ST. JOHN’S, NL (August 11, 2025): All sports were in play today on the second day of competition at the 2025 Canada Summer Games in St. John’s, NL.

This is Regina athlete Sami Riou’s second time on Team Sask. When Female Box Lacrosse made its Canada Games debut at the 2022 Games in Niagara, Riou made history by scoring the first-ever goal. Her 2025 competition is off an equally exciting start. During Monday’s matchup against Manitoba, Team Sask cinched a last-minute comeback and scored with 2.7 seconds remaining to tie the game 3-3. Watch the players' reactions: interview footage link

After the game, Riou shared that she “was a little nervous, but I knew our team would dig deep and play like Saskatchewan plays. We really found a way to use each other as teammates. We found a way to put the ball in the net, so go Sask!

Added teammate Marti Burechailo of s heart was racing, but we all gave it 100% pure grit – we wanted that goal!”

Said Riceton’s Hunter It was crazy – the energy was up. Everyone kept going, no one quit, and we came out with that last goal to tie it up.”

Rugby Sevens began competition today in both female and male events, with the latter returning to the Canada Games for the first time since 2009. After two early losses to Manitoba and Quebec, during the tournament’s third game the female team scored 17-10 against Prince Edward Island to take home a win. Kelsi Hilderman of Saskatoon is in St. John’s volunteering as Team Sask mission staff and remarked on the team’s positive attitude throughout. “I was very impressed with their positivity and resilience, even when they lost. They didn’t dwell on it, they were ready for the next competition, and it said a lot about their coaches and their character. It was also really cool to see the support between the men’s and the women’s teams – they made tunnels for each other and stayed at each other’s games to watch all day!”

Volunteers are the engine that drive the Canada Games. Nearly 5,000 orange-shirted community members have been assisting with every aspect of the Games while welcoming thousands of participants, family members, and supporters to the City of St. John’s. Regina’s Rod Schmidt, also volunteering on Team Sask in support of the men’s basketball and athletics teams – who played a major leadership role in the 2005 Canada Summer Games in Regina Host Society and who is taking part in his twelfth Canada Games – has been impressed by the hospitality. “The volunteers care. They want to do a good job. They also want to know about you, and they want you to know about their province and St. John’s.”

DAY 3 COMPETITION RECAP

BASKETBALL (M & F)

  • Both the Men’s and Women’s teams faced off first against Nunavut, who are fielding their first-ever Canada Games Basketball teams this year. 
  • The men jumped out to an early lead and looked clean in a 123-34 win to even their record at 1-1. On Tuesday they will take on Yukon at 11:45am SK time (3:15pm local)
  • The women picked up where they left off on Monday and won the game 88-13. They have the day off Tuesday and then will look to go to 3-0 when they meet Manitoba on Wednesday.

BASEBALL (M)

  • Team Saskatchewan was in tough continuing pool play on Monday with a pair of games. They started strong in the first inning and beat Quebec 10-5 in their first game. Mitchel Rauckman picked up the win giving up two runs off six hits in four innings of work.
  • Monday night saw the team play Ontario. 
  • Pool play wraps up for Team Sask on Tuesday against BC before a day off Wednesday. Tuesday’s game is set for 9:30am SK time (1pm local).

BEACH VOLLEYBALL (M & F)

  • In their first games of the day, Saskatchewan’s male team won 2-0 against Nova Scotia while the women’s side fell 2-1 against New Brunswick. It was an exciting match-up with enthusiastic crowd support that featured big blocks, big hits, and lots of back and forth from players Luke Enstrom and Paul Mytopher.
  • In the afternoon the script was flipped. The men fell 2-0 to Alberta while the women finished off a thrilling three set win over Manitoba.
  • On Tuesday the men will play Ontario at 8am SK time (11:30am local) while the women will play Quebec at the same time.

BOX LACROSSE (F)

  • After a 5-1 win against New Brunswick earlier in the day, Team Sask was in danger of losing their first game, trailing Manitoba late but a goal with 2.7s left tied the game and earned them the tie. 
  • On Tuesday, Team Sask will play the hosts from NL at 10:30am SK time (2pm local).

CANOE/KAYAK

  • It was a windy first day of competition for Canoe Kayak. The C-2 1000m men’s team and K-2 1000m women’s team both fought hard to earn fourth in the distance races.

CYCLING (ROAD)

  • The men’s and women’s individual time trial races took place today on Team Gushue Highway. Tough conditions included 50 km gusts, steep climbs, and descents. Saskatchewan’s top finishers were Saskatoon’s Maria McCartney in 20th and Regina’s Isaac McMurray in 19th.

RUGBY SEVENS (M & F)

  • Male Rugby Sevens earned its first win of the competition with 10-7 over Team Manitoba. After two losses against Alberta and Ontario, the team will square up against New Brunswick on Tuesday.

TENNIS

  • Team Sask continued their strong play on the court Monday with a 5-1 win over New Brunswick.
  • A huge test awaits on Tuesday as they will meet Nova Scotia (2-0) in a battle for first place in the pool beginning at 4:30am SK time (8am local).

SOFTBALL (F)

  • Our Women’s softball team split a pair of games on Monday. After an 8-3 win over Nova Scotia, the team fell 3-0 to BC.
  • They’ll look to even their record at 2-2 on Tuesday when they meet PEI at 9am SK time (12:30 local).

SOCCER (M)

  • Team Sask will take on BC on Monday evening.
  • Wednesday will be a day off with qualification games scheduled for Thursday. 

SWIMMING

  • It was another busy day at the Aquarena for Saskatchewan’s swimmers. Swift Current swimmers Tate Zimmerman, Chayce Foster, Rahimay Priebe and Avery Underhill competed in the 100m Freestyle Special Olympics men’s and women’s races. Top placements of the day were Regina’s Leo Zheng and Ali Signe Diehl of Prince Albert, who both placed seventh in the 200m(S1-5,S14) / 400m(S6-13) Freestyle Para Men's and Women’s timed finals.

SAILING

  • The windy conditions accompanied Team Sask on its first day of competition at the Royal NL Yacht Club. Wynyard’s Daniel Laverty placed fourth in both of the day’s Single Handed ILCA men’s races and will continue racing twice a day until Saturday’s final.

DAY 4 PREVIEW: VIEW SASKATCHEWAN’S SCHEDULE FOR DAY 4

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ABOUT TEAM SASK

Athletes who compete at the Canada Games represent the country’s next generation of national, international, Olympic, and Paralympic champions. Team Sask alumni Catriona Le May Doan, Mark McMorris, Emily Clark, Rylan Wiens, Shelby Newkirk, and Carissa Norsten, among many others, can all count their previous Canada Games experiences as a stepping stone to the highest levels of sport.

MEDIA CONTACT

Darren Dupont

Team Sask Media Lead

(639) 471-0167

darren@dupontmedia.ca