The Central Charge came within a run of a provincial title at the 2025 Softball Manitoba U17 AA Female Championships, earning silver after a dominant run through round-robin play and a standout semifinal performance.
The Carman-hosted event began July 25 and was initially scheduled to conclude on July 27, but heavy rain shut down the medal round last Sunday, bringing the tournament to a premature halt. Play resumed on July 31 to complete the semifinals and finals.
Central Charge stormed through Pool A with a 4–0 record, including a 16–0 shutout over the Manitoba Reapers, a 15–3 win over the Southwest Strikers, and a 13–6 win against the Eastman Blaze. They capped round-robin play with a 14–5 win over the Bonivital Bolts.
“I think there were a couple factors that helped the girls peak for provincials,” said head coach Matt Victor. “They had a disappointing Showcase in June that saw them outside the top-tier teams. They took that one hard. Jason [Wolfe] has been instrumental—keeping the girls focused in the practices and games, and giving them purpose. They really improved from start to finish. Lastly, the ladies want to play for each other. That’s special.”
In the semifinal on Thursday, Central defeated Westman Storm 13–0 on the back of a clutch performance from Megan Preteau, who drove in four runs on two hits, including an inside-the-park grand slam in the second inning. The team scored five runs in that frame alone and added insurance in the third with an RBI single from Lauren Kutny.
“That was a big moment for Megan—and our group,” said Victor. “Down two strikes, bases loaded and able to square up the barrel like that for a grand slam… just special.”
Pitcher Brielle Thiessen earned the win, allowing just four hits over five innings while striking out six.
“Brielle was absolutely dominant on the mound,” said assistant coach Jason Wolfe. “She was hitting her spots, changing speeds effectively, and keeping hitters off balance all game. Even with the pressure of the game on the line, she didn’t flinch. She worked quickly, stayed focused, and trusted her defence.”
The Charge tallied 14 hits, including multi-hit games from Kutny, Delany Darby, Ivy Hildebrand and Alexa Desrochers. Defensively, the Charge played error-free ball and turned a double play, with Madison Guthrie recording a team-high six chances in the field.
“Those were standout performances in the semis, no question,” said Wolfe. “But if you ask them, they’ll be the first to tell you it was about the team. Every success was shared, and that’s what made it so fun to be a part of.”
In the gold medal game later that evening, Central’s comeback effort fell just short as they dropped a 7–6 heartbreaker to the Westman Heat. Down four runs in the fourth, the Charge clawed back to take a 6–5 lead in the top of the seventh, with runs scored by Thiessen and Presley Wolfe. But the Heat tied the game in the bottom of the seventh and pushed across the winning run to take gold.
“It was a rollercoaster of a game—especially the seventh inning,” said Victor. “There wasn’t much to say after those types of games. We were proud of their season and how resilient they were to come back from 5–1 and fight to take a 6–5 lead into the bottom of the seventh. We talked about how these moments build character and will make you stronger. We had a great group.”
Desrochers went the distance in the circle for Central, striking out nine and walking six while allowing four earned runs. Thiessen led the team with two RBIs, while Darby and Mia Van Den Bosch collected two hits apiece. Central showed discipline at the plate, drawing 12 walks and turning two double plays.
“These ladies will remember the bonds created with each other and not the one-run loss,” added Wolfe.
Looking ahead, Victor said the tournament reinforced the importance of building strong development programs.
“The AA program is growing and showing more interest throughout our region,” he said. “These programs need to continue to teach the basic skills and build them into habits, and have good mentors to keep the players engaged and curious. Make the programs competitive and fun—we’ll keep players coming back if there is purpose and fun doing it.”
Despite the narrow defeat, the Charge left Carman with heads held high after a tournament full of strong pitching, timely hitting and excellent team defence. Westman Storm claimed bronze with a 14–1 win over Bonivital in the third-place match.
