Riders’ camp in Saskatoon an attraction
Home team beats visiting rival Valkyries on way to championship against Calgary
The Regina Riot and Saskatoon Valkyries renewed their heated rivalry in 30 C heat while bidding a fond farewell to Taylor Field on Sunday.
In the final game of tackle football at the historic stadium, the Riot posted a 34-24 victory in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League’s Prairie Conference final.
Regina advanced to Saturday’s league final against the Western Conference champion Calgary Rage. The game will be played in Saskatoon.
“It’s what you work for,” Riot quarterback Aimee Kowalski said as her teammates celebrated. “It feels really great.”
Regina has reached the league final for the second time since the WWCFL’s inception in 2011. Regina captured the title in 2015. Saskatoon has won the other five championships.
The Riot assumed a 21-3 lead in Sunday’s third quarter before Saskatoon scored the next 13 points.
During the fourth quarter, Regina scored two touchdowns and conceded a safety touch. Saskatoon scored an unconverted touchdown with 15 seconds remaining.
“We came out in the second half and gave them a game,” Valkyries quarterback Alex Eyolfson said. “It’s better than just folding, so I’m proud of our team.
“We fight to the end and that’s what we did today. We left it out there.”
Saskatoon opened the scoring at 13:18 of the first quarter when Carly Dyck hit a 13-yard field goal.
Regina responded with three consecutive touchdowns — a fouryard run by Carmen Agar, a 23yard reception by Alex Kowalski (Aimee’s sister) and a one-yard run by Mallory Starkey. Morgan Turner converted all three touchdowns.
Starkey’s touchdown was set up by a botched play that turned into a 20-yard gain. With Turner in to attempt a 30-yard field goal, the snap was a dribbler and holder Claire Dore was unable to pin the ball. Instead, she alertly flipped the ball to a wide-open Turner, who advanced to Saskatoon’s three-yard line. Starkey scored two plays later.
Saskatoon answered with a 10yard touchdown pass from Eyolfson to Beth Thomson at 9:22 of the third frame. Dyck’s convert pared Regina’s lead to 21-10.
The Valkyries’ next possession was capped by a 19-yard scoring pass from Eyolfson to Dyck, whose convert attempt was blocked with 31 seconds left in the third quarter.
Another blocked kick — by Artemis Kouropoulou on a punt by Dyck — put Regina in position for Agar to register her second touchdown of the game. She scored from one yard out at 4:30 of the fourth quarter.
The gap was closed to 28-18 when the Riot conceded a safety touch at 8:17.
Regina went ahead 34-18 at 11:19 when Courtney Tafelmeyer returned an interception for a touchdown. Saskatoon concluded the scoring on a short touchdown run by Samantha Matheson. Not long after that, the teams shook hands and Regina rejoiced over a victory.
“From the offensive line playing their hearts out, the receivers blocking and making big catches, the running backs, the defence ... it was a full team effort,” Aimee Kowalski said.
Kowalski completed 14 of 24 passes for 162 yards. Eyolfson was 14-for-39 for 158 yards.
Agar rushed 13 times for a gamehigh 111 yards. She also led the Riot in catches (four) and receiving yards (50). Starkey added 92 of Regina’s 255 yards along the ground.
Matheson paced Saskatoon with 75 rushing yards. Alyssa Wiebe was the Valkyries’ leading receiver, with six catches for 86 yards.
After the game, both quarterbacks voiced appreciation for being able to participate in the final tackle game at the soon-to-bedemolished Taylor Field.
“I didn’t realize that, but it’s cool to say,” Eyolfson said with a smile. “It’s an awesome thing. To finish it off, it’s a great feeling. It’s fun. It’s amazing.”
“It’s something that’s going to be talked about for a little while,” Kowalski added. “Obviously, we wanted to not only be the last (home) team on the field, but the last winning team. That means a lot.”