BEHCHOKO - There was no prize money for four teams from the Deh Cho that competed in the Canadian National Aboriginal Men's Handgames Championships.

A handgames team from Fort Providence was one of four from the Deh Cho to compete in the Canadian National Aboriginal Men's Handgames Championships in Behchoko. The Fort Providence players included, from right, Fabien Bonnetrouge, James Elleze, Sheldon Sanderson, captain Eric Gargan, Roland Nadli, Garrett Edjericon, Floyd Gon and Ricky Gargan. - Samantha Stokell/NNSL photo

A total of 36 teams from across the Northwest Territories and northern Alberta competed for $50,000 in prize money awarded to the top six teams in the championships. Two teams from Wrigley and a team from both Fort Providence and Fort Simpson were among the contenders that competed from March 17 to 20.

The Fort Providence team captained by Eric Gargan played the most games out of any of the Deh Cho teams. The team played five games beginning with a loss to Joseph Judas' team that sent them to the B side of the competition.

Fort Providence won their second game by default after their opponents failed to arrive in time. The team won its third game to Pierre Beaverho's team from Whati after winning two of the three rounds.

The team won one more game by default before being defeated and eliminated from the tournament by George Nitsiza's team from Whati.

"We did pretty good," Gargan said.

Gargan gathered the team by contacting people to see if they were interested in joining. He particularly wanted to include students and signed up teenagers Sheldon Sanderson and Roland Nadli.

"It's really, really important for the young generation to start learning how to play handgames and attending these tournaments," Gargan said.

Gargan plans to assist the Fort Providence handgames committee with teaching youth how to play and fundraising so they can travel to tournaments.

Sanderson, 18, said he'd like to compete in more handgames events. The Behchoko tournament was the largest he's participated in.

"It was pretty fun," he said.

The rankings were only recorded for the top six teams. With three games played Darwin Norwegian's team from Wrigley had the second highest number of games of the Deh Cho teams.

Although the team played more than two games, which was his goal, Norwegian said an accident threw both Wrigley teams off their game. Before the tournament one of the players on the other Wrigley team captained by Jarrett Moses was in an accident and had to be medevaced to Edmonton.

"We just weren't doing good at all," Norwegian said about his team's subsequent performance.

The team, which included Dwight Norwegian, David Moses, Lloyd Moses, Morris Moses, Lawrence Nayally, Lucas Cli and Jamie Moses lost its first game on the A side to Arsene Menacho's team from Tulita. The Wrigley team went on to beat Joe Pastion's team from Bushe River, Alta., 2-1. A final loss against Kelvin Kotchilea of Behchoko knocked the team out of the tournament.

"It was a really good handgames tournament," Norwegian said.

Jarrett's team of Joey Moses, Brandon Moses, Craig Moses, Tim Lennie, Jenssen Clille and Derwin Clille and a player from Behchoko lost both of its two games.

The fourth Deh Cho team was from Fort Simpson and included captain Johnny Denethlon, Earl Moses, Joseph Nayally, Jim Antoine, Joseph Villeneuve Jr., Arnold Hope, Raymond Horassi, Jeffrey Nayally and Jerry Antoine. The team lost its first game to Casper Mantla's Behchoko team that went on to take third place in the tournament and was disqualified from its second game when not enough players arrived in time.

The team spent the rest of the tournament supporting other Deh Cho teams by drumming, Jerry Antoine said.

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