Cypress nearly passes Hat in medal count at games in Taber

By Sean Rooney on July 10, 2018.

Medicine Hat News

Cypress County nearly did the unthinkable at the Southern Alberta Summer Games: they almost got more medals than Medicine Hat.

Despite a smaller team, the Cypress crew totalled 85 medals (34 gold, 28 silver, 23 bronze) at the games this past weekend in Taber, just two shy of Medicine Hat’s 87 (41 gold, 30 silver, 16 bronze).

Though it’s a participation-centric event, the Southern Games certainly brought out the best in Cypress’ collective will to win, as the county wound up seventh in the overal medal count. As usual, the host team (this time, the MD of Taber) ran away with the medal haul with 318, including 137 gold.

As there were more than 1,500 medals handed out, to athletes of all ages, there were a lot of highlights between the Medicine Hat and Cypress contingents.

For Cypress, the medal difference really happened at the equestrian events. Ronna Magotiaux alone claimed eight medals, including three gold. Combined, Cypress got 46 medals via equestrian events — more than half the team’s total medal count.

As for their team medals, three came in badminton doubles, the under-10 ball hockey team took gold, as did the 14-16 girls beach volleyball team of Claire O’Connell, Zaira Miller-Shakleton and Lindsay O’Connel.

In pickleball, Bonnie Ewasechko and Joanne Anhelher won their 50-over women’s doubles division, while Guy Riddell and Gordon Masson took silver in 65-over men’s doubles.

Medicine Hat pickleball players rang up plenty of wins too. Tim Jacobs and Marcia Garmen won the 65-over mixed crown, Marcia Garmen and Sheila Donner were the 65-over women’s champs and Jim Hancock and Brian Hoffner teamed up for silver in men’s 60-over.

Hat equestrian riders combined for 18 medals, led by Ridley Elliot’s five gold in the peewee age group.

Perhaps the most wide-ranging display came from MaryAnn Westgard. Westgard won bronze in the photography competition for a people photo, then went on the track to win masters women’s javelin gold, then silver in both shot put and discus.

Medicine Hat’s 18-under co-ed ball hockey team won its tournament, with the under-14 side taking silver. Badminton wins in 15-under girls and boys plus mixed doubles silver and a tennis mixed doubles gold were among the other big team victories.

Pincher Creek will host the games next year, just as they followed Taber in 2014. Medicine Hat hasn’t hosted since 2011 and Cypress hasn’t been the host since Bow Island in 1996.

Medicine Hat and Cypress County medallists at the Southern Alberta Summer Games in Taber:

MEDICINE HAT
Leonard Blieile (50-59 men) — 10 km run bronze
Phylis Chow (50-59 women) — 10 km run gold
Barney Cunningham (60-over men) — 10 km run gold
Nicki Johnston (60-over women) — 10 km run gold
Keene Shigehrio (11-under boys) — 3 km run silver
Norman Johnston (60-over men) — 5 km run gold
Bob Kawaza (60-plus men) — archery traditional silver
Zayanna Willoughby (bantam girls) — long jump silver, 100 metre bronze, 200 metre bronze
Hannah Round (bantam girls) — 800 metre silver, 1,500 metre silver, 400 metre bronze
MaryAnn Westgard (masters women) — javelin gold, shot put silver, discus silver, photography people bronze
Dylan Callan (midget boys) — discus gold, shot put gold
Aayden Callan (midget boys) — discus silver
Sarah Pimblett (midget girls) — high jump gold, long jump silver
Dustin Morris (midget boys) — long jump gold, javelin bronze
Jaylaina Callan (midget girls) — midget gold, javelin silver
Shyah Willoughby (mighty mite girls) — 100 metre gold, 50 metre gold, long jump gold, high jump silver
Marley Howes (peewee girls) — 800 metre gold, ball throw silver, long jump silver, 200 metre bronze
Abigail Round (peewee girls) — 400 metre silver, 800 metre silver
Hunter Skrove (peewee boys) — high jump silver
Olivia Chenard (peewee girls) — long jump gold, high jump silver
Cody-Lynn Jensen (senior womens) — 1,500 metre gold, discus gold, javelin gold, shot put gold, 100 metre silver
Quinlan Mcelroy O’Driscoll (15-under boys) — badminton gold
Zach Ferguson (15-under boys) — badminton bronze
Trintiy Hamel (17-under girls) — badminton bronze
Jason Hoffman — cribbage singles gold
Sophie O’Sullivan (peewee) — equestrian pleasure A gold
Connor Gawel (intermediate) — equestrian pleasure C gold, command C gold, fences silver
Keiko Linowski (senior) — equestrian equitation D silver, command D bronze
Haylee Bischke (junior) — equestrian command B silver
Regan O’Sullivan (17-under) — equestrian equitation fences bronze
Laura Callaghan — equestrian dressage trot gold
Ridley Elliot (peewee) — equestrian showmanship gold, pleasure gold, equitation gold, trail horse E gold, dressage intro gold
Grace Hanson (junior) — equestrian dressage basic silver, command B bronze, keyhole B bronze
Patty Horner (open) — equestrian dressage intro silver
Samuel Nygaard (16-18) — golf handicap 0-9 silver
Paul Avery (18-over) — photography animal silver
Keaton Elderkin (under-10 boys) — tennis singles gold
Mike Fentabil (under-10 boys) — tennis singles silver
Justin Yates (18-64 men) — trapshooting B gold
Damien Brilz (18-64 men) — trapshooting C bronze
Tracy Kupchenko (18-64 women) — trapshooting D gold
Jack Toews (65-over men) — trapshooting B gold
Mason Monaghan (under-15 boys) — trapshooting D bronze
Team — athletics bantam girls 4×100 gold, badminton mixed doubles silver, badminton 15-under boys doubles gold, badminton 15-under girls gold, ball hockey 18-under gold, ball hockey under-14 silver, cribbage pairs silver, pickleball men’s doubles 51-64 silver, pickleball 65-over mixed gold, pickleball women’s doubles 65-over gold, soccer under-14 bronze, tennis mixed doubles gold

CYPRESS COUNTY
Jaelyn Siewert (12-15 girls) — 3 km run bronze
Austin Siewert (11-under boys) — 5 km run bronze
Ryann Plaksey (12-15 girls) — 5 km run silver
Steve Dreidiger (senior men) — archery traditional silver
Grayden Tschritter (bantam boys) — high jump gold
Heather Hart (masters women) — discus bronze
Hannah Kozakewich (midget girls) — 3,000 metre gold
Sydney Burgevitz (mighty mite girls) — 200 metre gold, 100 metre silver, 400 metre silver
Torren Zentner (mighty mite boys) — high jump gold, 200 metre bronze, long jump silver
Madison Tschritter (peewee girls) — 100 metre silver
Gustus Hider (peewee boys) — long jump silver, high jump bronze
Caleb Driediger (13-under boys) — badminton bronze
Kierra Zentner (13-under girls) — badminton gold
Reesa Blenkin (peewee) — equestrian pleasure A silver
Jayla May (junior) — equestrian equitation fences gold, jumper gold, pleasure B silver
Ronna Magotiaux (senior) — equestrian pleasure D gold, equitation D gold, command D gold, dressage first level silver, trail horse D silver, dressage basic silver, dressage training bronze, reining D bronze
Ryleigh Baumgarten (youth) — equestrian cross rails E gold, handi horse E gold, beginner E silver, equitation E silver
Maddy Ziegenhagel (youth) — equestrian beginner E bronze, equitation E bronze
Jayda Ziegenhagel (peewee) — equestrian equitation A silver, command A bronze
Raina Mapstone — equestrian cross rails D gold, handi horse D silver
Josie Huberdeau (17-under) — equestrian jumper bronze
Noelle Patterson (intermediate) — equestrian showmanship C silver, pleasure C bronze, poles C bronze
Kearra Borthwick (intermediate) — equestrian pleasure C gold, command C silver
Emily Cheung (intermediate) — equestrian command C gold, keyhole C gold, pleasure C silver, trail horse C bronze
Cassidy McLean (peewee) — equestrian keyhole A gold, equitation A bronze, command A bronze, barrels A bronze, poles A bronze
Samuel McLean (peewee) — equestrian barrels A silver
Makatey McLean (junior) — equestrian barrels B gold, poles B silver, keyhole B silver, trail horse B bronze
Bailee McNaughton (junior) — equestrian keyhole B gold, barrels B bronze
Tayler Stubbins-Chomyn (intermediate) — equestrian trail horse C silver
Marlene Waldner (open) — equestrian dressage gold
Kaige Schafer (13-15 boys) — golf handicap 21-over silver
Barry Gramlich (55-over men) — golf handicap 25-over gold
Cameron Jager (12-under) — photography animal gold, outdoors gold, home town bronze
Justin Jager (13-17) — photography animal gold, outdoors gold, people silver
Natasha Jager (13-17) — photography digital manipulation gold, animal silver
Team — badminton 15-under mixed doubles silver, badminton 15-under boys silver, badminton 17-under doubles gold, ball hockey under-10 gold, beach volleyball 14-16 girls gold, pickleball 51-64 womens gold, pickleball 65-over mens silver, tennis 46-over women’s doubles gold

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