Local Sports for Friday December 31

Fort Frances Lakers end a two week break from the SIJHL tonight with a game in Duluth against the Clydesdales.

Duluth sits last in the league, but beat the Lakers in their last meeting in the Fort on December 13.

International Falls Broncos boys hockey team lost 4-2 to Albert Lea in the consolation final at the Kiwanis Festival tournament in Rochester.

Michael Bounds and Lucas Debenedet getting the Broncos markers.

The girls hockey team, also in Rochester at the Sertoma-Home Federal Shootout, lost 2-0 to Rochester Mayo.

The Fort Frances Boston Pizza Royals peewee team travels to Bemidji today for the start of the Paul Bunyan International Pee Wee Hockey Tournament.

Fort Frances teams have been participating at the tournament since 1988.

Local Sports for Wednesday December 30

A six-goal outburst in the first period propelled the Fort Frances Muskies boys hockey team to a 10-1 win over Irondale and a berth to today's consolation final of the Hilltopper Classic tournament in Duluth.

Brendan Cawston scored twice with singles off the sticks of Nolan Ross, Judd Gardimann, Robbie Rea, Nick Kaun, Colton Spicer, Jeff Davis, Brett McMahon and Chris Bobczynski.

The Muskies will play Rockford later today.

The International Falls Broncos boys and girls hockey teams were shutout in the opener of tournaments in Rochester yesterday.

The boys team lost 4-0 to Eau Claire while the girls were blanked 3-0 by Central Wisconsin.

On the court, the Broncos varsity boys basketball team defeated the Fort Frances Muskies senior boys 62-45 in exhibition play at Falls High School.

Nick Bujold and Gunner Anderson topped all Broncos with 16 points each.

Justin Anderson led the Muskies scoring with 21.

Fort Frances Thunderhawks edged the Fort Frances Lakers 6-5 in an exhibition game played at the Ice for Kids Arena last night.

Local Sports for Monday December 13

Fort Frances Lakers fell from first to fourth with a pair of losses to the Thunder Bay North Stars in Thunder Bay.

The Lakers loss 1-0 Saturday on the heels of a 3-2 loss on Friday.

The Lakers are home to Duluth tonight.



The Fort Frances Thunderhawks lost 5-3 to Kenora in their exhibition opener on Friday.

Ross Johnson with a pair and Jake Esselink scored for the Hawks.



Fort Frances Muskies girls took home the silver medal at a tournament in Portage La Prairie after losing 4-2 to the Pembina Tigers in the final.

Melanie Scott and Shae-lynn Smith scored for the Muskies.

The boys team beat Kenora Friday 4-1 for its third straight NORWOSSA victory.



International Falls Broncos girls hockey team lost 4-2 to Proctor on Saturday.

Abby Fox and Rebekah Ford with goals.

The boys team was bounced by Proctor on Friday 8-1.

Alex Bruess getting the lone goal late in the third.




Fort Frances Boston Pizza Royals AA peewee team won a tournament in Kenora, defeating Portage La Praire 3-2 that went to the fifth round of a shoot-out before Noah Loveday notched the eventual winner.

Loveday also had both regulation goals for the Royals who went undfeated during the tournament.



In girls hockey from the weekend, the Fort Frances Pink Novice Timbits swept Emo 5-2 and 4-1.

In atom girls action, the Rolling Lake Lightning defeated the Kaemingh Esso in the final minute of the Bronze medal game 5-4.

The Lakewood Tire Eagles came home as champions in the Peewee division defeating Kenora Vortex 5-1.

Super 8 was defeated in double overtime with a score of 3 to 2 to earn fourth place.

In Bantam girls action, the Fort Frances Leafs finished fourth at a tournament in Thunder Bay.

Local Sports for Friday December 10

International Falls Broncos girls hockey club ran their unbeaten streak to seven with a 2-2 tie with the Lake of the Woods Bears.

The Broncos boys basketball team won its second straight of the season with a 61-60 victory over Hibbing.

Trevor Carlson tying the game on a last second basket and winning it on a free throw.

Gunnar Anderson paced all players with 21 points.

Fort Frances Muskies senior boys basketball team resumes tournament play at Fort High this afternoon with a game against Kenora's Beaver Brae Broncos at 2:30 p.m.

The Muskies opened the tournament last night against the Lake of the Woods Bears, but no score was reported.

There's no firm commitment for next year, but Steve Arpin continues his association with J.R. Motorsports.

The Fort Frances native tested Nationwide cars for team yesterday at GM's vehicle testing facility in Yuma, Arizona.

Arpin drove a car that Danica Patrick will race at Daytona in February.

A battle for first place in the SIJHL takes place in Thunder Bay this weekend.

Fort Frances Lakers face the North Stars tonight in the first of a two game set.

The league leading Lakers are two points up on the Stars who are currently sit third.

Fort Frances Thunderhawks open their season tonight in Kenora.

It's the first of a series of exhibition games the team will play in advance of next spring's Allan Cup tournament in Kenora.

On the court, the Fort Frances Muskies senior boys basketball team resumes tournament play at Fort High with an afternoon game against Kenora's Beaver Brae Broncos.

The Muskies senor girls volleyball team competes in tournament play in Thunder Bay.

International Falls Broncos boys basketball team is in Cook.

The girls team is in Eveleth.

The Rainy River men's basketball team is home to Rochester beginning at 8 tonight.

Local Sports for Thursday December 9

Several members of the Border Skating Club picked up first place finishes at an event in Thunder Bay over the weekend.

MacKenzie Armstrong placed first in two different divisions while other top marks were earned by Jayde Wright, Joleigh Hayes and Alina Eldridge.


International Falls Broncos girls hockey team will try to extend its six-game unbeaten streak with a home game tonight against the Lake of the Woods Bears.

Broncos are 5-oh-1 since their season opening loss to Roseau back on November 16.

Game time at Bronco arena is 7:30 p.m.



Action on the court today.

Fort Frances Muskies senior boys basketball team opens a tournament at Fort High tonight with a game against the Lake of the Woods Bears.

The International Falls Broncos boys basketball team faces Hibbing at Falls high School at 7:30 p.m.

Atikokan and Rainy River High School court teams are facing each other today in Rainy River.

Local Sports for Tuesday December 7

Fort Frances Lakers forward Bryon Katapaytuk has won player of week honours in the SIJHL for the second straight week.

The 19-year-old from Moose Factory had five goals and 7 points in the Lakers two wins last week, to move to third in league scoring.




Fort Frances Muskies boys hockey team has its home opener tonight at the Ice for Kids arena against Dryden

Game time is 7:15 p.m.

In International Falls, the Muskies girls face the Broncos varsity squad beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Bronco arena.

The game will be preceded by a game between the Fort Frances Leafs bantams girls team and the Broncos junior varsity girls starting at 5:30 p.m.



In girls hockey action from the weekend, Emo Penguins beat Kaemingh Esso 2-0.

Giselle Smith and Ally Jackson provided the scoring with Sydney Beck getting the shutout.



Evan Ziegler of the Rainy River Voyageur's men's basketball team has been named northern division's player of the week by the Minnesota College Athletic Conference.

Ziegler combined for 25 points and 20 rebounds in the Voyageurs two losses over the weekend.



The snowmobile racing season has started for Fort Frances native Curtis Boivin.

Boivin placed sixth in the Pro Champ 440 final at the season opener of the Canadian Power Toboggan Championships held in Beausejour, Manitoba on the weekend.



Several Falls High School teams are in action today.

The boys hockey team plays Eveleth-Gilbert at the Hoyt Lakes Arena.

The boys basketball team is also against Eveleth-Gilbert with that game in Eveleth.

The boys swim and dive team in Hibbing.



Atikokan Voyageurs court teams are in action today against Whitefish Bay.

Local Sports for Monday December 6

Fort Frances Lakers kept their hold on the SIJHL lead with a 6-2 win over the Thunder Bay North Stars Saturday at the Ice for Kids Arena.

Byron Katapaytuk with a pair, Connor Hady, Dan Smith, Tyler Stevenson and Ryan Wildman provided the scoring for the Lakers who also moved back into the Canadian Junior A Hockey League's weekly top twenty ranking in 19th after falling out a week ago.




Fort Frances Muskies boys hockey team won the Consolation side of a tournament in Brandon over the weekend, beating Neepewa 5-1.

After a perfect round-robin, Muskies were relegated to the Consolation side with a 7-6 loss to Oak Park in the quarter-finals.




The Muskies girls hockey team lost 5-4 to Kenora's Beaver Brae Broncos Friday night.

Jillian Langtry scored twice with singles from Sydney Jones and Shae-Lynn Smith.




Fort Frances Boston Pizza Royals captured gold at the International Falls Peewee hockey tournament over the weekend.

The Royals avenged a 3-1 loss to International Falls in the round robin with a 7-4 win in the final.

Graeme Kitt and Tyler Vanuden each had two goals.

Austin Angus, Brett Hakala , and Noah Loveday all singles.




Fort Frances Atom AA Snipers beat Kenora 2-1 Saturday.

Ian Tookenay, with a shorthanded marker in the first period, and Jon Busch, with a power-play goal in the third, scored for Fort Frances.

Matthew Booth got the win in net.




Rainy River Voyageurs women's hockey club scored a pair of decisive wins over the North Dakota State University - 8-3 on Saturday and 9-3 on Sunday.

Jessie Baker had 6 goals and 11 points in the two games.

Brenley Anderson chipped in 4 goals and 11 points.




Rainy River Voyageurs men's basketball team dropped a pair of games on the weekend, losing 75-67 to Ridgewater on Saturday then falling 72-56 to Minnesota West yesterday.




The Fort Frances Aquanauts swim team picked up 5 medals at an event in Winnipeg over the weekend.

Donovan Taylor won Silver Medals in the 200 and 400 metre Individual Medleys and Bronze medals in the 100 metre butterfly and 200 metre freestyle events.

Adam Stromberg came home with a Gold in the 50 metre freestyle.




Three young bowlers were part team that captured gold at the Northern Ontario five pin bowling association's youth provincial challenge in Sturgeon Creek.

Daniel Murphy, Lyle Dolph and Jordan Sokoliuk joined with two Dryden bowlers for the win.

Tasha Panawayquib, Amber Townsend and Kaitlin Townsend were part of a bronze medal winning girls teams.

A mix team was fourth.

Local Sports for Friday December 3

Fort Frances Lakers travel to Sioux Lookout tonight for a game against the Flyers.

Off the ice, the Lakers made some roster moves, trading forward Mike Jourdain to Duluth for forward Dan Smith and releasing forwards Ryin Allison and Brad Bienvenu.

They return home tomorrow for a game against the Thunder Bay North Stars.



Two skaters with the Border Skating Club have ended their competition at the BMO Skate Canada Challenge in Mississauga.

Michael Nelson remained in 39th spot following his long program in the pre-novice men's singles.

Nelson and Sophie Potvin-Begin finished 14th in pre-novice pairs.




Fort Frances Muskies girls hockey team hopes it rains teddy bears in its home game with Kenora's Beaver Brae Broncos.

Fans are being asked to bring a teddy bear to the game to toss on the ice when the Muskies score their first goal.

Game time at the Ice for Kids arena is 7:15 p.m.



In girls minor hockey from Wednesday, the Rolling Lake Lightning defeated Kaemingh Esso 7-3 in an atom game.

Annalise Hayes had four goals for Lightning with Megan Degagne adding a pair and Hannah Ledrew the other.

Jenna Clendenning, Brianna Dustin and Siobhan Macintosh scored for Esso.



Its a busy weekend for high school sports teams at Fort Frances High.

The Muskies boys hockey team is competing in a tournament in Brandon.

The senior boys basketball and junior girls volleyball teams are in tournaments in Thunder Bay.

The junior boys basketball team is hosting at tournament of its own.




International Falls sports teams also in action today.

The girls hockey team takes on Detroit Lakes at Bronco Arena at 7:30 p.m.

The girls basketball team is in Deer River.

Local Sports for Thursday December 2

Three members of the Border Skating Club are in Mississauga competing at the BMO Skate Canada Challenge.

Michael Nelson stands 39th after the short program in pre-novice men's singles competitions.

Nelson and skating partner Sophie Potvin-Begin are 14th after their short program in pairs.

Sarah Latimer will skate Saturday in the pre-novice women's category.

Local Sports for Monday December 1

Fort Frances Lakers have changed the date of their Toy Campaign to this Saturday in a game with the Thunder Bay North Stars.

The event was planned for last night, but the game with Dryden had to be cancelled due to poor weather in Dryden.

Toys collected will go to the Salvation Army and United Native Friendship Centre.