By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)
Feature photo: Senior Payton Yakimishyn will lead the Tigers offensively this year. Photo by Payton Yakimishyn.
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 St. John’s Tigers.
Team: St. John’s Tigers
Head Coach: Grant McMillan, fourth year (eight years as an assistant coach prior)
Conference/Division: Currie Conference, Division 3
2017 Regular Season Record: 4-3
2017 Playoff Record: 0-1 (Lost to DMCI in quarterfinals)
The Tigers enter the season hungry to build off of a strong 2017 campaign, where they pushed eventual Currie Division champs DMCI to the brink.
Offence: The team’s offence will revolve around the skills of senior slot back Payton Yakimishyn. The member of Team Manitoba’s U18 Canada Cup and gold medal-winning U18 flag team was the third leading receiver in the conference last year, and will see an even bigger role this season after the graduation of four-year veteran pivot Nick Cherkun and powerhouse back River Nepinak.
Senior quarterback Myles Kakewash and junior receiver Ryu Forsythe will also be expected to step up offensively. The former is an athletic pivot who will have plenty of veterans to throw the ball to. Additionally, sophomore offensive lineman Ryan Ducharme is a player to keep an eye out for up front, after the graduation of Rain Slater (now with the Manitoba Bisons) — one of the best to ever strap on the pads for the Tigers.
Defence: The Tigers defence will be anchored by seniors Nick Wakos (middle linebacker) and Asher Wood (safety). The latter was nominated for Outstanding Defensive Player in 2017. Hybrid grade 11 defensive back/linebacker Riley Laforte and sophomore defensive back Micah Humberstone will also be players to keep an eye out for this season.
Short and long-term goals: With an inexperienced roster, McMillan’s goal is “to always progress throughout the season and enter the playoffs playing our best football.”