On November 9, 2022 at Investors Group Field, one of the best games in WHSFL history went down. In the blowing snow and frigid temperatures of a Winnipeg winter, the Vincent Massey Vikings and Sturgeon Heights Huskies – the titans of Division 2 who were undefeated entering the championship game that night – met for gridiron supremacy. When all was said and done, the Vikings came out on top 20-14 in double overtime for their first-ever Division 2 title (click here to watch the game).
The lead-up
Let’s set the scene.
Entering the game, the 7-0 Vikings were on the verge of something unprecedented. Led by dynamic quarterback Justin Sharp and offensive lineman Carter Moore, a Manitoba Bisons commit, Vincent Massey’s seniors were attempting to finish their high school careers undefeated.
A JV title in 2019 was followed by a Westman championship in 2021 where the Vikings out-scored their opponents 228-76.
It was much of the same this year, as the Brandon-based powerhouse recorded 292 points in the regular season, and allowed just 68 while posting three shutouts. Over half of their points allowed came in a 42-38 thriller against Most Outstanding Player Dylan Tereck and the John Taylor Pipers.
Sharp was on the money all year, living up to his ‘Sharpshooter” nickname. He threw for over 1700 yards in the regular season and added 451 on the ground to go with a ridiculous 36 total touchdowns.
The 5’9”, 182-pounder spread the ball out to everyone. His receiving corps included five seniors, and they were versatile.
“Matthew Escoto, (led the team with 32 receptions for 776 yards and 13 scores) I met when I started playing quarterback when I was nine. We’ve had that connection ever since. We’re brothers, we work hard and feed off of each other. Slotback Aaron Pasaporte (26 receptions for 221 yards), he probably doesn’t pass the eye test, but he’s very fast and gets open on almost all of his routes and doesn’t drop the ball,” reflected Sharp, the Division’s Most Outstanding Player.
“Same with Lucas Cels (28 receptions, 454 yards, two scores). He’s a very fast, shifty guy. He’s undersized, I think he’s about 5’5”. The best receiver I could compare [him and Aaron to] are Weston Dressler. Other wideouts like James Li (13 yards per reception, two touchdowns) and Brady McDuffe (17.5 yards per reception, one major) are big and physical. Brady is 6’1”, James is 5’11.” They don’t have many weaknesses that defences can use to their advantage.”
The numbers are incredible all across the board, but what sets this group of pass-catchers apart is the connection they have with their pivot. It goes back to the playground days and hasn’t stopped since.
The team stuck together during COVID and when restrictions allowed, they started training together again. It didn’t stop from there. One-on-ones and route repetition were key points of focus for a team that knew they were on the verge of something special entering the season.
But that was never really on their minds. The joy of the game, the lessons taught and the memories made is what they play for. It’s a culture of family — the Viking way — that’s been instilled for a very long time by head coach Mike Steeves, Kevin Grindey and many others.
“Coach always says effort, attitude, character. It’s the words we live by,” said Li. We embody the Viking way every day, on and off the field.”
“We have fun. We love football,” Sharp added.
“At the end of the day, what you have to do to be good is put in reps. And we put in the reps. That’s all it is. We have fun when we play with each other. We’ll be at the field for three hours just catching balls over each other’s heads and embarrassing each other. We all have a good time when we’re doing it.”
Standing in the Vikings’ way of history were the Sturgeon Heights Huskies. The Pipers, as well as Steinbach Sabres in the 2021 final, had given Vincent Massey a few scares, but this Huskies team was arguably their most difficult opponent.
Mentored by head coach and former CJFL and U SPORTS linebacker Eric Vincent, the Huskies defence pitched three shutouts, while their offence scored over 40 points in five games, entering the final unblemished.
Quarterback Brennan McCammon (#5 below) could go throw for throw – and run for run – with Sharp, and had over 1200 total yards in the regular season. Senior receivers Carter Esch and Jarome also Penner combined for over 400 yards, thriving in the option-based offence that included pre-snap motion from Penner on countless plays, while McCammon and Penner combined for over 1000 rushing yards.
It’s important to highlight Penner for a minute. The Jim Foubister Award-winner overcame a career-threatening infection, putting in an insane amount of work during the pandemic and over the summer in order to be ready for his senior year.
He was one of the standouts at Rifles rookie camp as a grade 11, won a gold medal with the U18 flag team in the summer and also played on the tackle team during the Canada Cup.
When all was said and done, Penner proved why he was one of the best players in the province, regardless of position. The 5’9” sensation had a knack for big plays, making highlight-reel grabs look easy.
The game
And that brings us to November 9.
A defensive slugfest was the story for most of the contest. Both teams had opportunities to win the game late, but the football gods chose overtime.
The Vikings got the ball first, but were unable to cash in. That set the stage for the Huskies, who could walk things off with a score.
A solid gain on first down by Penner on a fly sweep and another run set Sturgeon Heights up with a third and one. The attempted quarterback sneak was snuffed out by Moore, who plowed through the line, engulfing McCammon before he could sustain any momentum.
From there, Sharp led the troops downfield. The game-winning major came on a quarterback sneak, where he snuck behind Moore to give his team a 20-14 lead.
“All I know is when I line up behind Carter Moore behind centre and I take that ball, I know he’s getting that yard,” said Sharp. “At that point it’s just up to me to get the job done. Big 69, he gets the job done every time. He’s reliable, and I love him with my whole heart. That touchdown is his.”
The Vikings missed the convert though, and the Huskies could win with a major and extra point. Strong protection up front helped the Huskies get into the red zone, where Penner eventually scored on a fly sweep. Also the team’s kicker, all he needed to do was make the single to complete an insane run of a year.
But there was laundry on the field.
An illegal block was called on the far side wideout, moving the Huskies back. Three plays later, defensive back Kevin Garcia made the play of a lifetime to bring the CTV Bowl to the Vikings.
Specifically responsible for covering Penner, Garcia sprinted to get to the far sideline, as Penner motioned late in the snap count. Everyone in the building knew the ball was going to the standout senior, who reached up to high point the ball against the 5’7” Garcia.
But the ferocious corner, who had a team-leading six pass break-ups, had other ideas.
Displaying perfect timing, Garcia, while falling backwards, snuck his hand over top of Penner’s, getting enough of the pigskin to force it to the ground for an incompletion. Ball game.
When the clock hit zero, Sharp, a former winner of the Brandon Sun’s H.L. Crawford Award as the Most Outstanding Athlete in Westman, couldn’t contain his emotions. He sprinted from the sideline all the way to Garcia, who was being mobbed by about 14 other people at the time, picked him up and gave him a bear hug.
“I love these guys like they’re my brothers. I’d take a bullet for anyone and they’d do the same for me, and they proved that today. When they put that ball in the end zone and I watched Kevin make that play at the end of the game, I couldn’t contain myself. I lost it. It’s unbelievable. You can’t describe it.”