WAA hands out annual awards

By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter

The Wheatland Athletic Association celebrated another successful season and the 26th year of the program’s existence by handing out team awards for the peewee, bantam and midget programs April 13 at the Strathmore Civic Centre.
The season was successful for many reasons and was highlighted by the Wheatland Warriors South Division title in the South Central Alberta Hockey League.
The local double-A bantam team knocked off a pair of higher-seeded teams en route to earning the division banner, mainly due to the outstanding play between the pipes of Dylan Fries-Abel who was named the team’s most valuable player.
“(Fries-Abel) has a willingness to battle and his compete level is second to none. Without him, we probably don’t finish where we did,” said Warriors Head Coach Cody Brown.
Reaching the SCAHL finals, Fries-Abel faced more than 30 shots in four of the Warriors seven playoff games, finishing with a .950 save percentage and 1.73 goals-against average.
The Warriors finished the regular season with the sixth-most goals in the regular season with 144. Leading the offensive charge was Jerrin Hendricks, who led the Warriors with 23 goals, 21 assists and 44 points in 38 games.
Lachlan Stewart was awarded the top defencemen award after he turned in a pair of goals and 14 points in 39 games.
The jump up from the peewee Braves program to the bantam level can be tough, but it didn’t seem to bother Philip Raycroft, who took home the rookie of the year award. Raycroft scored five goals and 14 assists in 37 games.
With such a drastic turnover in the Warrior roster from last season, Brown needed new players to step up and fill the holes from last year’s graduating group. Leading the way for the division champs were Nate Gillies and Jarred Schrock, who split the most improved award. Schrock scored 13 goals and Gillis netted a pair of snipes In 40 games.
Ray Warrack took home the most sportsmanlike award after lacing up in 41 games and only registering 18 penalty minutes.
Each year, the WAA hands out the Craig Kletzel award to a member from the bantam and peewee program. This year’s recipient on the Warriors was Domenic Ficaccio.

Successful Chiefs
The Wheatland Chiefs weren’t able to defend their provincial midget title from last season, but still cranked out an incredibly successful regular season.
One of the players who has been a mainstay in the WAA program was Lucas Muenchrath, and he was honoured by winning the top scorer and the exemplary player award in his final season in the program.
“To win these awards in my final year was unreal. This was one of the funnest years that I’ve ever had. It was just cool to be honoured by a group of guys like that,” said the Chiefs captain.
Muenchrath racked up 11 goals and 34 assists in 35 games while playing in his sixth year in the program.
It will be tough to replace a player like Muenchrath, but the Chiefs program is in good hands with rookie of the year Stran Red Crow and most improved player Ben Kruse. Red Crow and Kruse tied for third on the team in scoring with 25 points.
Helping keep the pucks out was Ty Skehar, who was named top defenceman, with Brian Butland Jr. taking home the most sportsmanlike trophy.
The Kyle Ruppe Memorial Scholarship of $1,500 was awarded to Jared Kirkpatrick and Riley Stovka. The scholarship is in memory of Ruppe, who succumbed to his four-year battle with ALS.

Best of the Braves
The peewee Braves program is the foundation of the association and they also recognized the next wave of up-and-coming hockey talent.
First-year forward Conner Radke had the most impact with the new program, as he left the banquet with the most valuable player and rookie of the year awards.
“(Radke) had the biggest impact on our team on and off the ice. He has a very positive attitude, he is quiet and an imposing player on the ice,” said Braves Assistant Coach Stephan Lecavalier. “His contribution was incredible and his effort was second to no one.”
Radke compiled 22 goals, 17 assists and 39 points in his first season with the club. Charles Goll supplied four more points than Radke and took home the top scorer award.
Garrin Gosling was also a big winner for the Braves, as he won the most sportsmanlike and Craig Kletzel awards.
Aden Miller supplied 13 points in 37 games and won the top defenceman award, and Nash Wassing was named most improved for scoring 12 goals and 12 assists this season.
The players, parents, coaches and other folks involved with the program enjoyed each other’s company for an hour or so after the awards before everyone heads their separate ways for the summer season.