By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)
Feature photo: #CFC100 Samuel Hezekiah will be a major force on both sides of the ball for River East in 2018. Photo by hudl.com.
Over the next month, manitobafootballfeed will be previewing each of the 31 varsity teams battling for supremacy in the Winnipeg High School Football League, which kicks off its regular season on Wednesday, Sept. 5. Below is a breakdown of the River East Kodiaks.
Team: River East Kodiaks
Head Coach: Sean Oleksewycz, first year
Conference/Division: Bramwell Conference, Division 2
2017 Regular Season Record: 4-3
2017 Playoff Record: 0-1 (Lost to St. Paul’s 2 in AA quarterfinals)
Sean Oleksewycz will step into the spotlight as head coach for the Kodiaks this season, after spending the past five years as defensive coordinator for the team. He was also the defensive coordinator of Team Manitoba’s silver medal-winning U16 squad this summer, and is hoping to bring that same level of success to a program that hasn’t won a varsity title since 1997.
Offence
With a new head coach comes a new offensive gameplan, with Ryan Scott taking over as the team’s offensive coordinator.
“We will be going tempo and using motion a lot in order to get our skill players in space, similar to what Oregon has done in the past,” Oleksewycz said.
Leading the way will be #CFC100 athlete Samuel Hezekiah, who, along with being the team’s best defensive back, will also man the controls under centre in order to further utilize his athleticism.
Lining up at running back will be senior Rylan Griffiths, who will look to replace the production lost due to the graduation of Jason Henderson, who is now playing for Vancouver Island in the British Columbia Football Conference (BCFC).
The team’s offensive line is “solid, with two grade 12’s, two grade 11’s and one spot up for grabs,” according to Oleksewycz. Leading the way will be Caleb Chartier, who is expected to have a breakout year, after making huge gains (literally) in the gym as part of the squad’s off-season lifting program.
An x-factor to keep an eye out for is kicker Reece Wyke, whose “leg is absolutely nuts.” He connected from 50 yards out during the spring and will also be the team’s punter.
Defence
River East was historically strong during Oleksewycz’s time as defensive coordinator, including producing two of the past three AA Defensive Players of the Year [Michael Geglawa in 2015, Brendan Barylski last year]. The hope is that consistency will continue in 2018.
“Defensively, we will again play with many different fronts and coverages,” the head coach said. “It’s a high pressure defence that forces turnovers.”
The secondary is an area to specifically keep an eye on. Hezekiah will lead the way, playing at halfback. His coach describes him as a “legitimate shutdown defensive back that teams don’t throw at.”
Supporting the senior will be new defensive backs Owen Unrau at halfback and Simon Kosman at free safety. Oleksewycz is expecting both players to have breakout years.
The team’s biggest loss defensively will be Barylski, a linebacker who, like Henderson, is playing for VI this year. Oleksewycz is hoping that senior Ethan Topping will be able to step up at strong side linebacker in his absence. He had 39 tackles, three interceptions, three sacks, five forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries in just six games last season. Additionally, senior defensive end Spenser Pilon will be looked upon to create pressure on the quarterback.
Short and long-term goals
Oleksewycz doesn’t talk about winning with his squad, he talks about “controlling your effort each play.” This will be the motto for the Kodiaks in 2018. The long-term goal for the first-year head coach is to “put as many players into U SPORTS and junior football as we can.”