On this week’s show, Mike and Kito recap the five games in the WHSFL that they went to. Mike also chats with WHSFL commissioner Jeffrey Bannon and multiple members of the Winnipeg Rifles.
Category: Features
Roger that! Rifles receiver Jake Roger sheds weight, finds success with Rifles
By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)
Feature photo: Jake Roger (R) alongside fellow receiver Sheycoy Selent
Growing up, Winnipeg Rifles receiver Jake Roger was always a bit of a bigger kid. Because of this, he spent a decent amount of his ten-year football career on the line, either at offensive tackle or the interior on defence.
But in his heart, he’d always wanted to play receiver, as he had good hands and enjoyed the position. He got the chance to show these talents a little bit in high school for Sturgeon Heights, where he was a three-year starter as a fullback/tight end.
Rogers’ abilities earned him a spot on the Rifles’ roster in 2018, where he was determined to make it as a pass-catcher. Unfortunately he saw limited reps all year and knew it was time to get in better shape while also making some lifestyle changes.
“I started dieting pretty good and hit the gym two times a day,” says Roger, who began working out rather heavily beginning this January.
“I was really motivated. I wanted to play ball and I didn’t want to ride the bench all year again.”
Roger accompanied a heavy workout regimen with an intelligent dieting plan, which he was able to integrate thanks to the knowledge of his high school gym teacher as well as his parents.
His typical food intake included items such as eggs, tuna, rice bowls, greek yogurt, chicken and lots of fruits and veggies, along with a heavy cutting of carbs.
“It kind of sucked. It was hard to get used to because there were lots of very bland foods, but once you get into the routine of it and start seeing progress, you get used to it.”
Roger was able to lose roughly 60 pounds, going from 225 all the way down to anywhere between 170-173.
With his weight now more manageable, Roger returned to the field this year hungry to make a difference for his team. He trained hard running routes in the offseason with starting pivot Riley Naujoks in order to gain more chemistry while also improving his speed — another area of weakness in the past.
“With the weight loss, the speed just came naturally. I ran a lot of hill sprints and did ladder work. It was mostly just by myself but that was okay.”
Rogers’ offseason work paid off. He earned a starting spot this season and is involved in every offensive formation the team runs. He was particularly effective in the team’s 52-45 overtime loss at the hands of Regina during Labour Day weekend, flying all around the field with a couple of diving grabs as well as a few in traffic.
The Rifles are currently 1-3, however they haven’t been beaten by more than 14 points by any of the top three squads in the conference in Saskatoon (4-0), the Edmonton Huskies (3-1) or Regina (2-2).
A big reason for their competitive edge has been the offence, as Roger, along with fellow receivers such as Tyler Hodgson, Timmy Solypa, Sheycoy Selent, Luke McMillan and Gabe Grenier have all been effective targets for Naujoks, who’s enjoying his best season of junior football, entering last weekend’s contest against the Huskies with over 1700 passing yards.
“Our group is pretty young, I think we’re going to be pretty phenomenal for the next two years at least,” Roger says.
“We have a good mix of everything. We have size, good speed on the outside and guys who can block and catch in traffic.”
The Sideline Showdown: Episode 3
This week we’ve got highlights from Kelvin versus Murdoch and Grant Park versus Oak Park in the WHSFL, Sunrise, East Side, St. James and Fort Garry in the MMFA, interviews with Mitch Harrison and the Dakota Lancers and Brock Gowanlock from the Bisons.
The Sideline Showdown: Episode 2
This week on the sideline showdown, it’s a WHSFL special! Mike and Kito discuss the results of the inaugural coaches poll and Mike also checks in with Vincent Massey Winnipeg head coach Kelsey McKay, St. John’s head coach Grant McMillan, Grant Park lead man Doug Kovacs and Churchill bench boss Kirkland Harper. The episode finishes off with some highlights from pre-season action between Grant Park, Garden City and Murdoch MacKay!
Manitobans in the OUA: Week one review/week two primer
This article comes courtesy of Manitobafootballfeed’s OUA correspondent.
Week 1 Review
Western 32
Laurier 19
The Western Mustangs got an impressive win on the road over a feisty Laurier Golden Hawks team. Laurier lead 3-1 after the first quarter, but the second quarter is where Western took control of the game. A 62 yard Justin Nickson touchdown pass from Chris Merchant, and a blocked punt for a touchdown gave Western a 15-3 lead, an advantage they wouldn’t concede for the rest of the game. A Laurier touchdown with :12 seconds left made the game a lot closer than it was. Manitoban Tony Rossi started at defensive tackle for a Western Defense that sacked the quarterback twice and only allowed 92 rushing yards. Tony recorded 2 solo and 2 assisted tackles in the game.
McMaster 25
Guelph 10
The Steph Ptaszek era 2.0 got off to a good with a 25-10 victory over arch rival Guelph and rookie head coach Ryan Sheahan. Guelph started the game off strong, returning the opening kick-off for a touchdown, but it was all McMaster after that. McMaster had 463 total yards of Offense, lead by starting quarterback and Manitoba Andreas Dueck who was 29/39, throwing for 344 yards and 1 Touchdown. St. Paul’s alum Wyatt Edmonds moved from Left Guard to Centre, and anchored a McMaster offensive line that rushed for 129 yards while only giving up one sack. Winnipegger Xander Tachinski added 5 catches for 57 yards. On the defensive side, Vincent Massey Alumnus Eryk Bujalski started at middle linebacker on a McMaster defense that did not give up a touchdown. Eryk had two tackles and a pass break-up.Â
Carleton 18
Queens 12
The Steve Snyder era for Queens got off to a shaky start, with a 18-12 home loss to Carleton. In a sloppy game that had 205 yards in penalties and 27 total punts, it was Carleton who came out on top. The Ravens were able to overcome a -3 turnover differential while limiting Queen’s offense to 132 yards passing on the way to a 1-0 start to the OUA season.
Toronto 30
Waterloo 33
Three fourth quarter touchdowns by Toronto made the game close, but ultimately Waterloo came out on top 33-30. Waterloo was lead by QB Tre Ford (225 yards passing, 2 touchdowns & 83 yards rushing), REC Tyler Ternowski (5 Receptions, 29 yards, 1 Touchdown) and DB Tyrell Ford (4 tackles, 1 Interception and a Punt Return Touchdown). Winnipegger Quinn Mulligan dressed for the varsity blues and registered snaps on offense and special teams. Interesting to note, Tre Ford threw 2 interceptions in this game, which matches his total of 2 interceptions thrown in all of 2018.Â
York 17
Windsor 34
The JP Circelli era is off to a great start in Windsor. In a tight game, Windsor pulled away with 3 rushing touchdowns in the 3rd quarter en-route to a 34-17 victory. Winnipegger Jared Ott registered snaps on both defense and special teams for the York Lions.Â
Week 2 Review
Ottawa @ McMaster
Manitobans: DB Cody Cranston (OTT), QB Andreas Dueck (MAC), OL Wyatt Edmonds (MAC), LB Eryk Bujalski (MAC), REC Xander Tachinski (MAC)
Coming off a first week bye, Ottawa will be looking to start the season off right with a victory in McMaster’s 2019 home opener. Ottawa has a strong offense lead by Moose Jaw native Sawyer Buettner and an aggressive defense that likes to give opposing teams multiple looks. McMaster will look to ride the momentum from its week 1 victory over Guelph into this crucial week 2 matchup against Ottawa. Ottawa defeated McMaster 18-11 in 2018.Â
Guelph @ Carleton
Guelph coach Ryan Sheahan will be looking for his first victory as a head coach, while Carleton will be looking to start off the season 2-0. This will be the first matchup between Guelph and Carleton since 2017. Both teams have athletic defenses, so a defensive battle is to be expected.Â
Windsor @ Toronto
Manitobans: FB Quinn Mulligan (TOR)
Both Windsor and Toronto were non-playoff teams in 2018, so this weeks matchup is a critical opportunity for both teams to get a victory. Expect Windsor to rely on its successful run game from week 1, while Toronto will lean on its defense lead by head coach and long-time CFL defensive coordinator Greg Marshall.
Queens @ Western
Manitobans: DL Tony Rossi (WES)
There won’t be many secrets between these two teams, as Queens head coach Steve Snyder served on Western Head Coach Greg Marshall’s staff in 2017 & 2018. Look for Western to control the line of scrimmage on both offense and defense, while Queens will rely on big plays to pull off the upset on the road.
Laurier @ York
Manitobans: LB Jared Ott (YORK)
Both Laurier and York will be looking for their first victories of 2018. Laurier will rely on their explosive offense and athletic defense, while York will be looking to pull off the upset in their home opener.
Under centre with Des Catellier
In a new weekly show, Mike Still sits down with Manitoba Bisons starting quarterback Des Catellier to chat about the week that was.
This week, discussions include prep for the Saskatchewan Huskies, the East-West Bowl, Saskatchewan Roughriders camp and of course, ten questions to end every episode.
The Sideline Showdown: Episode one
Manitoba football feed is proud to partner with Kito Poblah, Jaremy Ediger, Mayo Sowemimo from Red Moon Media and Adriano Sacco to bring you episode one of the sideline showdown, a new weekly amateur football program sharing stories of athletes and players from across Manitoba!
In episode one, Mike Still caught up with members of the Grant Park Pirates while also interviewing slotback Elijah Barrett of the Charleswood Broncos peewee team following their 30-0 win over Portage to advance to 3-0 in MMFA action. Kito also covered the Sunrise vs Valour game in peewee action. See the full episode below:
Manitobans in the OUA – week 1
By: OUA football correspondent
On Sunday August 25, ten of the 11 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) football teams will begin their quest to capture the 2019 Yates Cup. The OUA is the largest football conference in the country, fielding 11 of the 27 teams that compete in USports football. Manitoba will be well represented this season as eight of the 11 OUA football teams will dress Manitobans this fall.
Week 1 matchups are listed here. For complete Week 1 depth charts and dress rosters, click on the link here:
This column will preview each OUA team, while also highlighting which Manitobans to look out for this season.
Western Mustangs
2018 Result: 1st 8-0, Yates Cup Champions, Vanier Cup Loss to Laval
Manitobans: DL Tony Rossi
The Western Mustangs will once again be Yates Cup Favourites. Leading Western will be veteran head coach Greg Marshall and 5th year Quarterback Chris Merchant, who will look to continue to their string of success by controlling the line of scrimmage and playing mistake free football. Manitoban Tony Rossi has been named the starting defensive tackle, and will look to build on his 14 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery from last year.
Guelph Gryphons
2018 Result: T3 5-3, Yates Cup loss to Western
Manitobans: REC Mike O’Shea
Following a Yates Cup appearance, the Guelph Gryphons hired former Calgary Dinos Offensive Coordinator Ryan Sheahan to be their new head coach. Guelph will be lead by mobile quarterback Theo Landers. Former St. Paul’s receiver Mike O’Shea will be entering his second season, and will be competing in a deep, competitive receiving core.
Ottawa Gee-Gees
2018 Result: 2nd 6-2, SF Loss to Guelph
Manitobans: DB Cody Cranston
2018 was a breakout season for the Ottawa Gee Gees, where they finished 2nd in the regular season before being upset by Guelph in the Yates Cup semi-final. Ottawa will be lead by Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan native and Winnipeg Blue Bombers training camp participant Sawyer Buettner. Winnipeg native and Montreal Alouettes draft pick Cody Cranston will be looking to add to his total of 7 career interceptions during his 5th and final season.
Carleton Ravens
2018 Result: T3 5-3, SF Loss to Western
Manitobans: None
2018 was a solid season for the Carleton Ravens, having qualified for the playoffs, beating McMaster in the OUA Quarter-Final before losing to the Western Mustangs. Carleton will be lead by first time starting quarterback Tanner DeJong, and a play-making Ravens defense.
McMaster Marauders
2018 Result: T3 5-3, QF Loss to Carleton
Manitobans: QB Andreas Dueck, LB Eryk Bujalski, OG Wyatt Edmonds, REC Xander Tachinski
The McMaster Marauders have rehired accomplished Head Coach Stefan Ptaszek following the departure of former head coach Greg Knox. Vincent Massey alumni Andreas Dueck will be quarterbacking the Marauder offense this season after starting the final 6 games of the 2018 season. Winnipeggers Eryk Bujalski, Wyatt Edmonds and Xander Tachinski have also been named starters, and will look to contribute to a Marauder team that is poised to contend for the Yates Cup.
Waterloo Warriors
2018 Result: T6 4-4, QF Loss to Guelph
Manitobans: DL Justin James, FB Charles Gillen
The 2018 season was a renaissance for the Waterloo Warriors. The emergence of Hec Creighton finalist Trey Ford and East-West Bowl invitee Tyler Ternowski allowed the Warriors to compete in the Yates Cup Playoffs for the first time since the infamous 2010 PED Scandal. Winnipeggers DL Justin James and FB Charles Gillen will look to contribute to a Warriors team that’s looking to take the next step and compete for a Yates Cup in 2019.
Queens Golden Gaels
2018 Result: T8 3-5, Missed Playoffs
Manitobans: REC Tyler Fedak
After missing the playoffs, Queens hired former Western Mustangs Offensive Coordinator Steve Snyder as its new head coach. Queens will be looking to return to the OUA playoffs and add to the programs history of 4 Vanier Cup Championships. Portage La Prairie native Tyler Fedak will be entering his first full season after redshirting in 2018.
Windsor Lancers
2018 Result: 10th 1-7, Missed Playoffs
Manitobans: None
Looking to change the culture, the Windsor Lancers hired former Western Mustangs Offensive Line Coach JP Circelli. In 2019, Windsor will look to compete and qualify for the OUA playoffs for the first time since 2014.
Toronto Varsity Blues
2018 Result: 11th 0-8, Missed Playoffs
Manitobans: FB Quinn Mulligan
Toronto head coach Greg Marshall will be entering his 2nd full season at the helm of the Varsity Blues. Following a winless season, Toronto will look to reach the playoffs in 2019 for the first time since 1995. St. Paul’s alumni Quinn Mulligan played in all eight games last year as a fullback for the Varsity Blues and will look to build upon a strong start to his career in 2019.
York Lions
2018 Result: T8 3-5, Missed Playoffs
Manitobans: LB Jared Ott
2018 was York’s winningest season since 2005. The Lions will look to build on 2018 and qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Winnipegger Jared Ott has already played in 16 USports games thus far in his career, and will look to build on a 2018 season that saw him register 17 tackles.
Laurier Golden Hawks
2018 Result: T6 4-4, Missed Playoffs
Manitobans: None
After a disappointing 2018, the Laurier Golden Hawks will be looking to regain their form which saw them win the 2016 Yates Cup. Lead by head coach Michael Faulds, an athletic defense, and a playmaking offense, Laurier will look to once again qualify and compete in the 2019 Yates Cup Playoffs.
Big-bodied Hodgson primed for breakout 2019 with Winnipeg
By: Mike Still
Feature photo: Hodgson makes a catch during Winnipeg’s team scrimmage last week
When Tyler Hodgson first enrolled at Grant Park in middle school, football wasn’t the first thing on his mind.
“Originally when I went there in middle school it was because of the performing arts program. I did a lot of stuff like that,” the fourth-year Rifles receiver says.
“When I was in grade eight, I danced. So that’s what I did for physical activity. And I played intermurals and I played a little bit of basketball and hockey as a kid, but football just kind of found me.”
Hodgson had no previous experience with the sport until grade nine when his buddies convinced him to try it out. The rest is history.
“I fell in love with it. Just playing with friends and whatnot. And I was actually good at it. Other sports I’ve played I’ve been alright or not very good, but football seemed to click and I understand it.”
Originally a defensive back in grades nine and ten, a then 5’11” Hodgson shifted to playing both sides of the ball after hitting a massive growth spirt in grade 11.
“When I played DB I was only 5’11” which is normal size, but I guess when I got taller my lateral ability kind of suffered because my legs are a lot longer than most people. But I figured out that I could use my height as an advantage and that’s sort of why I started playing receiver, because of my size.”
It was impossible not to notice Hodgson during his senior year of high school in 2016. Now standing at 6’5″ he averaged a ridiculous 25 yards per catch, which drew the eyes of the Winnipeg Rifles who brought him into the fold after he graduated.
The Grant Park product noted that the speed of the junior game was an adjustment at first — something he’s worked on over the years with quarterbacks coach Ryan Marsch as well as the well-respected Glenn Bruce.
“It’s a lot more fast-paced, but you don’t really realize the difference until you go back and sort of watch high school and you sort of look at them and go holy, was I that slow? It’s a totally different kind of game.
My speed was always my weakest point and I couldn’t out-run anybody. But now that I’ve gotten better I can run and I can actually run routes properly, because I ran a lot of fades in high school. It was just the nature of things.”
Another key moment in Hodgson’s junior football career occurred a few years ago when Rifles alum Aaron Giesbrecht was brought into the fold as offensive coordinator. He implemented a hybrid Canadian-American style offence that saw Hodgson lining up both as a slotback and an h-back in order to fully capitalize on his size.
Giesbrecht’s approach was highly successful in 2018 as Hodgson enjoyed a breakout season that saw him finish second on the team in yards receiving with 248.
“I really like coach Giesbrecht. Him and I are similar in the fact that I’m not a guy who is screaming constantly and neither is he. He’s more of a laid back guy. He’s really good at just talking with us because he used to be in our position, being the first quarterback in Rifles history. He knows where we’re coming from and I like his offence. It’s easy to understand.”
With the graduation of both Brendan Naujoks (now with Manitoba) and Griffin Shillingford (now with Bishop’s), Hodgson will likely see even more targets in 2019 with a receiving corps that also includes Eric Klein, Dallas Opiola, Gabe Grenier, Luke McMillan, Timmy Solypa, Jake Roger and Sheycoy Selent.
Hodgson, as a team player is hoping that his attributes are able to make it easier for some of his fellow pass-catchers to make a difference. And if history is any indication, that should be the case.
“I just want to be able to set a tone. I want to be a guy that other teams take notice of. Nothing makes me smile more than when three DBs all try to triple team me and then it opens up some of my other teammates. That’s what I want to do. I want to be a guy that everyone vacuums to.”
Mature Mohamed moulded by his mother
By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)
Mataeo Mohamed is a momma’s boy and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Me and her have the kind of relationship where if I ever need anything I can always talk to her and she’ll always be right there beside me helping me out,” he says.
“But she’s motivated me in ways that are kind of different. She’s not telling me go do you, go be amazing out there, she’s telling me about my attributes and that I’m good at what I do, so working on the positives and not the negatives.”
A rising star on the gridiron, Mohamed has his mom to thank in part for his continued success in the sport.
“I was going to quit my first year actually. The first week we were doing conditioning and I hated running. I was that lazy kid that didn’t want to do anything. But my mom told me to stay in for the first game and I loved it from there.”
An incoming grade ten student at Kildonan East Collegiate, Mohamed has been playing football for six years now. He picked up the sport quickly, earning Player of the Game honours in the 2016 peewee championship for the East Side Eagles at defensive end.
“I was a really big kid back then,” he says humbly of his early success at the minor football level. “I was a bigger guy and I think I was always the fastest on the field so I think it was my speed that was helping me out there.”
While individual success is a nice add on for Mohamed, it’s the ability to channel everything out and simply be on the football field that means the most to him. In learning about his personal life, the prior sentence becomes much more understandable.
Mohamed’s parents split up when he was “seven or eight,” meaning that his mom has been the primary care giver for essentially his whole life. But it hasn’t always been easy. There was a time when the Mohamed family didn’t have a house and had to live with Mataeo’s grandparents. Then, after the family was back on their feet, his mom broke her ankle, then her femur and then her knee.
“Everything’s just kind of been a little bit hectic at every moment. I’ve had to roll with the punches and grow up a little faster than a lot of other kids,” Mohamed says.
“I think it’s helped me in the long run and my family life I wouldn’t have it any other way. My mom is the best person in the world to me.”
Despite her personal struggles, Mohamed’s mom has always been a giver. For the past two years she’s saved up in order to pay for Mataeo’s fees for the U16 program and roughly four months ago adopted two of his older cousins, adding to a household that already includes a younger brother and sister.
“It’s a little hectic everywhere. Everyone has their own room, but everything else is shared. We all have to manage our time pretty well and it’s always kind of yelling and screaming, getting everything out before we’re late for anything. That’s the best way I can describe it. Crazy at all times.”
It’s for this reason that Mohamed is so thankful for what football offers him.
“It’s one of the biggest things to me, because it gives me time to think and it gives me time to go be me. I’m a very concealed person outside of football, but once I step on that field I love talking and being with my friends and having a blast. The sport of football has given me more than I could ever ask for. So even if I don’t go far with it, I’m so grateful for what I’ve gotten from it.”
This fall, Mohamed will make the transition to quarterback as he enters the high school ranks. Considering his maturity, it’s no surprise that he wanted to be the signal-caller for Kildonan East right away.
“A big reason why [the coaches] put me in that position was because I was a leader when I first stepped onto that field for Kildonan East. I’ve just filled that role of leadership and taken it right off the hop.”
The sophomore got his first taste being under centre during spring camp and is looking forward to growing as a quarterback after years as a difference-maker on the other side of the ball. His goal is to make it to the pro ranks in order to, naturally, help support his mother.
“[Playing pro] would mean the world to me. I couldn’t hope for anything else for me and my family.”