Friday, September 22^nd marked the Regina Riot’s annual Awards Banquet. Held at the Ramada Hotel after a well-earned summer break, it was a night for the team to get together and celebrate their second championship victory in team history.

 

OVARIAN CANCER SOCIETY

The evening began with the presentation of a $2,000 cheque from the Regina Riot to their partners the Ovarian Cancer Society. The partnership between these two groups has grown significantly over the past few years, with members from both sides volunteering at each other’s events. This culminates each season with the Riot’s annual Teal Game, at which portions of game day event profits are donated to the OCC. It’s a partnership that both sides look forward to continuing for years to come.

 

SCHOLARSHIPS

Next up was the Paige Mitchell Memorial Scholarship, which was being handed out for the first time this year. Paige Mitchell is a former Riot player who passed away suddenly in the fall of 2016. Members of Paige’s family were on-hand to award the scholarship, which goes to a Riot player who is going to school to become a tradesperson. Baillie Jo Koszman, a third year defensive lineman for the Riot, was the lucky recipient.

The Regina Riot Alumni Association also awarded additional scholarships to Riot players Adrienne Zuck & Payton Kuster.

 

COACHING TRIBUTES

Players took the stage throughout the evening to pay tribute to their positional coaches. These presentations ranged the spectrum from short speeches to elaborate game shows, but it was obvious to all in attendance the great love and appreciation the team has for their coaching staff.

 

CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS

2017 Championship Rings were also handed out to members of the Riot that evening. Passed out by General Manager Alicia Dorwart and Board of Directors President Clarke Westby, the rings are customized to each individual player, leaving them each with their own unique memory of an incredible season.

 

AWARD WINNERS

Perhaps the most anticipated portion of the evening, coaches took the stage one at a time to award players for the hard work and passion they showed during 2017 season. Many kind words were spoken, and in the end, Team MVP was handed out to running back Carmen Agar for her contributions on the field this year.

A full list of award winners can be found below:

Team MVP – Carmen Agar, Running Back

Offensive MVP – Carmen Agar, Running Back

Defensive MVP – Katie Hungle, Defensive Line

Special Teams MVP – Payton Kuster, Returner

Offensive Rookie of the Year – Jenna Koller, Receiver

Defensive Rookie of the Year – Kristi Jakubowski, Defensive Line

Most Improved – Taline Blakley, Offensive Line

Offensive Lineman of the Year – Celeste Schnell, Offensive Line

Defensive Lineman of the Year – Ashleigh Henrion, Defensive Line

Unsung Hero – Shelby Moran, Linebacker

Coaches Choice Award – Mallory Starkey, Running Back

Hard Hat Winner – Artemis Kouropoulou, Linebacker

Media Appreciation Award – Rob Vanstone

 

Saturday, June 10th, 2017, marked a historic day for the Regina Riot, as the team took home their second WWCFL Championship. The championship game took place in Saskatoon, where the Prairie Conference Champion Riot went head-to-head with undefeated Western Conference Champion Calgary Rage.

It was another cold, damp game for the Riot, something they ran into on the majority of their road trips this season. Despite the weather, the team was able to jump to an early lead with when Jennilea Coppola caught a touchdown score from Aimee Kowalski. The Riot never looked back, taking a 36-0 lead into the second quarter. The final score of the game was 53-0.

“We are extremely proud of our team,” said Head Coach Olivier Eddie after the game. “We knew from day one that we had a group capable of accomplishing big things.”

There were some big numbers to come out of the game. Veteran Quarterback Aimee Kowalski threw for four touchdowns, two of which went to the rookie Coppola. It was also a big night for the Riot defense, who added Calgary to the list of teams that they shut out this season. For those wondering, that list includes every single team that the Riot played in 2017.

However, it was second year defensive back and kick returner Payton Kuster who had the biggest night of all. Kuster scored two punt return touchdowns and also caught two interceptions, which was enough for her to be named as the Riot’s championship MVP.

This was the team’s second league championship in the past three seasons, and as such Coach Eddie recognizes that this win was built not only on the hard work of thisyear, but on the foundation of past success as well.

“We have a phrase that we’ve used this season, ‘Hard Work Wins’” explained Eddie. “We’ve represented this through our Hard Work Wins Helmet, an award we hand out to a player who has gone above and beyond the call of duty each week. This week we had all of our five year veterans sign the helmet, as a symbol of the hard work of those who helped build this program seven years ago. We want to salute them as well, as they were a big part of what we accomplished this year.”

One of those veteran players was Claire Dore, a wide receiver who was on the original Regina Riot roster in 2011. Claire had announced before the game that this would be her last, as she plans to hang up her cleats this offseason.

“There isn’t much that makes me happier than seeing Claire end her career with a WWCFL Championship,” said the rookie Head Coach. “She’s been instrumental to our team’s success. She deserves to go out this way.”

As part of a pre-game ritual, Dore “passed the torch” to Payton Kuster and Hope Jordens, who followed behind the veteran with the team’s two flags as Dore lead the Riot onto the field before kickoff. Based on Kuster’s performance in the game, the Riot will remain in good hands for years to come.

The Regina Riot will begin their defense of the championship when the 2018 WWCFL season kicks off next spring.

The Regina Riot closed out their regular season this past Sunday with a road trip to Manitoba to challenge the hometown Winnipeg Wolfpack. A win for the Riot would clinch first place in the WWCFL’s Prairie Conference, and lock in home field advantage for that all important playoff game with the Saskatoon Valkyries. And win is exactly what the Riot did.

“It was important for us to play well in Winnipeg, which we accomplished” said Head Coach Olivier Eddie following the 35-0 performance. It was another fast start for the Riot offense, who ended their opening drive with a big touchdown run by Carmen Agar. The Riot took a 23-0 lead into the half, and added another 12 points in the second half before completing the defense’s third shutout of the season.

While it was exciting for the Riot to lock in another home game for their schedule, there was not much time for celebration. “We are quickly turning our attention to the playoff game this weekend,” said Eddie. “Having the chance to play on our home field is a great advantage, and we know that we will have great support in the stands. It’s going to be an exciting game.”

While home field advantage does play into the Riot’s hands this weekend, neither team was able to successfully defend their home turf against the other during the regular season. The home-and-home series was split 1-1 between the two rivals, with the Riot shutting down the Valkyries offense in Saskatoon and the Valkyries responding with a last minute victory in Regina just two weeks ago. The third meeting will not only be the rubber match between these two provincial rivals this season, but it will also catapult one of these teams towards the WWCFL Championship Game.

Despite the pressure, Eddie remains confident. “Everything we have worked for as a team since January leads to this weekend. Our athletes are motivated and prepared. We will be ready for June 4^th.”

The game takes place on Sunday, June 4^th at Historic Mosaic Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1pm. Tickets are available online at the Regina Riot website.

It was a cold evening in Saskatoon on Saturday, May 13^th, but the action on the field was red hot as the Regina Riot took on the defending WWCFL champion Saskatoon Valkyries. It was the first of two meetings this season between the rivals, a series that could decide home-field advantage in the WWCFL playoffs.

It was a tightly contested game throughout, but in the end Regina came home with a 16-0 shut out victory. It was the first time in league history that the Saskatoon Valkyries finished a game without scoring a single point. It was the second straight shut out that Regina has recorded this season.

“The defense focuses on playing with confidence and being well prepared,” said Riot defensive coordinator Morgan Bunce. “The players made big plays when it counted most. The effort on and off the field this past week really shows the player’s dedication to the team.”

Head Coach Olivier Eddie gave some perspective on the Riot’s offensive performance, noting that the team gained over 400 yards on that side of the ball. “You expect to produce more than 16 points when you do that,” said Eddie. “We made a couple of crucial mistakes in the red zone that allowed them to stay in the game. We have to do a better job of capitalizing and taking the pressure off of our defense.”

With the victory, the Riot have taken a 4-2 series lead over their last 6 matchups with the Valkyries, further solidifying the Riot’s entry into the elite of Canadian women’s tackle football. The rematch takes place next week in Regina, but home field advantage provides no guarantees.

“Neither Saskatoon nor Regina has swept the home and home series since 2014” said Coach Eddie after the game. “That’s how evenly matched these two teams are.”

When asked what the key is to changing that trend, the head coach emphasized avoiding complacency. Bunce added, “We know each week will be a greater test than the week before. We’ll adjust our game plan to correct any issues and continue to work on building our fundamental techniques.”

The rematch takes places on Sunday, May 21^st at Historic Mosaic Stadium. Kickoff is at 7:30pm. It is the Riot’s 3^rd Annual Teal Game, in support of the Ovarian Cancer Society. Tickets are available online at the Regina Riot website.

After 10 long months, which have included a grueling training camp and a pre-season road trip, it has finally arrived. The Regina Riot will open their regular season this Sunday afternoon at Historic Mosaic Stadium when the visiting Manitoba Fearless come to town. Let’s take a little look at how we got here:

 

TRAINING CAMP

After months of offseason training, the Riot finally took the field for training camp on April 19^th. Practicing for four days at Historic Mosaic Stadium, this was the first opportunity for the team to get the pads on and participate in some full contact drills.

“We had a very successful training camp, where veterans and rookies alike got a chance to scrimmage and show off their skills” said first year Head Coach Olivier Eddie. “The staff is pleased with the progress of the team so far. It was exciting to see a second year player like receiver Kyla Krenbrick take what she learned last year and have an explosive camp.” Eddie noted that defensive lineman Ashleigh Henrion also put together strong camp.

Perhaps the most important news coming out of training camp, however, was the lack of injuries. “Anytime that you’re able to get through camp without any injuries, that starts the season on a positive note.”

 

PRESEASON GAME

On Saturday, April 29^th, the Regina Riot travelled to Brandon, MB to play a neutral field pre-season game against their Week 1 opponent, the Manitoba Fearless. The final result of the game saw the Riot walking away with a 55-7 victory.

“The Fearless were great hosts to us in Brandon” said Coach Olivier. “It was an excellent opportunity for the staff to evaluate players, and we were generally pleased with what we saw.”

Mallory Starkey and Chantal Vogel, both returners to the team this year, contributed on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, respectively. Speaking about the two, Olivier mentioned how important he thought it was that they set the tone early. “We’re expecting the same thing from them next weekend in the home opener.”

 

HOME OPENER

And so, we’ve arrived at the regular season. While fans look forward to the opening kickoff of every Riot season, this year does bring a little extra excitement. And a lot of that excitement is surrounding the team’s new uniforms.

“The jerseys look great” confessed the Head Coach. “And as cliché as it sounds, I think looking good is going to help the team perform at a higher level.” Explaining his comments further, Eddie went on to say, “The jerseys are sleek and comfortable. There won’t be any more dragging our players down by the stretch of our jerseys. These are the real deal.”

But it’s not all about the jerseys. Eddie believes the team is ready for regular season action. “We’re having a good week of practice, and our athletes are confident going into the home opener. Our staff has been putting in a lot of hard work as well, and I’m exciting for it all to be put on full display this weekend.”

It all happens this Sunday afternoon at Historic Mosaic Stadium. Kickoff between the Riot and the visiting Manitoba Fearless will happen at 1:00pm, but if you’re planning on attending make sure to arrive early for the special pre-game ceremony, which will include the unveiling of the new uniforms.

Tickets for the game are available online at our website or at the door.