By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)
Feature photo: Sisler’s Richard Lugumire in WHSFL action last season.
Second-year Team Manitoba head coach Ryan Karhut has his U18 troops ready to go for the 2019 Football Canada Cup, being held from July 6-13 in Kingston, ON. Below is everything you need to know about the team ahead of their quarterfinal tilt against Quebec on Sunday, July 6. All games can be viewed live for free here.
Quarterbacks: Richard Lugumire (Sisler), Sawyer Thiessen (Steinbach)
Runningbacks: Ishe Matanga (Vincent Massey Collegiate), Tanner Frobisher (St. Paul’s)
Lugumire and Thiessen are two of the top local pivots in the 2021 class. Each has the capability to use their arm or legs effectively and both are receptive listeners who absorb information like sponges. Thiessen already has years of experience as the starter for the Division 1 Sabres, while Lugumire also stepped up as a grade ten starter for the fellow Div 1 Spartans.
Matanga has been here before and really led by example on the practice field this week. He moves laterally impressively well for a man of 220 pounds and has good hands. Expect to hear his name quite a bit during the tournament.
Frobisher formed a nice 1-2 combo in the backfield with Te Jessie last year and now has the chance to gain even more experience against top national competition. He has good vision and is particularly dangerous in the red zone.
Receivers: Kaiden Bannon (Vincent Massey Collegiate), Justus Flett (Oak Park), Jayden Martens (Steinbach), Theo Karahalios (St. Paul’s), Nathan Udoh (Miles Mac), Reece Wyke (River East), Luke Cameron-Brandstrom (St. Paul’s), Miciah Stone (Miles Mac)
Bannon, a returning player, is the leader of this group, putting in a consistent effort every single day just like his teammate Ishe. The long, athletic wideout at 6’2″, 190 has tremendous high point abilities and rarely loses a jump ball. The former member of Team Canada also had a standout performance during the CFC Prospect Game earlier in the summer and along with Sisler’s Steven Koniuck is one of Manitoba’s top receiving prospects in the 2020 class.
Flett is another returning veteran with playmaking abilities due to his size, standing at 6’4″. He’s a matchup nightmare who loves competition.
Fellow wideout Jayden Martens out of Steinbach has established a strong connection with Thiessen over the years and it’s likely we’ll see that combo perform well again together on the national stage. Standing at 6’5″, he’s threat both vertically or in the short passing game.
Karahalios is no stranger to national competition. The incoming grade 11 out of St. Paul’s put on a show during last year’s U16 Western Challenge and has been fun to watch at practice. He’s another multi-use threat that can burn you in all facets. His school-mate Luke Cameron-Brandstrom is a very intelligent prospect who has good route-running skills.
Udoh and Stone are both products of highly respected Dan Washnuk’s Miles Mac program. Udoh is a vocal leader who at 6’2″ can get up for the deep throws but can also speed past you at the line of scrimmage. He’s also a capable punter/kicker.
Stone models his game around New England’s Julian Edelman, and it makes sense. The former is 5’11”, 155 but has great hands and a willingness to go into the heart of a zone just to make a play.
Wyke was stellar last year during River East’s run to the Division 2 CTV Bowl, both as a starting receiver and the team’s kicking specialist. He’s got speed to burn and isn’t afraid of contact.
Offensive line: Victor Olaniran (Vincent Massey Collegiate), Eric Boyd (Crocus Plains), Carter Little (Portage), Matthew Lushney (Hammarskjold, Thunder Bay, ON), Lucas Radbourne (Hammarskjold, Thunder Bay, ON), Giordano Vaccaro (St. Paul’s), Dawson Waldner (Murdoch MacKay)
Offensive line coach Stephen Fedus — who has national team experience — has done an excellent job getting this athletic group of hoggies ready to go for the tournament. Olaniran, Boyd and Little are all back from last year and each offer something a little different. Olaniran is very nimble for 6’4″, 280 and shone during the CFC Prospect Game, while Boyd is just as athletic and thrives on physicality, as does Boyd, who plays through every whistle.
Vaccaro is a vocal leader with sound fundamentals and a great motor, while Hammarskjold’s duo of Lushney and Radbourne provide aggression, heart and intelligence.
Dawson Walder of Murdoch was an integral part of an offensive line that helped pave the way for a dynamic Clansmen ground game, led by pivot Carter Kutzan. He’s a model teammate who has all of his brothers backs.
Defensive line: Jordan Friesen (Dakota), Owen Steele (Superior, Thunder Bay, ON), Jonah Siciliano (Hammarskjold, Thunder Bay, ON), Ethan Papineau (Dakota), Brandyn Linklater (Interlake), Nahum Meshesha (Sisler)
One of Manitoba’s biggest strengths, the defensive line returns three players from last year in Friesen, Steele and Siciliano. Friesen wreaks havoc off the edge due to his quickness and athleticism but can also bump inside on certain packages. The CFC Prospect Game participate is also a former Team Canada member who has vocally expressed how determined he is to once again stand out at the national tournament and don the red and white once more.
Steele was all over the place during the team’s controlled scrimmage during phase two of tryouts and is another athletic specimen at 6,5″, 237, while Siciliano can move incredibly well for a defensive tackle who stands at 6,0,”, 300.
Papineau had an excellent grade 11 season for a loaded Dakota front seven that also included Friesen, Josh Ma and Langley Rams-bound Raffaele Caligiuri. He thrives on his strength and ability to hold the line of scrimmage.
Linklater, also known as chainlink, lives up to his nickname with exceptional physicality, speed and a deep desire for contact. He played all over Interlake’s defence last year, including at safety and is a class act both on and off the field.
Meshesha is new to the sport but is a quick learner who is very smart. He’ll benefit from being able to learn from the likes of Siciliano and Papineau and should be primed for a breakout 2019 with Sisler.
Linebackers: Jayden Engel (Vincent Massey High School, Brandon, MB), Isaac Dokken (Steinbach), Bradley Macklin (St. Ignatius, Thunder Bay, ON), Nic Pereira (St. Paul’s), Evan Rollwagen (Miles Mac)
Engel is the emotional leader of this group and has been unbelievably fun to watch at practice all week due to his nonstop energy, enthusiasm and sheer athleticism. A veteran, expect him to be in the running for all-star recognition.
Dokken and Macklin also return from the 2018 roster. The former has great range and versatility, putting up big numbers at running back as well for Steinbach in 2018. He’s another all-star candidate. The latter’s no quit attitude and speed are evident every time he touches the field and he is also an all-around great guy.
Pereira was nothing short of phenomenal for Team Manitoba U16 last year, including the hit of the tournament against Alberta. He was the defensive player of the game during the phase two controlled scrimmage and loves to lay the boom down. His play didn’t go unnoticed at the Division 1 level last year either, as he was the Rookie of the Year and also participated in the CFC Prospect Game.
Rollwagen was a standout as a grade ten last year on a young Miles Mac squad. He has reliable tackling abilities and has been a morale booster all week with his personality.
Kicking specialist: Ethan Nagler (Kelvin)
A converted soccer player, Nagler won multiple games last year for the Clippers on the strength of his well-balanced kicking and punting abilities. He also participated in the CFC Prospect Game and is earning looks stateside as well.
Defensive backs: Nathan Smallwood (Hammarskjold, Thunder Bay, ON), Adam Fast (Kelvin), Owen Miller (Sisler), Brandon Slobozian (St. Paul’s), AJ Wright (St. Paul’s), Simon Kosman (River East), Charlie Polet (St. Paul’s), Matthew Graham (Miles Mac)
Smallwood is the only returning player from last year in this group and has great speed out of his break at the halfback position, along with sound coverage and tackling abilities. He proved how tough he was a few years ago in the infamous ‘broken nose game’ and is a player to watch all tournament.
Fast is another former Team Canada player at the U16 level and will be a someone to watch for at the cornerback position. A two-way player for Kelvin, his ability to make quick reads is notable.
Miller is an emotionally mature baller who made one of the plays of the day during last Wednesday’s red zone scrimmage in single coverage against the much longer Jayden Martens. The Recruit Ready trained athlete has great fundamentals, much like fellow #RRFam member Brandon Slobozian, whose 6’2″ length at the safety position is an asset.
Wright is a very physical DB who loves to lay the hammer down, while his Crusaders teammate Charlie Polet is disciplined and calm under pressure. Miles Mac’s Matthew Graham is another well-rounded athlete who understands the value of being the hammer and not the nail.