5 hours Ago By Perry Bergson
The college commitments continue to roll out for the young U18 AAA Brandon Wheat Kings program. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support.
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Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! The college commitments continue to roll out for the young U18 AAA Brandon Wheat Kings program. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? The college commitments continue to roll out for the young U18 AAA Brandon Wheat Kings program. Forwards Bailey Anderson of Brandon and Ffion Devonald of McCreary have committed to attend Dakota College at Bottineau and skate with the Lady Jacks, joining Jordan Bell (Midland) and Paige Crossley (Minot).
“I’ve always been thinking about it,” Anderson said. “Even in U15, I was getting excited just to talk to schools and know there is a next level above what I would be playing the year after. It’s come fast.
The last three years have gone by really fast so it’s exciting to know I’m at the next level and starting that journey.” Devonald, whose first name is pronounced FEE-on, said it’s a relief to get it over with. “It takes the pressure off a lot,” Devonald said.
“After I signed, I just felt so relieved. It was an exciting period of time to get to decide where you’re going but it did come with a lot of stress and decisions. Once you finally make that decision, it’s like ‘OK, we’re good.
” The Lady Jacks play in Division 2 of the American Collegiate Hockey Association — the same league the Assiniboine Cougars play in — and have a heavy Westman presence with Deloraine’s Danee Crepeele, Jenesha Hammond and Taylor Corkish, Melita’s Skyla Louttit, Baldur’s Joelle Anderson, Pipestone’s Ava Flannery, Neepawa’s Macy Wither and Caitlin Fillion of Gilbert Plains on this year’s squad. The North Dakota community of about 2,200 is 145 kilometres southwest of Brandon and about 50 km southwest of the International Peace Garden. Anderson said Bottineau reached out to her a few months ago before she had even spoken to any schools.
“In the summer I went down there and toured and met the coach and saw the rink and met a few teachers down there,” Anderson said. “It was good to see what Bottineau was all about.” They apparently made a strong impression on her, because she decided it was where she needed to be.
“It was a smaller school, so that’s good,” Anderson said. “There are about 200 students on campus, which appealed to me. It won’t be overloaded with students, and it’s definitely a smaller town.
You’ll know a face when you see it, so that’s pretty appealing to me.” Devonald skated last season with the Hamiota/Rivers Jetskies in the Rural Manitoba Female Hockey League, where she finished second in league scoring with 11 goals and 12 assists in 18 games. She was spotted by Bottineau scout Neil Franklin, and the two chatted.
Devonald went to some American camps, but never actually reached out to any schools. She toured the Bottineau campus with her friend Carli Durston and liked what she saw. “The biggest thing for me about Bottineau is the way they care about their players,” Devonald said.
“Especially with Neil, you can tell he genuinely cares about you. Neil and I talked lots on the phone before I committed and he helps me a lot, more than I think he realizes. I learned so much from him.
Once we did that tour, I felt the same values from their head coach Reid (Loucks of Melita). “We share the same values, and I really wanted to go somewhere where they cared about you as a person as well as a player. That was the biggest thing for Bottineau.
” Anderson, who spent last season with the Central Plains Capitals, has two goals and an assist in 18 games this season, while Devonald has two goals and two assists in 18 games this season The Grade 12 student at Vincent Massey, whose parents are Craig and Jen, will take general studies in her first year. Anderson is also considering the idea of playing softball as well to become a two-sport athlete. She has been playing house league softball recently because she has so much hockey training in the summer.
“I’m pumped,” Anderson said. “I can’t wait. It’s going to be sad saying goodbye to all my buddies here, but at the end of the day, you’ll see them at Christmas and you get to start a new life.
It’s really exciting.” Since McCreary is in Parkland and that region doesn’t have a U18 AAA team, Devonald and everyone in the area are free agents. That allowed her to come to Brandon and try out for the Wheat Kings.
When she was successful, Devonald moved to the city and takes her Grade 12 courses online. “I always wanted to,” Devonald said of the dream of playing post-secondary hockey. “I used to play boys hockey and obviously all the boys want to go to the NHL.
I didn’t really know that girls could go anywhere with hockey, and when I found out there was opportunities, I was like ‘Yup, that’s what I want to do.’ I didn’t want to stay in Manitoba. I always knew I wanted to go hopefully to the States but not too, too far, so Bottineau was perfect for that.
” In a small-world moment, she has a strong connection to McCreary’s current contribution to the Western Hockey League, Wheat Kings forward Brady Turko. “I grew up playing with Brady on the same team,” Devonald said. “He’s the same age as me.
He was actually my centre and I played on the wing on his line. That’s pretty cool.” The two played together until they entered U15.
Devonald, who is the daughter of parents Matthew and Nikki, is still deciding what she’ll take next year. Anderson and Devonald have known each for a while but this is their first chance to skate together. They’ve both been impressed to watch the other in action.
“Bailey is a very good hockey player,” Devonald said. “She is super smart with the puck and really good in corners. She makes the right play all the time.
I’m really excited to play with Bailey, and since this is our first year playing together, I’m excited to continue that chemistry into next year. That will be pretty cool. She’s a great person overall who always has a smile on her face at the rink.
” Anderson returned the compliment. “She’s a really fast player,” Anderson said of Devonald. “She’s good in the corners, she’s a good battler, she has good possession of the puck, she’s just an all-round good player.
She knows what her job is. She’s really good on the ice and a good teammate to have too.” Overall, the Wheat Kings are 3-2-1 and sitting in seventh place in the Manitoba Female Hockey League U18 AAA, but they’ve played the fewest league games of all nine teams.
(Two have played 11 and three have played 10.) “It’s going good,” Anderson said. “We’ve had a slow start with not a lot of games but right before Christmas we have six games in two weekends.
That will get us going for sure. We have two big games this weekend ..
. We’re a really good team.” The Wheat Kings head to Winnipeg to play the Avros on Saturday and the Ice on Sunday this week.
The newcomer Devonald is also settling in and enjoying her Wheat City experience. “The season is going good so far,” Devonald said. “For me being the only one who really didn’t know anybody, I was a bit scared but the girls are really good.
I feel like I’ve known them forever. I remember playing against them in U15 but actually getting to play with them is really cool.” » pbergson@brandonsun.
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