The Parkland Mavericks are 2-0 to start the season.
Ronin Mouck and Owen Tyschinski had two tries each to lead the Mavericks to a 56-29 win over the Winnipeg Assassins Second Division team, Saturday in Winnipeg.
Will Miner, Dylan Craik, Alex Boshoff and player-coach Codi Harrigan also had tries for Dauphin and Mouck had all eight converts.
Harrigan credited the Assassins for never giving up when the Mavericks pulled away.
“They never quit and they kept at us right to the final whistle,” he said.
Both teams suffered through the heat, with the temperature reaching 32C.
“We were tested physically and mentally (Saturday),” Harrigan said, adding it was nice to see the scoring spread out.
“We only had three substitutes available, so a lot of players had to put in big minutes. I’m really proud of our players for managing the heat, staying disciplined with hydration and working hard for the whole 80 minutes,” he said.
When fatigue set in, Harrigan said, the Mavericks continued to communicate and stuck to the game plan instead of trying to do everything individually.
“We had contributions from everyone on the roster and that showed on the scoresheet,” he said.
The Mavericks will host the Assassins First Division unit, Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Because they were a bit shorthanded on Saturday, some players played in unfamiliar positions.
“But again, everybody contributed great. It’s those players that aren’t on the scoresheet that really shine throughout the whole game, as well. There were a lot of players doing the dirty work and they put the team first and that’s a big reason we were successful. So we hope that continues on into the weekend,” Harrigan said.

For the fourth straight season, the Dauphin Clippers girls and boys rugby teams are Westman High School Rugby champions.
The girls earned their berth in the league final with a convincing 93-0 win over the Crocus Plains Plainsmen, May 26.
Desiree Lariviere and Edie Fleck had three tries each, while Kiersten Vanderkerckhove and Paityn Bourgouin had two each and Ryann Richard-Soltis, Mindy Chartrand, Felicity Sahulka, Alina Genik and Sophia Smigelski had one each.
Vanderkerckhove added eight converts and Halie Garlinski had one.
In the final on Saturday, Richard-Soltis had two tries to lead the Clippers to a 45-0 win over the visiting Souris Sabres.
Vanderkerckhove, Bourgouin, Lariviere, Mila Heschuk and Garlinski also had tries for Dauphin and Vanderkerckhove had five converts.
Clippers coach Shawn Sarkonak said winning a league title is always special.
“Because it’s always another group of new players that get a chance to do it for that first one. So it’s special in that way. But as they always say, that first one is the most special, because it’s for that very first time,” he said.
Sarkonak was impressed with the team’s resilience throughout the final.
“I think there was a bunch of players that came in with some nerves and, honestly, even at halftime, you could see some of the vets were saying ‘we’re playing like we’re nervous. Let’s just take a couple of breaths, let’s play like we have all year and get back to playing Clipper rugby’,” he said.
The Clippers will now travel to Brandon for provincials next weekend.
Dauphin will play Springfield in the semifinals on Friday, with Souris and Steinbach playing in the other semifinal. The final will go on Saturday.
Steinbach had beaten Springfield, 60-0.
Facing teams they have never played before and not knowing what to expect, the Clippers are chomping at the bit, Sarkonak said.
“And I think it’s going to give them just that other gear. So we’ll see what happens,” he added.
“The confidence level is there because I trust the players to do it out there on the field.”
After spotting Souris an early lead, the Clippers varsity boys responded in a big way, shutting down the Sabres in a 66-5 rout on Wednesday.
Alex Thompson had three tries, while Morgan Fleck and Blake Thacker had two tries each and Ben Miner, Julien Lopez and Jordan Evans had singles. Evans also kicked eight converts.
In Saturday’s final, the all-Dauphin contest was won by the varsity squad in a 68-5 victory.
Lopez and Josh Yakielashek had two tries each and Colton Miner, Ben Miner, Blake Symchych, Andriy Genik, Thompson and Parker Freiheit had singles.
Evans had seven converts, while Ben Miner and Symchych had one each.
Clippers coach Gerald Lopez felt the final was a good celebration of rugby in Dauphin in general.
“Both teams, even though the green team was a far superior team, the white team never gave up. So I look forward to the future. I’m so proud of all of them,” he said.
This year’s varsity team has a lot more experience than the previous championships teams.
“Meaning a lot of them played rugby aside from high school rugby. So they’re able to use that knowledge and really, they had such a phenomenal year. No team could really come close to them. At least in our league,” Lopez said.
Despite the loss, JV coach Mike Penner was pleased with his team’s play.
“I’m pretty sure I could go most other schools in the province and not find 13 guys willing to step on the field against the Dauphin seniors and we found 13 just in our school alone. So I think that’s pretty impressive,” he said.
“Other schools, if some of their guys were hurt or their all-stars weren’t going to play, then they’d just folded their tents and didn’t go into the arena.”
The JVs, Penner added, overachieved in their first season in the Westman High School League, winning twice and finishing second.
“No one had them competing, let alone winning two of their regular season games. And then going against the Dauphin senior team twice in one year, I know a lot of other teams were expecting us to just concede this game and not show up. But that’s not how these boys roll,” he said.
“These guys are going to be taking some of the reigns next year on the senior team and we’re looking forward to that.”
The JV Clippers will play the St. Paul’s Crusaders in one provincial semifinal, while the senior boys play St. John’s Ravenscourt.
With St. Paul’s having won 10 straight provincial titles and 11 of the last 12, whoever they play will have a tough task ahead.
Penner hopes the JV players will have their eyes opened to see just how good the Crusaders are.
“But once again, I don’t think there’s a lot of teams that would be willing to step on the field against them, but we will. We’ll be there again stepping into the fire. And anyone who doesn’t give us a shot in the third-place game, doesn’t understand this team,” he said.
Lopez said the varsity team will train for provincials like it’s a brand new season.
“We still have a lot of stuff to work on and, hopefully, we’ll get a chance to see our old rivals St. Paul’s,” he said, adding the success of the Clippers program is a testament to the work put in by everyone since the program began.

Dauphin fire chief Cam Abrey was pleased to report a positive staffing situation for the Dauphin Fire Department as part of his report on the department’s operations for the first quarter of 2026 to Dauphin city council at its regular meeting, May 25.
“For the first time since 2019, we’re currently at a full number of roster membership on the department,” Abrey said, adding there are currently 42 department members.
“In looking at our members, we have five with firefighting level one, 14 that have completed their level two, six in the process of completing their firefighting level before July 1 of this year. Then, the recent recruiting efforts have bolstered our membership where we’ll hopefully have 17 individuals start their formalized training for firefighting level one this September. Those individuals are on the department right now and taking part in training, just not for level one.”
The full roster takes some pressure off of veteran department members, who, at times have difficulty trying to balance their personal lives, careers, and commitment to the fire department, Abrey added, pointing to a trend which has seen a steady increase in calls between 2005 and 2025.
In terms of operations over the first three month of 2026, Abrey said the department had 60 emergency responses, a 23 per cent increase over the same time period in 2025.
False alarms continue to be ranked as the highest in call volume, at 37 per cent, followed by motor vehicle accidents at 25 per cent, kitchen fires at 10 per cent, EMS lift assists at 10 per cent, and structure fires at eight per cent.
“One thing to note . . . we had three structure fires, one quite large. All of those as a result of cooking fires and all properties were insured by the owners, but they had renters in them and in two of the three they had no tenants insurance,” Abrey said.
“It is something we encourage through the fire department, that all tenants get tenants insurance. We also encourage property owners to ensure that their tenants have contents insurance, so that they’re looked after, as well.”
Other call categories include vehicle fires, which accounted for three per cent of calls, outdoor fires at two per cent, carbon monoxide alarms at two per cent, and a catchall “other” category, which accounted for three per cent of department responses.
Training continues to be a major focus for the department, Abrey said, adding three members recently completed their firefighting level on practical exams ahead of written exams they will write later this month. In addition, four local firefighters will travel to Brandon in the coming days for written and practical exams for hazardous material awareness and operation certification.
In early April several members travelled to Roblin for ice rescue training on Goose Lake.
“That’s the first time in a number of years that we’ve been able to host the ice rescue training in this area,” Abrey said, adding Goose Lake is also the perfect location for surface water rescue training, which is set to take place later this summer.
April also saw a farm accident rescue seminar hosted locally on behalf of the mutual aid district, which included several local firefighters, as well as two from Pine River, one from Roblin and four from Swan River.
A school bus rescue seminar was also set for this past weekend, Abrey added.
“This assists students with the knowledge and practical skills required with mass casualty motor vehicle incidents,” Abrey said.
“We typically host this program once every two years and again we have several members that are enrolled in the training and we’ll be working alongside others from Robin and Swan River fire departments.”
A new district training plan is in the works to being in September and carry through to June 2027.
“We typically get together with the 11 fire departments in the district, decide what courses are needed and then make our submission to the Emergency Services College,” Abrey said, adding the college puts out calls to instructors in an effort to solidify dates.
“Once we have dates finalized, then our students can begin their variety of specialized training opportunities.”
Finally, Abrey provided council with an update on the fire station assessment, which took place recently
The final report from Sputnik Architecture indicated, “the fire station is structurally serviceable, but exhibits aging infrastructure, localized moisture damage, and functional inefficiencies. With targeted roof and envelope rehabilitation, improved mechanical integration, and space reorganization, the facility can continue to operate safely until full replacement or major retrofit.”
The report also included Class C estimates for a proposed addition which ranged from $5,689,640 to $6,541,121.
Fully realizing there is not enough funding available for the entire project, Abrey has met with Project and Development manager Justin Tokarchuk to prepare estimates for priority roof revitalization, electrical upgrades and HVAC improvements.
“We are hoping to have estimates on some of that work ready for the 2027 budget, and we’ll, obviously, be exploring some potential provincial and federal grant programs to assist with those project costs.”

People making their way between the north gate of Riding Mountain National Park and the City of Dauphin will now be travelling on the Lt.-Col. William G. Barker VC Highway.
The Manitoba government officially renamed the section of PTH 10 at a special gathering Friday at the Dauphin airport, which also bears the name of the locally-born World War One ace.
Local historian Al Gray, along with Hugh Arklie, a Winnipeg-based fan of Barker’s accomplishments, spearheaded the push to have the highway renamed as a further tribute to Dauphin’s most famous son. Along with the airport and the highway, the local air cadet squadron and a Kindergarten to Grade 5 school are named after Barker, as is a United Kingdom’s 7th Poseidon Marine Patrol aircraft stationed at RAF Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland.
“We started with the process of Whitmore and Main to the north gate of Riding Mountain. It is 10 miles. We could have gone a little further maybe, but I learned a long time ago not to be greedy,” Gray said.
“I’m so honoured that through the efforts of Hugh and I, through the courtesy of Ron and staff that we’re here today. I couldn’t be more proud.”
Representing the provincial government at the ceremony Agriculture Minister and Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn highlighted the significance of the tribute for the community.
“This recognition helps honour his legacy and ensures future generations understand the important role he played in both Canadian history and our local heritage,” said Kostyshyn.
“These signs will serve as a lasting tribute to Lt.-Col. Barker’s remarkable legacy and connection to our region for years to come.”
The renaming initiative received strong public support, as well, from both the City and Rural Municipality of Dauphin.
“The people of Dauphin care deeply about the city’s history,” mayor David Bosiak said.
“It is truly appropriate that the major highway leading into the city from the south bears the name of one of our finest heroes.”
Barker is widely recognized as one of Canada’s most decorated war heroes. During the First World War, Barker was credited with 50 aerial victories and is the most decorated military member in Commonwealth history, receiving the Victoria Cross, the Distinguished Service Order with bar and the Military Cross with two bars.
Born on a farm near Dauphin, he enlisted in the Canadian Mounted Rifles in late 1914, later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. He later earned a reputation as a daring pilot on the Western and Italian fronts.

With the start of June comes the recognition of Pride month and all the activities surrounding the acknowledgement and creation of safe spaces for 2SLBTQIA+ individuals. This year, Tri-Community Pride has been working on a plan to bring more education and awareness to the area.
“We have been working on completing a Yearly Strategic Plan for the Tri-Community Pride,” said Tri-Community Pride Member Holly LaJambe. “We asked the public to join us, share opinions, and tell us what they need to see in the tri-community. We also partnered with Rainbow Resource Centre, Hope North Committee, and The Pas Community Renewal Corporation to bring a Pride Beading Event to our community, which presented 2SLGBTQSIA+ information and resources while learning to bead a rainbow pin.

The Minitonas 4-H Beef Club held their 72nd Annual Show and Sale last weekend Saturday (May 30), at the Swan River Valley Agricultural Society Grounds. The 4-H club had a total of 15 showmanship classes being judged by Keegan Blehm throughout the day.  Here, Oscar Yakielashek proudly shows off his steer to the crowd and judges. See more A10

Agricultural producers across the Swan River Valley were hard at it last week getting their crops seeded in hopes of bumper crops come the fall. Here, Jared Penner puts the finishing touches on a field of freshly planted canola.

An enthusiastic group of first-year medical students from the University of Manitoba’s Max Rady College of Medicine will participate in Rural Week across the Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) region from May 25–29 and June 1–5.
Coordinated annually by the Department of Family Medicine, Shared Health (Manitoba Healthcare Providers Network), and Manitoba’s rural regional health authorities, Rural Week offers students valuable first-hand experience in rural and northern medical practice, while highlighting the benefits of living and working in these communities.
This year, Prairie Mountain Health is hosting 41 students across 14 communities, including Brandon, Carberry, Dauphin, Deloraine, Grandview, Hamiota, Killarney, Minnedosa, Neepawa, Roblin, Russell, Souris, Ste. Rose, and Virden.
The program introduces students to both the clinical and community aspects of rural healthcare, often their first exposure to rural practice. During the week, students will shadow physicians, connect with healthcare teams, and explore local services, while also engaging in community activities that showcase rural life.
PMH Associate Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kyle Conrad, a past Rural Week participant, understands the program’s impact. Dr. Conrad is also a family practice anesthetist based in Brandon, while also supporting Minnedosa, Neepawa and Northern Manitoba.
"My experience with Rural Week played a significant role in shaping my career. I clearly remember how welcoming the community was and how proudly they showcased the care and services they provide. That experience has stayed with me, and I’m proud to continue providing care in rural and northern Manitoba. Rural Week is an essential recruitment initiative—it’s about more than healthcare; it’s about the strength of our communities and the people who make them thrive."
PMH extends sincere thanks to physician preceptors, healthcare professionals, and community volunteers whose dedication makes Rural Week possible. The program’s success reflects the commitment and hospitality of participating communities.
Rural Week was introduced in 2003 as an optional experience within the University of Manitoba’s first-year medical curriculum and became a mandatory component the following year

By Terrie Welwood
Russell Banner
For Prairie Mountain Health, the region’s Recruitment and Retention Team it’s ‘all hands-on deck’ with their near constant search for doctors.
As such, the team partners with representatives from the province, region and individual communities to all work together to promote the benefits of living and working in rural Manitoba.
A very valuable part of this initiative involves the prospective physicians touring around various Manitoba communities. They will be arriving at those communities after their successful completion from the PMPH sponsored Medical Licensure Program for International Medical Graduates (MLPIMG) program.
In return for the regional sponsorship, MLPIMG doctors agree to practice in their respective communities for four years.
In Russell, councilors Wes Anderson and Brent Havelange toured Dr. Porimol Debnath around the area where he visited the health facilities here as well as several local attractions.
Dr. Debnath is hoping to be arriving in the first week of September and begin his medical practice in Russell, although, as that is dependent upon the completion of the necessary paperwork for licensing, the exact dates have yet to be determined.
His interest in general practice is conducive to the much needed medical doctor shortage across rural Manitoba.
Read the full story on the front page of this week's Russell Banner.

Cree writer, filmmaker and public speaker Sonya Ballantyne has had a busy year and recently published her latest graphic novel. The graphic novel is a self-reflective memoir about Ballantyne’s life through the lens of a superhero overcoming life obstacles.
“The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne is the superhero origin story of myself,” said Ballantyne. “It looks at my childhood as if I were a comic book hero, aware of their destiny, but uncertain of their powers and abilities. It looks at growing up on the Misipawistik reserve in Grand Rapids and how my interest in nerdy things helped me deal with the racism and sexism I faced.
“The Pas Regional Library also made a cameo in the first few pages of the graphic novel!”