The Okotoks Raiders are one series away from going to their first Minto Cup.
The Raiders advanced to the Alberta Junior A Lacrosse final when they downed the Edmonton Junior Eclipse 12-5 Saturday in Edmonton sweeping the best-of-five semifinal 3-0.
They will now take on the Calgary Jr. Mountaineers in a best-of-seven games final with the winner advancing to the national tournament.

The Raiders took care of things quickly in their 12-5 series clinching victory Saturday. Okotoks was held off the scoresheet for the first 10 minutes but then exploded for five …

An Okotoks wrestler had to cut weight in order to wrestle at an international meet in Brazil earlier this month and by the time he was done competing he felt he could walk on air.
Reid Watkins from Okotoks won the gold medal at the Fila Cadet Pan-American Games when he beat American Brad Dolezal, in the 69kg division on July 18 in Manaus, Brazil.

“They lined us up with our flags behind us,” the 16-year-old Watkins said. “I got my medal and then they played the national anthem. It’s euphoria. …

An Okotoks Dawgs infielder might have a different view of the ball diamond when the Western Major Baseball League playoffs start this Friday.
The Dawgs’ Drew Pettit could be behind the plate as Okotoks has suddenly run into a shortage of catchers.

Pettit did an admirable job of catching in the Dawgs’ 6-3 loss to the Melville Millionaires on July 22. It was the first full game he has caught since attending junior college in New Jersey two years ago.
“I was a little shaky at the start,” Pettit said. “I had trouble …

The Okotoks Dawgs are serving up a vegetarian diet when they open the Western Major Baseball League playoffs this Friday because the meat of their batting order is gone.
The Dawgs went into July with a Murderer’s Row batting order of Jon Reed, Jeff Harkensee, Dan Welch and Mark Ellis batting two through five in their line-up.

When Okotoks takes the field for the opening round of the Western Major Baseball League (WMBL) playoffs this Friday at Seaman Stadium, their opponents likely the Lethbridge Bulls will receive a pardon from …

The Foothills Stingrays flooded the Alberta Summer Games in the Peace Country last week with the largest contingent of any swim club.
It paid off with several Stingrays coming home with medals dangling from their necks. The Stingrays haul wasn’t the only highlight from the Games, held July 19-25 in the Peace region of northern Alberta. Following are some highlights from Okotoks area athletes.
In the pool
A mere two years into his budding swimming career, one Okotoks swimmer earned himself seven medals at the 2010 Alberta Summer Games.
Thomias Bruch took up swimming …

Hitting the books is great for your future, but it doesn’t help you hit a Titleliest.
University student Crystal Shapka of Okotoks failed to make the cut at the Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship at River’s Edge Golf Course in Okotoks July 20-23.
The 22-year-old had a 54-hole total of 259 (89-86-84) after Thursday missing the cut by 10 strokes.

Ashley Smith of the Glencoe Club, who shot six-under par 278 (68-69-69-72) over the four rounds, won the  tournament going away. She finished a whopping 17 strokes ahead of Andrea …

Turner Valley Gymnastics will be continuing its program this fall.
Director Gordon Day made the decision after an overwhelming response from the parents and the community. Several former gymnasts have also volunteered their service.
Established in 1967 along with Millarville, Longview and Black Diamond, whose programs gradually merged into one, Turner Valley remains the oldest continuously operating rural gymnastics program in Canada.
The sponsor, the Royal Canadian Legion, has become Canada’s longest continuous sponsor of a gymnastics program. During the 70’s, Turner Valley was the largest rural gymnastics program in Canada with more …

Running in the foothills has led to a former foothills area athlete reaching the top of masters’ podium.
Helly Visser, 76, was inducted into the Canadian Masters Athletic Sports Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Toronto on July 17.

Although she has earned national acclaim, Visser credits her rural routes for her success.
“I think part of what made me successful was running in the hills in Millarville,” said Visser. “On Sunday I would run up the hill and then go through the park (Brown-Lowery),” Visser said. “It …

A hall of fame runner will tell you she was born to run.
But then again, she will tell you that you were also born to run.
Helly Visser, 76, was inducted into the Canadian Masters Athletic Hall of Fame on July 17 for her achievement in running various distances, including half-marathons.

She credits using natural posture running since the mid-1990s after hearing the famed Dr. Daniel Lieberman speak at a lecture in Calgary.
Lieberman said ancient men were natural runners, capable of hunting antelopes on foot. It’s only been in the last few …

A High River driver had a chance to defend his title in the Bonnyville Chuckwagon championships on Sunday, but he came up short.
Way short.

High River’s Brian Mayan qualified for the dash-for-cash on Sunday against Chad Harden and Jerry Bremner.
Mayan had trouble on the track and finished close to 16 seconds behind Harden and Bremner.
He also had two seconds in penalties for outrider interference and as a result his time of 1:36.11 was well behind winner Chad Harden who crossed the finish line in 1:18.31.
Mayan came into the race sitting in …