Vauxhall Jets represented at the 2025 Canada Games

By Cole Parkinson
Taber Times

While the Vauxhall Academy of Baseball Jets will see players report for the new season later this week, a handful of players were in St. John’s for the 2025 Canada Games last week. Three current Jets — Rogan Rivard, Matt Getz, and Calum Andersen — all represented Alberta. Other Jets included Graham Thiessen, who represented Manitoba, Jaxon George, who played for Nova Scotia, and Callum Thomson, who suited up for Prince Edward Island. 

Alberta would finish second in Pool A with a 2-2 record while B.C. would take top spot, going 3-1. Quebec was third, Saskatchewan was fourth, and Ontario finished last. In Pool B, PEI would finish tops with a 4-0 record while Manitoba was second, Nova Scotia was third, New Brunswick was fourth, and Newfoundland and Labrador wound up in last. 

In the preliminary round, Alberta would lose to Saskatchewan 8-1 in their opening game before rebounding with a 4-2 win over B.C. They would lose 4-1 against Quebec and then finish the round-robin with an 11-6 win over Ontario. Rivard would play outfield and wind up with a double, a single, two walks, and a stolen base. Getz made four starts and had a hit, an RBI, and three walks. Andersen started on the mound in the win over Ontario and gave Alberta four innings with six earned runs allowed on six hits, two walks, and the right-hander had two strikeouts. 

Alberta took on Quebec in the semi-final and were unable to win as they lost 4-3. Rivard was 2-3 with a walk, while Getz had a walk. Alberta took on Manitoba in the 5th/6th place game. This time, Alberta was able to pull a win together as they shut out Manitoba 4-0. Andersen pitched one inning with no runs allowed, and he walked a pair of batters. 

On the other side, PEI was able to dominate with wins over New Brunswick (11-3), Manitoba (7-3), Nova Scotia (4-0), and Newfoundland and Labrador (10-8). Over the first four games, Thomson was an offensive engine for PEI with five hits, a walk, and an RBI. 

PEI took on B.C. in their first playoff game, and they took it 3-1. Thomson scored a run and had a walk in the win. In their semi-final match, they rematched against B.C. This time, it was all B.C. as they shut out PEI 7-0. In the bronze medal game, PEI took on Saskatchewan. In a close game, PEI was unable to get back in the win column as they fell 4-2. Thomson had a double and an RBI in the game.

Manitoba and Nova Scotia both finished with a 2-2 record. For Manitoba, Thiessen pitched once, going 4.1 innings with two earned runs on four hits, four walks, and striking out seven. He also contributed with three hits, a walk, and a pair of RBI. George contributed with a pair of hits, a walk, and an RBI over his four games with Nova Scotia.

In the consolation to move on to the 7th/8th place game, Nova Scotia would beat New Brunswick 2-1, while Ontario rolled over Newfoundland and Labrador with a 9-1 win. Nova Scotia would wind up losing its last game 10-3 against Ontario. 

Manitoba was in the semi-final against B.C. and was unable to collect a win as they fell 4-2. Thiessen had a pair of walks in the game. In the loss against Alberta, Thiessen got the start for Manitoba. The righty went four innings with two earned runs on five hits, three walks, and two strikeouts. 

B.C. would win the gold medal over Quebec while Saskatchewan took home the bronze.