Saskatchewan sweeps U-16 Western Flag Challenge

WINNIPEG – The gold medals from the 2022 Football Canada U-16 West Flag Challenge are both going to Saskatchewan, after they swept the three-day event that completed in Winnipeg on Sunday. On the girls’ side, it was an all-Saskatchewan final, as Saskatchewan White defeated Saskatchewan Green 6-0 in the final game. Later, Saskatchewan Green defeated Manitoba Gold 45-14 in the boys’ final.

In the girls’ event, Sloane Holt Mellor of Saskatchewan Green and Jade Zimmer of Saskatchewan White were named the most valuable players of the final game. On the boys’ side, MVP honours went to Lachlan Reid of Manitoba Gold and Liam Platt of Saskatchewan Green.

In the girls’ event, the two Saskatchewan teams set up the intra-provincial matchup by winning semifinals against Manitoba teams earlier on Sunday. Saskatchewan Green edged Manitoba Gold 12-7, while Saskatchewan White defeated Manitoba Black 17-8. Saskatchewan White had finished the preliminary double-round robin with a 5-1 record, while Saskatchewan Green went 3-3 and both Manitoba teams were 2-4. Saskatchewan White suffered their only loss on Friday night, and then finished the tournament with six straight wins to take the championship. Manitoba Gold won the bronze medal, defeating their provincial rivals 25-18.

The boys’ event saw seven participating teams, with two teams from each of B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba joined by a single Alberta entry. Saskatchewan Green, the eventual champions, cruised through round-robin play with a 6-0 record, followed closely by Manitoba Gold, who went 5-1. A tiebreaker was needed to separate B.C. Orange, B.C. White, and Manitoba Black, who all finished at 3-3. B.C. White and Manitoba Black advanced to the semifinals, while B.C. Orange was relegated to the consolation playoffs with Saskatchewan White, who went 1-5 and winless Alberta.

Saskatchewan Green downed B.C. White 34-25 in one semifinal, while Manitoba Gold defeated their provincial rivals in Black, 32-22. Manitoba Black took the bronze medal with a 38-30 win over B.C. White. B.C. Orange finished fifth as they won both their consolation games, while Saskatchewan White took sixth spot and Alberta was seventh.

The next flag football event on the Football Canada calendar is the Canadian Flag Football League Championship, set for Ottawa from Aug. 5-7.

FOOTBALL CANADA UNDER-16 WESTERN FLAG CHALLENGE

at Winnipeg

GIRLS

Friday, July 29

Round-robin

• Manitoba Gold def. Manitoba Black 39-6
• Saskatchewan White def. Saskatchewan Green 24-14
• Saskatchewan Green def. Manitoba Gold 33-0
• Manitoba Black def. Saskatchewan White 13-12

Saturday, July 30

Round-robin

• Saskatchewan Green def. Manitoba Black 19-0
• Saskatchewan White def. Manitoba Gold 13-12
• Saskatchewan White def. Manitoba Black 32-6
• Saskatchewan Green def. Manitoba Gold 22-21
• Saskatchewan White def. Saskatchewan Green 19-14
• Manitoba Gold def. Manitoba Black 20-13
• Manitoba Black def. Saskatchewan Green 13-7
• Saskatchewan White def. Manitoba Gold 21-6

Sunday, July 31

Semifinals

• Saskatchewan Green def. Manitoba Gold, 12-7
• Saskatchewan White def. Manitoba Black, 17-8

Bronze Medal

• Manitoba Gold def. Manitoba Black, 25-18

Gold Medal

• Saskatchewan White def. Saskatchewan Green 6-0

Final order of finish:

1. Saskatchewan White
2. Saskatchewan Green
3. Manitoba Gold
4. Manitoba Black

BOYS

Friday, July 29

• Manitoba Gold def. Alberta 62-7
• Saskatchewan Green def. Saskatchewan White 42-26
• B.C. Orange def. Manitoba Black 35-32
• Manitoba Gold def. B.C. White 45-13
• Manitoba Black def. Saskatchewan White 39-26
• Saskatchewan Green def. Alberta 48-13
• Manitoba Gold def. B.C. Orange 33-19

Saturday, July 30

Round-robin

• Manitoba Black def. Alberta 66-12
• Saskatchewan Green def. B.C. White 42-20
• B.C. Orange def. Saskatchewan White 27-26
• B.C. White def. Alberta 42-6
• Manitoba Gold def. Manitoba Black 51-32
• Manitoba Gold def. Saskatchewan White 48-46
• Saskatchewan Green def. B.C. Orange 44-28
• Saskatchewan Green def. Manitoba Black 35-18
• B.C. White def. B.C. Orange 40-20
• Saskatchewan Green def. Manitoba Gold 22-21
• B.C. Orange def. Alberta 34-6
• B.C. White def. Saskatchewan White 34-26
• Saskatchewan White def. Alberta 26-6
• Manitoba Black def. B.C. White 25-20

Sunday, July 31

Semifinals

• Manitoba Gold def. Manitoba Black 32-22
• Saskatchewan Green def. B.C. White 34-25

Consolation round

• B.C. Orange def. Alberta 40-6
• Saskatchewan White def. Alberta 31-14
• B.C. Orange def. Saskatchewan White 41-20

Bronze medal

• Manitoba Black def. B.C. White 38-30

Championship

• Saskatchewan Green def. Manitoba Gold 45-14

Final order of finish:

1. Saskatchewan Green
2. Manitoba Gold
3. Manitoba Black
4. B.C. White
5. B.C. Orange
6. Saskatchewan White
7. Alberta