Shirley and Canada win gold at U18 championship

Maddi Wheeler was the hero for Canada’s national women’s under-18 team, scoring 1:34 into overtime to defeat the United States 3-2 and win gold at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship on Sunday in Obihiro, Japan.

Wheeler, of Erinsville, Ont. drove hard to the net and jammed in her own rebound to give Canada its fifth world title and first since 2014. Edmonton’s Danielle Serdachny and Vernon’s Anne Cherkowski also scored for Canada. Saskatoon’s Grace Shirley assisted on Serdachny’s opening goal, and was on the ice in overtime for Wheeler’s game winner. Shirley scored one goal in five tournament games.

HOMAN, BOTTCHER WIN AT MERIDIAN CANADIAN OPEN

At the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling Meridian Canadian Open at the North Battleford Civic Centre on the weekend, Rachel Homan of Ottawa’s draw to the four foot in the eighth end gave her a 4-3 win over Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland. The win was Homan’s third straight Grand Slam, and gives her a record 10 overall. She leads the women’s season rankings.

In the men’s final, Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher emerged with his first Grand Slam title, defeating Toronto’s John Epping 6-3. Kevin Koe of Alberta is atop the men’s rankings.

HUSKIES TOP DOGS AT HOME SLED DOG OPEN

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies track and field team had a successful weekend at their annual Downtown Lions Sled Dog Open at the Saskatoon Field House. The Huskies picked up nine firstplace finishes and 22 medals.

Julieanne Labach was named the female athlete of the meet for her double gold medal winning performance in the 600- and 1000-metre races. Other gold medal winners were Courtney Hufsmith (3000-metres), Kaylee Ilnisky (long jump), Jennifer Weber (shot put), Kieran Johnston (60-metre hurdles), Brennan Degenhardt (shot put) as well as the women’s and men’s 4x400 metre relay teams.

For Degenhardt, his throw of 15.72 metres in the shot put moved him into second in the national rankings and eighth on the Huskies all-time list.

The Huskies women’s hockey team split a weekend homeand-home set against the Regina Cougars, defeating Regina 4-1 on Friday at Merlis Belsher Place in Saskatoon. On Saturday, the visiting Huskies lost an epic eight-round shootout before Jordan Kulbida produced the only shootout goal in a 2-1 Cougars win. The Huskies drop to 8-6-4-2 on the season.

The Huskies women’s volleyball team lost two matches to the visiting Regina Cougars on the weekend, losing in five sets on Friday (20-25, 25-16, 23-25, 25-17, 15-11) before falling in straight sets on Saturday (25-20, 25-19, 25-18). The Huskies have a 6-10 Canada West record.