1991 Saskatoon Eagles
Team (2006)
Softball
1991 Midget Boys Canadian Softball Champions
The Saskatoon Eagles represented Saskatchewan at the 1991 Canadian midget boys softball championships at Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and gave a dominating performance in the gold medal game to beat Manitoba, 8-0.
Brian Hoiness and Ernie Sorokowski were the builders of the team, which started in Confederation Park in 1984. They won six straight city age-class championships, a gold medal at the 1988 Saskatchewan Summer Games and the provincial bantam championship in 1989.
Marv Massier joined the coaching staff in 1990 when the Eagles won the provincial midget title.
The team's participation in the 1990 Labatt's Challenge Cup tournament in Saskatoon and their solid run for a bronze medal finish at the Canadian finals in Milverton, Ontario, gave the Eagles a sample of what was ahead.
The Eagles won the 1991 provincial championship and enjoyed their moment during the medal-presentation ceremonies at the tournament in Rosetown.
After gathering for the official team picture during the Nova Scotia ceremonies, the Eagles went to work and started the first day with Brent Hoiness throwing a one-hitter in a 1-0 victory over Manitoba and James Zuk pitching a no-hitter in a 7-1 victory over Nova Scotia.
The Eagles finished the round-robin tournament with a record of six wins and three losses, winning the last game of the qualifying round with a 6-0 victory over Ontario behind the pitching of Stacey Zakreski.
They beat Antigonish in one playoff game, then beat Ontario, 7-2, and lost to the B side winners, Manitoba, 5-2, in the first game of the finals.
The Eagles were complete masters in the showdown game against Manitoba, scoring two runs in the first inning, three in the second and three in the third. The game was stopped after four and a half innings because of the seven-run rule
Brent Hoiness pitched a two-hit shutout in the final game and was chosen as the all-star pitcher in the tournament.
For Ernie Sorokowski, Brian Hoiness and Marv Massier, it was a triumphant moment, the ultimate success story for the coaches and some of the boys who had stayed the course since the team's beginning in the Saskatoon squirt league.
Back row: Ernie Sorokowski (Assistant Coach), Mervin Massier (Assistant Coach), Mike Puderak, Stacey Zakreski, Jamie Olson, Bill Kennedy, Brent Hoiness, James Zuk, Shawn Dyck, Brian Hoiness, (Head Coach)
Front row: Carey Olson, Tim Pike, Michael Gusikoski, Cory McConnell, Clark McNulty, Kevin Hengstler, Jon Abel
Foreground: Jamie Gusikoski Missing: Ryan Ray