MOOSE JAW — When putting together a sports best-of year-end list of any type, it can be very difficult to figure out which events to include — selecting the most important moments and most dramatic results can be a onerous task when you’re talking about a sports scene as successful as that in Saskatchewan.
This year, there was one event, and one event only, that could go at the top of the list. But we’ll get to that later — and on our way there, here’s a look at four other events that highlighted the sports year in the Land of the Living Skies.
5. Moose Jaw Central Cyclones win provincial football championship
There was a time when the 5A 12-aside division of high school football in Saskatchewan was essentially dominated by teams from Moose Jaw — year-in and year-out, squads from Canada’s Most Notorious City would find themselves playing provincial finals if not winning outright. But for 10 years heading into the 2025 season, a Moose Jaw school hadn’t hoisted the provincial championship trophy.
That all changed this past November. Head coach Colin Belsher and his veteran-laden Central Cyclones put together a perfect season, going 6-0 in the South Rural Football League before defeating Swift Current 44-2 in the league final, edging Prince Albert Carlton 31-24 in the provincial semifinal and defeating Regina Johnson 51-8 in the provincial final.
It was the first championship for Central since 2013, the first for Moose Jaw since Peacock’s string of four straight ended in 2015 — and a moment of celebration for local high school football in general.
4. Regina Pat Canadians win Telus Cup
Now, as a Moose Jaw sports onlooker, ranking literally anything a Regina hockey team accomplishes on the national scene is pretty much equivalent to heresy, but there was no denying the impressive run the Regina Pat Canadians put together this past spring.
Head coach Ryan Hodgins and crew were the class of the Sask Male AAA Hockey League all season long, led by exceptional status player Maddox Schultz, fellow high-scoring forwards Jonah Sivertson and Chase Surkan and goaltender Taylor Tabashniuk.
Regina swept the Moose Jaw WINMAR Warriors to claim the league title and then steamrolled the competition in the Telus Cup Western Regional to advance to the national championship. There, it was another impressive run all the way to the Telus Cup Final, where Schultz would score the overtime winner against the Chevalier de Levis to give the Pat Canadians the national title.
An incredible run from an incredible team, and more than worthy of this list!
3. Moose Jaw hosts BKT World Men’s Curling Championship
Moose Jaw was the centre of the curling world for two weeks this past spring as the top men’s curling teams in the world took the ice at Temple Gardens Centre for the BKT World Men’s Curling Championship.
As one might expect, the event was incredibly well supported, with fans filling the stands every draw and taking in all the elite shot making the best curlers in the world can provide.
It certainly didn’t hurt to have Canada’s Brad Jacobs winning the whole way through, eventually claiming the bronze medal. Scotland’s Bruce Mouat was the class of the field, though, and his rink would claim their second World Championship.
In the end, the event was considered an overwhelming success, and don’t be surprised if a major curling event ends up on Moose Jaw’s radar in the near future.
2. Toronto Blue Jays epic World Series run
It’s safe to say Canada’s team captivated the entire nation this past fall as they went on their incredible run all the way to Game 7 of the World Series, and you better believe there were many a Saskatchewan baseball fan glued to their screens for the entire run.
It all started with a mid-season surge to first place in the American League East, and once the playoffs came, the roll kept going with a four-game win over New York Yankees in the American League Division Series, An epic seven-game battle with the Seattle Mariners in the ALCS sent Toronto to their first World Series since 1993, and that will go down in MLB lore, with the Los Angeles Dodgers winning their second-straight title in extra innings at Rogers Centre.
Through it all, the Jays’ infectious spirit and style of play were wildly entertaining to watch, drawing in fans from across the country as their incredible run progressed.
The impact on minor baseball across Canada will likely be huge, too, as youngsters look to emulate their heroes on the diamond.
1. Saskatchewan Roughriders win Grey Cup
Yeah, number one couldn’t possibly be anything else.
It’s hard to describe just how much the Roughriders mean to Saskatchewan, and when they find a way to win it all, well, it’s safe to say it’s one heck of a party from start to finish.
The Roughriders staked themselves as the top team in the CFL early in the campaign, eventually going on to finish with a 12-6 record and first place in the West Division despite battling a steady string of injuries at nearly every position.
An incredible last minute drive led to a Tommy Nield touchdown and 24-21 win over the B.C. Lions in the West Final and the Grey Cup itself would be another heart-stopper, as a late-game goal-line fumble recovery by Marcus Sayles paved the way for a 25-17 victory over the Montreal Alouettes.
It’s been nothing but celebratory times since, with excitement already building as the Roughriders look to repeat as CFL champs in 2026.
