DIDSBURY - The Didsbury Atom A Ramblers returned from the recent Atom B provincial championships in Beaverlodge as provincial champions. The Ramblers, who went a perfect 5-0 in the tournament, were led by 20 goals from top scorer Sawyer Campbell.
In the championship final on March 18, Didsbury beat Stettler 7-3 led by five goals from Campbell. Also scoring were Peyton Reese and Ryder Riedel.
Earlier that day Didsbury beat La Crete 7-0 in the semifinal led by four goals from Campbell and singles from Reese, Riedel and Keenan Feenstra.
On March 17 in round-robin play, Didsbury beat Marwaye-Dewberry by the same 7-0 score. Scoring for the Ramblers were Campbell with a pair and Riedel, Pepe Morales, Brendan Fifield and Aaron Sawatzky with one each.
In their opening game on March 15 against the host team from Beaverlodge, the Ramblers won 10-2 led by four goals from Campbell, two goals from Feenstra, and singles from Fifield, Sawatzky, Riedel and Pross.
In their later game on March 15, Didsbury got past Stettler 7-3 behind five goals from Campbell and singles from Riedel and Reese.
Head coach Beau Riedel told the Gazette that the team qualified for provincials after beating Olds and Kneehill in playdowns.
Riedel said the team benefited from playing against higher tiered teams all year in their league.
"We played in B (at provincials) but most of the teams we played in tier 1 (in league) were from places like Cochrane, Airdrie, all the major teams," said Riedel. "It doesn't happen very often that a town our size goes and plays in tier 1 and is good. We've done it with this group. It's a really good group. When we played towns our own size we were really dominant."
Riedel said the team has been together for a number of years and has improved a great deal.
"It's a group that was really talented and had a really good attitude and were strong at team play," he said. "They're just a really good group. A special group."
