. The duo played together with NAX in the CSSHL and Lloyd Athletics in the JPHL, along with West Central AA Hockey Association teams.

Lloydminster faces Unity in senior baseball semi

JOHN MacNEIL

For the second straight series, the Unity Cardinals are up against a Lloydminsterbased team in the North Saskatchewan River Baseball League playoffs.

Second-seeded Unity faces the thirdranked Lloydminster Twins in a best-ofthree semifinal that was scheduled to begin Wednesday night (July 15) at Unity.

Game 2 is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Driven Energy Legion Ball Park in Lloydminster. If needed, a third game would be played at Unity next Tuesday evening.

Unity swept the Oil City Ducks 2-0 in their opening-round series, while the Twins also needed just two games to finish off the Lashburn Cardinals in that quarter-final.

In its sweep, Unity defeated the seventhseeded Ducks 13-5 last Thursday at Wallace Park Field in Lloydminster, just one night after those Cardinals prevailed 7-0 at home.

In the Lloyd-Lashburn showdown, the Twins posted victories over those sixthranked Cardinals on consecutive nights — 5-2 on Thursday and 14-3 on Friday.

The other two quarter-final series also ended in sweeps, as the top-seeded North Battleford Beavers eliminated the No. 8 Glaslyn Orioles and the fourth-ranked Standard Hill Lakers finished the job against the fifth-seeded Mervin Flyers.

Those two quarter-finals ended this Monday night as North Battleford downed Glaslyn 9-2 and Standard Hill dumped Mervin 14-4. In the opening games last week, the Lakers blanked the Flyers 10-0 and the Beavers slammed the Orioles 11-3.

The best-of-three semifinal between North Battleford and Standard Hill was slated to begin Wednesday night at Battleford. The remainder of the series is scheduled for next week. Standard Hill hosts Game 2 at Maidstone (Silver Lake) on Tuesday night. If a third game is neccessary, it would be played Thursday (July 23) at Battleford.