HUMBOLDT 鈥� They did it!
Humboldt Broncos have captured the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League championship.
The victory came Thursday [April 6, 1989] at the Uniplex by defeating the visiting Nipawin Hawks 10-4 in overtime to take the best-of-seven final in five games.
It was Humboldt's fifth in the club's 19-year history, and third in the last four years. Only the Prince Albert Raiders have won more SJHL crowns, winning eight.
"It's worth all the hard work," said Bronco coach Donn Clark. "The guys worked hard all year. All 23 players deserve full credit. The motto of our hockey club is `Together' from numbers 1 to 31 and we got an effort from everybody."
For the organization, winning the 1989 SJHL title couldn't have been any sweeter as before the season even started many people had the team written off.
"Right since September in training camp, everybody picked us to finish from sixth to eighth. We came out with a lot of fire and we wanted to win right from Day 1. I think the boys are pretty happy," said Bronco captain Mark Holick in a very emotional Humboldt dressing room.
The players had every right to be emotional. For many, it was their first championship of any kind. A championship that all credit their coaches for becoming a reality.
Holick said the coaches did a heck of a job.
鈥淭hey never panicked with us and they let us play. They set up our system for us and we were successful.鈥�
Having captured the SJHL title, Humboldt advances to the Anavet Cup playoff against the Winnipeg 麻豆传媒AV Blues, champions of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
Clark says the 麻豆传媒AV Blues are a mystery opponent.
鈥淲e know very little. Everything we hear is that they have a good power play, big defence and quality goaltending. If they won the Manitoba league, they obviously have to be a good hockey club and we will have to be at our best to be competitive with them.鈥�
Editor's note: This is a combination of the story seen on of the front page of the April 12, 1989 edition and the story seen on that edition鈥檚 sports front.
The Broncos would go on to win the Anavet Cup against Winnipeg, winning four out of five games they played.
