The U11 AA Tier 1 Provincial Championship was held in Weyburn over the weekend and a local team; the U11 Yorkton NL Cardinal Selects were in the thick of the action.
The Cardinals started pool play Friday against the host Weyburn Beavers and deprived the partisan crowd of a reason to cheer at game’s end as Yorkton won 5-3.
“It was scoreless going into the fourth,” said Yorkton head coach Mark Schendel, adding a defensive struggle is rare at the U11 level.
With the game being a nail-biter and the stands full with Weyburn faithfuls “it was just an electric atmosphere,” said Schendel.
Saturday the Cardinals faced Lloydminster in their first game and rolled to a 20-11 win.
“It was kind of a high octane offensive game,” said Schendel. “Our bats came alive.”
Schendel said it was a game where all 12 hitters – everybody bats in U11 – were getting hits.
Next was a 9-4 win over Saskatoon, leaving Yorkton 3-0 and top in their pool, advancing them to the semi-finals Sunday.
The Cardinals faced-off against the Northeast Expos, who doubled up on Yorkton 10-5.
Schendel said the Expos “were very-well coached,” adding “that particular day they were the better team.
The host Weyburn team, advancing to the semi-finals as a wild card team defeated White Butte to head to the championship.
In the final Weyburn captured glory on their home field winning 13-7 over the Expos.
Schendel said the Cardinals can take some solace from the fact they were the only team on the weekend to beat the host Beavers.
With the season complete, Schendel said he had to send out thank yous to sponsor NL Construction, to the parents for being so supportive, and to the players who “put out a great effort each and every time.”
