Sunday Snipets

- Finally got to my first Harvest game of the season this afternoon. The guys played a complete game, scoring 3 times in the second, and 3 more in the third for a 6-1 win over Battlefords. The Stars won 4-3 on Saturday, coming back from a 3-0 first period deficit, earning the weekend split, and giving the Harvest their first regulation loss on home ice this season. Levi Cable had a goal and 2-assists in Sunday's win. Andre Parker had a goal and an assist, while Gage Rapitta, Brendan Poncelet (SH), Dustin Skilliter (SH) and Kyle Trimp each had goals, defenseman Damon Severson had 2a, and goaltender Kale Thomson stopped 17/18 shots in the win. The Harvest (10-5-1-1) had 44 shots on goal on the night, whlie going 2-for-10 on the powerplay. I was very impressed with the skill on the ice. It's nice to watch the odd game from the seats instead of the booth from time to time. I'll have some post-game reaction from Levi Cable on 8:00 and 12:00 sports tomorrow (MON) after his 3-point performance.

- Yorkton Terrier F Clarke Breitkreuz scored a short-handed goal, but Team Canada West lost their first game of the World Junior 'A' Challenge in Summerside PEI, 2-1 to Russia. Tough loss, considering they out-shot the Russians 33-20. Canada West has Monday off, and will look to rebound Tuesday against Sweden.

- Ed Zawatsky and Team Saskatchewan won Bronze at the Western Canada Under-16 Challenge Cup. Team Sask finished the tournament with a win over B.C. on Saturday, before beating the same B.C. club 4-2 in Sunday's Bronze Medal game. Alberta had an amazing late comeback to beat previously unbeaten Manitoba to take gold. Here are the recaps from the WHL website.

- Wasn't the greatest of weekends for our 4 junior hockey teams. Melville lost 2-1 to Kindersley Friday, the Klippers then beat Yorkton 6-2 Saturday. Wayway lost their only game of the weekend 6-2 in OCN Friday night. Swan Valley split a weekend set with Winkler.

- Week 18 of the CFL season's in the books, and we know the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders will both host playoff games in the West, but we just don't know which games. The Riders were pitiful in a 24-6 loss in Hamilton on Saturday, but B.C.'s close loss to Calgary later that night means the Lions can't catch either the Riders or Stamps. Edmonton won their game against Toronto, which means they're still alive in the Western race, and in the cross-over. 2nd and 3rd place in the East are also yet to be decided, and like last year, we could see just 2 East Division teams reach the post season because of that cross-over. Standings as of now are:

West
Calgary (10-6-1) 21 pts
Saskatchewan (9-7-1) 19 pts
B.C. (8-9) 16 points
Edmonton (8-9) 16 pts

Week 19 matchups
Friday: Edmonton @ B.C.
(Winner gets 3rd, loser has to hope for x-over)
Saturday: Calgary @ Sask
(Winner gets 1st, loser 2nd)

East
Montreal (14-3) 28 pts
Hamilton (8-9) 16 pts
Winnipeg (7-10) 14 pts
Toronto (3-14) 6 pts

Week 19 matchups
Saturday: Montreal @ Toronto
(Game has no bearing on standings)
Sunday: Hamilton @ Winnipeg
(Winner gets 2nd, loser 3rd)

The loser of the B.C./EDM game will finish with a record of 8-and-10. If Hamilton beat Winnipeg, the Bombers would finish 7-and-11, which means the cross-over would come into effect again. If Winnipeg wins that game, they would get second (tie-breaker over HAM), and host the Ti-Cats again the following week in the East Semi-Final. Both teams would be 8-and-10, and the cross-over would not be in effect because the best the EDM/BC loser could do is also be 8-and-10, and they have to finish with a BETTER record to cross over. So as far as I can see, the cross-over is all in the hands of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. They lose, the West gets in. They win, not only to they make the playoffs, they get a home game. Quite the difference! To become the 673rd media person to use the cliche: The CFL schedule makers are looking like geniouses! The MON/TOR game means nothing, but the other three are HUGE. Wow, can't wait for next weekend!

- Don't be surprised if we announce a Provincial High School Football broadcast for this Saturday afternoon. In 9-Man, the Swan Valley Tigers beat Rosetown 43-33 on the road to advance to the semis in Humboldt this Saturday. The Foam Lake Panthers are also semi-final bound, after a 64-21 road victory in Maple Creek. They'll host Lumsden this coming Saturday. In 1A 6-Man, the Kelliher Cobras beat Meath Park 49-6, and are home again on Saturday against Kerrobert. The other semi has Carrot River taking on Hanley. Raymore lost their quarter-final 22-18 to Kerrobert. 2A 6-Man sees Preeceville advance with a 32-15 win in Rosthern. They'll now return home to host the Clavet Cougars, the same team that beat them in last year's Provincial final. The other semi features Hudson Bay up against Biggar.

If we're doing a game, I wouldn't doubt it's either in Preeceville or Foam Lake. We've got the Riders on the air starting with the Pre Game Show at 5:00, and the HS games are 1:00 starts. Plus, with them only being an hour away... I shouldn't miss the Riders/Stampeders' kick-off!

- As far as hockey broadcasts this week, I've got Melville @ Weyburn Tuesday... Wayway @ Swan Valley Wednesday... and Melville @ Nipawin on Friday.