SASKATOON — Shortly before training camp in 2023, quarterback Trevor Harris was among a trio of Saskatchewan Roughriders players who attended a Saskatoon Valkyries practice and visited with members of the perennially powerful Western Women’s Canadian Football League team.
“It was cool, because I didn’t realize how dominant they were — how many games they’d won in a row, how many championships they were going for and what they were vying for,” Harris said on Saturday afternoon when Green and White Day was held at SMF Field.
“When a team has won that much, you want to know what their culture is like and what they bring to the table every day, so it was good to chat with them and learn a little bit from them.”
A few hours after Harris marvelled at the Valkyries’ successes, they extended their winning streak to 30 games by defeating the visiting Regina Riot 42-7.
“Thirty in a row … I just found that out,” Valkyries quarterback Alex Eyolfson said after the game. “It shows how hard we’ve worked and we’re just going to keep it going.
“It’s just amazing, the group of women we have … the coaches, the training staff and everyone.”
Saskatoon has not lost since June 24, 2018, when the Riot won 14-10 at Mosaic Stadium and claimed its third league championship.
Since then, the Valkyries have captured three more titles (in 2019, 2022 and 2023) and appear to be well on their way to a fourth in a row.
Eyolfson — Saskatoon’s quarterback throughout its current string of success — threw three touchdown passes at SMF Field on Saturday night.
Eyolfson, who was 19-for-29 for 285 yards, completed scoring strikes to Sarah Wright (22 yards), Reed Thorstad (20) and Ricki Obed (five).
Wright and Obed each ran for a major during their two-touchdown performances. Obed also returned seven punts for 90 yards.
Grace Moehler added five converts, a field goal and a single.
The Riot scored on a 15-yard pass from Aimee Kowalski to Shanelle Rioux. Morgan Taylor converted the major.
Kowalski, who has quarterbacked Regina to each of its titles, was 25-for-49 for 202 yards.
Wright led the Valkyries’ ground attack with 76 yards on 13 carries. Teagan Craig added 66 yards on 12 rushes.
Haley Girolami (five catches, 120 yards) and Thorstad (seven for 99) were the Valkyries’ top receivers. Rioux (nine for 112) and Jacey Goebel (eight for 51) were Regina’s leading pass-catchers.
The Riot and Valkyries both receive support from the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation, which provides each team with $20,000 per year to assist with players’ scholarships.
Harris was accompanied by teammates Peter Godber and Jake Wieneke during the aforementioned visit to a Valkyries practice.
After Saturday’s game, Harris’s laudatory comment from earlier in the day was relayed to Eyolfson.
“We’ve just built such a great program and for others to be learning from us, too, that just says a lot about our team and what we’ve done,” she said, appreciatively.
Since the league’s inception in 2011, the Valkyries have won eight of the 11 championships.
Saskatoon won the first four WWCFL titles before Regina wrested league supremacy from the Valkyries in 2015.
The Valkyries reclaimed the crown in 2016, only to have Regina win back-to-back titles.
Then came the Valkyries’ current run of prosperity, which could only be stalled by the COVID-influenced cancellations of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
The 3-0 Saskatoon side, which clinched first place by virtue of Saturday’s victory, is to conclude its regular-season schedule on June 2 against the host Manitoba Fearless.
Regina (1-2) plays host to Manitoba on May 26 (1 p.m., Leibel Field).
