The U13 Meadow Lake Sox grabbed a silver medal at the U13 B Girls North Softball Provincials this past weekend. (Sask. Softball/Facebook)

By Austin Mattes

Thrilling final

Meadow Lake Sox earn silver on home soil at U13 B Girls North Softball Provincials

Jul 17, 2025 | 1:30 PM

The hometown crowd had plenty to cheer about as the U13 Meadow Lake Sox put on a gritty and impressive performance leading to a silver medal finish at the U13 B Girls North Softball Provincials, held this past weekend in Meadow Lake.

Twelve teams from across Saskatchewan competed in the event, split into two pools of six. The top four teams in each pool advanced to the playoff rounds, with the Sox earning their spot after finishing 2-1 in round robin play.

The Sox opened the tournament Friday evening with a nail-biting 21-20 win over the Prince Albert Aces in a game that set the tone for their weekend. They followed that up on Saturday afternoon with a solid 19-12 victory over the Saskatoon Hustlers. Their final round robin matchup, however, proved tough, as they fell 16-6 to the Twin City Angels Bombers. Despite the loss, the Sox’s 2-1 record was enough to move on to the quarterfinals.

Sunday brought a true test of stamina and determination as the Sox played three back-to-back playoff games.

In the quarterfinals, they cruised to a dominant 12-3 win over the Watrous Royals. That momentum carried into the semifinals, where they battled past the Twin City Angels Riot, winning 12-6 to secure their spot in the championship game.

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The gold medal game was nothing short of dramatic, as the Sox faced off against a familiar rival, the Maidstone Lakers. The two teams had exchanged wins all season, setting the stage for an electric final. The contest was a back-and-forth affair, with multiple lead changes and big plays from both sides. Trailing 17-12 going into the seventh inning, the Sox rallied with five runs to tie the game. However, Maidstone managed to score the final run in the bottom of the inning, clinching the championship 18-17 and leaving Meadow Lake with silver.

Head Coach Brian Gislason praised his team’s effort and unity throughout the tournament.

“We’ve either won or been in the finals of most of the tournaments that we’ve been in, so we expected to do well,” said Gislason. “The most impressive thing with our girls is we got contributions from 1 to 12, through the whole lineup. Every game, it was somebody different that was delivering a key hit. It was the truest team effort that I have probably seen.”

Reflecting on the final, Gislason emphasized the excitement and emotion that came with playing for gold on home turf.

“For our girls, it was a real opportunity that they don’t get very often, to play a gold medal game at home. I’m not sure how many lead changes there were, but there were a lot, and it was a very, very close game. Fans and coaches were excited, and the stands were full.”

Despite the narrow loss, Gislason expressed nothing but pride in his players.

“Of course, Maidstone got the one run to win it, but it was a great season. I really credit the girls for staying focused and energized right to the very end. Couldn’t have asked for any better performance from the kids, they were outstanding.”

With a silver medal around their necks and the support of an entire community behind them, the U13 Meadow Lake Sox can hold their heads high after a memorable provincial run.

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Austin.mattes@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @AustinMattes