The Tisdale U16 Riverdogs have played softball as a group for years, and now have another chance to end their 2019 season on a high note. (submitted photo/Sharolyn Simoneau)

By Aaron Schulze

Riverdogs at the Westerns

Tisdale U16 Riverdogs advance to Western Canadian Championship

Jul 25, 2019 | 10:20 AM

The Tisdale U16B Riverdogs were given an extra bit of leash on their season.

The softball team named after the Dog River Riverdogs recreation hockey team in Tisdale native Brent Butt’s sitcom Corner Gas advanced to the 2019 Western Canadian Championships for the first time.

Sharolyn Simoneau, the U16 Riverdogs’ manager, said the Westerns berth carries extra sentimental value with all of her girls sticking together on one team since their U12 playing days.

“Two years ago, these U12’s were together and bonded even more,” Simoneau told northeastNOW. “They get along so well. It’s a fantastic group of parents, everyone is on board and excited.”

The same group of girls on the U16 Riverdogs won provincials at the ‘C’ level last year and moved up a step in competition quality to see how they would fare.

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Unfortunately, some tournaments the U16 Riverdogs attended throughout the season were rained out over the weekends, including the ones in Melfort and Tisdale.

However, the U16 Riverdogs had some good showings at tournaments prior to the big test at provincials, such as a second-place finish in Regina and going undefeated in Saskatoon.

The U16 Riverdogs finished fourth at provincials, which typically meant their season would end as the Western Canadian Championship only takes in the top two ‘B’ teams in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewa, and Manitoba, with a host team being the ninth participant.

Thankfully for Simoneau and her U16 group, the softball gods threw the Riverdogs a bone.

“One of the teams ahead of us opted out of attending, so we kind of got in by default to be the top three in Sask. attending,” she said. “I think we went into provincials with a lot of pressure, thinking we won two years ago, and we should be able to do that again. Our bats went dry the weekend of provincials and I think the girls felt the pressure and were nervous. I think the pressure is off now.”

Simoneau said she and the Riverdogs know the competition at the Western Canadian Championship is going to be difficult but being given at least an extra six games in their season makes them excited to play and improve over the weekend.

The 2019 Western Canadian Championship will take place in Biggar, Sask. from Aug. 2 to 5.