The Athabasca Peewee Trappers came short July 21-22 at Tier III provincials in Fox Creek, where they failed to win any of their three games.
The boys lost their first two games the first day, when they dropped 8-4 to South Edmonton and got blasted 12-1 by Edson.
"They were tough games," head coach Jay Alix said. "Those two teams ended up playing each other in the final, so luck was not on our side. We were also battling the elements there as well, as Fox Creek just had lots of rain prior to our arrival."
The Trappers played their consolation game against Red Deer the next day, and lost a nail-biter by a 13-12 score.
"It was a really close game," Alix said. "Just prior to the final inning, we were actually up 12-11. In the end, we just could not hold the lead. Red Deer got a couple of runs, and they were just able to beat us. But we were in it all the way, stayed for the full seven innings, and they played their hearts out."
Despite the losses, Alix said he is still proud of how his team performed.
"The boys realized it would be tough," he said. "Their 26-19 win over St. Albert July 16 was what put them in Tier III over Tier IV, so they knew they were going to have to work for it."
He added that their who season was about developing their skills, and learning how to make the right plays.
"When you get to this level, you see the other teams across the province, and they play really well," Alix continued. "Their boys made plays, and so did ours. The Trappers were actually the best that I had seen them all year long."
He said it was fun to see all the progress that they had made during the year.
"At the end of the day, that's the measuring stick," Alix said. "You know, some of the boys had never played ball before until this year, and now they are getting hits and getting on base. So it's all good. They are still pretty happy with their provincials experience, and if they come back next spring, then the coaching staff did their job."
Alix also said that for next year, it will be a mixed bag for players.
"We are losing some of them to the bantam level next year," he said. "But we will be getting some of the mosquito players, who also recently played at provincials. So for most of next year's team, making provincials will not be a new experience for them. They will know what the expectations are and allow us to hit the ground running right out of the gate."
