Sports Extra

The Sun Life Financial Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship brought out the best in local golfers Tyler Saunders and A.J. Armstrong last week at the Desert Blume links in Medicine Hat.

Saunders, 18, carded rounds of 70, 69, 65 and 67 for a nine-shot win at 17-under. Strong putting, especially on the back nine, resulted in one of the most lopsided victories in recent years at the championship.

On the final round the St. Albert Catholic High School graduate eagled the par-5 seventh hole for the second consecutive day and made the turn at 3-under par before going 33 on the back nine to finish with a 67 for his fourth win of the season.

The Glendale Golf and Country Club member was one of the youngest players in the competition.

The previous week Saunders turned a one-stroke deficit into a two-stroke victory at the Alberta Junior Boys Championship at the Bearspaw Golf Club in Calgary.

Last year’s runner-up shot consistent rounds of 73, 70, 70 and 71 to win by two shots.

On the last day the Sturgeon County resident overcame a bogey on the second hole to birdie six and eight while building a four-stroke lead heading into the 18th hole.

On tap next for Saunders is with the Alberta Junior Boys Interprovincial Team at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, July 29 to Aug. 1 in Niagara Falls, Ont. and the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship as a representative of Alberta’s Willingdon Cup team, Aug. 4 to 7 at the Elmhurst and Southwood golf and country clubs in Winnipeg.

Armstrong, 17, will join Saunders on the Willingdon Cup team after winning a three-man playoff for the final team spot following his 7-under score at the Alberta amateur. The Grade 12 St. Albert High student finished in a three-way tie for third place after rounds of 72, 71, 69 and 69.

At the Alberta junior championship Armstrong placed fifth, nine strokes back of Saunders, after shooting 75, 70, 74 and 74.

Earlier in the month the Sturgeon Valley Golf & Country Club member tied for fourth at the CN Future links Western Championship at the Birchbank Golf Course in Trail, B.C. with rounds of 69, 77 and 71 for six shots back of the leader.

Sixty-eight athletes from St. Albert, Calahoo, Morinville and Sturgeon County will compete for medals for Zone 5 (Black Gold/Yellowhead) at the Alberta Summer Games this weekend in Airdrie.

The multi-sports event will feature approximately 3,000 athletes between the ages of 11 and 17 and coaches and officials.

The list of athletes in their respective sports is as follows:

St. Albert

Athletics: female – Emma Curle, Madelyn Curle, Brooklyn Failing, Catherine Kluyts, Mikaela Lazarenko and Delaney Myck; male – Jakob Brinkhof, Emmett Clarkin, Brady Galvin, Ryder Horton, Garrick Letwin, Daylen Pacheco and Spencer Unrau.

Baseball: Peter Corrigan, Colton Girard, Tylor Jans, Cole Seitz, Ross Supruniuk and Danny Tkachyk.

Basketball: female – Lily Armstrong, Abby Morrison, Alesha Stanley and Ella Stanley; male – Tylar Dobish and Brad Perry.

Football: Nick Allen, Sam Cuciz, Colton Meronyk, Logan Moreau, Matt Schaaf, Jesse Stuht, Anthony Swecera and Keaton Zaychkowsky.

Lacrosse: male – Jacob Parent and Bryce Schmermund.

Rugby: female – Annie Boyd and Anna Manchester; male – Ben Manchester.

Soccer: female – Julia McDougall and Emma Richardson; male – Evan Brassard and Josh Klassen.

Softball: female – Ashlyn Campbell and Lauren Millar.

Swimming: female – Rowen Grimshaw, Amy Nelson, Riley Waples; male – Connor Bissett, Thomas Feraco and Francisco Nef-Ojeda.

Triathlon: female – Hayley Basterash and Payton Basterash; male – Luke Hanson, Jonah Tanasiuk, Sasha Tanasiuk and James Thomson.

Calahoo

Soccer: male – Dayne Jepsen

Softball: female – Demi Wildman

Morinville

Basketball: female – Brooke Froment.

Canoe/kayak: female – Haillee Reaume and Jaeda Reaume; male – Noah Patrick.

Sturgeon County

Athletics: male – Shae Kelly; female – Alyssa Miller.

Football: Connor Guy.

Lacrosse: male – Joshua McRae.

Soccer: male – Tanner Dumonceaux; female – Kelli Haffie.

Visit www.2014AirdrieGames.ca for results.

Dean Guedo, the defensive backs coach of the Bellerose Bulldogs’ senior team, is the new head coach of the W.P. Wagner Warriors in metro Edmonton high school football.

The former defensive back with the Alberta Golden Bears and high school football product of the St. Albert High Skyhawks will run the show for the division two (Miles conference) Warriors, last year’s semifinalists at 4-5 overall.