Tag: WHSFL

WHSFL athletes show out at CFC prospect game tryouts

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Thirty of the best and brightest sophomore and junior players from the Winnipeg High School Football League (WHSFL) put their talents on display on Wednesday afternoon at the U of W’s recplex, looking to earn one of roughly 65 available spots to CanadaFootballChat’s (CFC) Prospect Game. The game will be broadcast on TSN in June of 2019.

The CFC combine included a 40 yard dash, t-test, vertical and kneeling power ball chest throw, which all took place during the morning session. The afternoon session featured position-specific drills, with one-on-ones in pads concluding the day.

Sophomore Oak Park running back Rhyland Kelly was one of the major standouts during the five hour event. He ran the fastest 40 at 4.60 and also demonstrated his versatility as a receiver and defensive back during positional drills. Standing at 6’1″ and 169 pounds, scouts appear to love his upside and could see him lining up anywhere from scatback to the secondary.

“I’d like to think I did fairly well throughout the whole tryout,” Kelly said after the event.

“There really isn’t much to it, I just went out there and tried to perform to my best abilities. And I’d like to thank my coaches from Recruit Ready for giving me some of the training which helped me today.”

Additionally, rangy St. Paul’s defensive end Zach Lytle — a grade ten who stands at 6’4″ and 185 pounds — showed his athleticism with a 4.69 in the 40, while 6’3″, 245-pound junior DE Jordan Friesen out of Dakota put up a 4.75.

Other highlights from the testing events included a vertical of over 30 for grade 11 Dakota linebacker Josh Ma. This number is quite impressive considering the fact that he’s 5’7″. But it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, as Ma has a background in basketball as a point guard. He also impressed during the one-on-one sessions, throwing around his 205-pound body effectively while also playing physical in coverage.

Positionally, it was hard not to notice sophomore pivot Jordan Hanslip out of Vincent Massey Winnipeg, who has received high praise from head coach Kelsey McKay on numerous occasions and has the potential to surpass Andreas Dueck and Jackson Tachinski as the top gunslinger in program history. He was looking to focus mainly on the routes he’ll be throwing in high school, such as ins, outs, hooks and gos and did so with poise and accuracy.

“I was really just looking to work on my technique and playing against the best of what Manitoba has and just competing against them,” he said.

“Coming out of this combine I’m hoping to focus on the finer details and maybe a little bit of athleticism.”

Unsurprisingly, the tallest receiver at the event, Vincent Massey’s Kaiden Bannon, also impressed. The 6’2″, 180-pounder was stellar during the positional gauntlet drill and drew the eye of a few different coaches.

A few out of province players also had great days, such as 6’4″, 250-pound offensive lineman Derek Beaubien from the Assinoboia Rockets in Saskatchewan. The former member of Team Canada was rock solid as a blocker, showing his power and upper body strength. The same could be said for Regina’s Ryker Frank, who made an amazing catch during the one-on-ones and also held his ground as a pass blocker. His 40 times were consistent as well, with both in the 4.7’s.

Not to be forgotten was grade 11 Kelvin kicker/punter Ethan Nagler, who was booming the ball all day. A converted soccer star who began playing footy when he was three years old, he’s already received plenty of interest both in Canada and the United States.

“It felt great,” Nagler said of the day as a whole.

“Canadafootballchat does so much, especially for kickers in Canada. There’s nothing else like it.”

Tryouts for the prospect game have been occurring all across the nation, with the last camp scheduled for March 27. Invites will be sent out shortly afterwards, with an expected date of anywhere between April 10-15.

Team Manitoba U16 phase one breakdown

Some of the top athletes from Northwestern Ontario and Manitoba touched down at the U of M’s indoor soccer complex this weekend for phase one of U16 tryouts. Head coach Jeff Ready returns to man the helm for the third year in a row and has a stellar staff around him. Get the breakdown in the above video.

Hulking defensive lineman Stevenson will take his talents to Mount Allison

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Going into grade nine, Gabe Stevenson grew six inches, propelling him to an impressive six-foot-six. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that head coach Beau Wilkes and the rest of the Garden City staff decided his best fit was at defensive line.

“I actually wanted to play linebacker when I first signed up for the team, but there was a need for linemen, and with my height I was a better fit at defensive lineman,” Stevenson says.

“Naturally, I did what’s best for the team and it kind of went from there.”

Stevenson had played community football as a kid, but drifted away from the sport in middle school due to commitments with hockey. He was excited to return to the gridiron once he reached his freshman year of high school, but needed some pointers, as he’d never played defensive line before.

Cue fellow lineman Kieran Cummings — a member of the Saskatchewan Huskies Hardy Cup-winning squad this past year who was Garden City’s team MVP in both 2016 and 2017. He was instrumental in helping Stevenson grasp the concepts and flow of playing up front.

“It was great,” Stevenson says of his relationship with Cummings.

“We played together when I played for the [North Winnipeg] Nomads, so going into Garden City I knew him. Ever since I joined the team, our friendship just gotten stronger and stronger. I kind of see him as my mentor who I can go to and ask for advice or tips on how I can get stronger.”

With a year of experience under his belt, the 235-pounder felt confident heading into his grade ten season. He picked up three tackles in relief of one of the squad’s seniors who was injured during a regular season game and also played admirably in Cummings’s spot after he went down with injury during the quarter-finals.

From grade 11 onwards, Stevenson didn’t leave the field much. He grew another inch and was also asked to play offensive line for the first time.

“Obviously I’d never played on the offensive line, so that was a big learning curve that I needed to master. Luckily again, Kieran was right there with me to help me along the way. Not only did I get stronger on the defensive line but I got stronger on the offensive line too.”

Going into his senior year, Stevenson felt confident. The versatile end/tackle picked up 12 tackles and was part of a Garden City roster that finished 5-2 in the regular season, making it all the way to the semi-finals before being knocked off by Vincent Massey.

“With the group of players that we had, we felt like we could make a really strong push for the championship,” he says.

“Unfortunately it didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but we obviously gave it a good run having the best regular season that Garden City has ever had, but it’s a bit sour because we didn’t bring home a championship.”

While the final result wasn’t what Stevenson and company wanted, there was still a light at the end of the tunnel.

Mount Allison University had become aware of the big-bodied lineman and sent him an email in the week leading up to the semi-final contest. He talked back-and-forth with the team’s recruiter and eventually head coach Peter Fraser, who put his mind at ease.

“From what I was reading and hearing, I had a good feeling about [Mount Allison]. I was sold when I went on my official visit not too long ago when I went to the campus and met some of the guys out there. How welcomed I felt, it was truly a perfect fit in my opinion in terms of what I wanted academic and football-wise.”

Stevenson is big into drama and production and was very impressed by the school’s performing arts centre. He also meshed well with some of the professors he met that teach psychology and sociology — two subjects that he’s interested in minoring in.

While going pro is the ultimate goal for the Garden City product, he also realizes the importance of his education while in New Brunswick.

“I’m just focused right now on getting my degree. That’s something my parents have preached my whole life.

But I’m also going there to try and help the team in any way that I can. At the end of my career, I hope that I’ve proven to be one of the better players that Mount A has had and if that leads to a CFL or NFL opportunity, I’ll gladly explore it. If not, I’ll still be happy with what I’ve accomplished there, but hopefully my football career doesn’t end at Mount A.”

Lloyd brings fierce competitiveness to Bisons receiving corps

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Vaughan Lloyd shortly after signing with Manitoba.

Vaughan Lloyd knows a thing or two about how to adapt and thrive on the football field.

For example, Lloyd — a running back since his community football days with the Fort Garry Lions — was forced to sit out his grade 11 season with Vincent Massey after transferring from St. Paul’s. Instead of feeling sad for himself though, he chose to take mental notes on his opponents by “just watching the game and seeing what people did well and didn’t do well and adding it to my game.”

When Lloyd’s senior year rolled around, a new challenge was thrown his way. Former Midget Football League of Manitoba Offensive Player of the Year Breydon Stubbs was brought into the fold at running back and naturally, only one player would get the spot.

Lloyd was fully ready to compete with Stubbs for starting time. The two went back-and-forth in the spring before Massey head coach Kelsey McKay made an executive decision on the first day of summer camp, moving the former to slotback.

Interestingly, this wasn’t the first time Lloyd was shifted to the position.

“In U16 when coach [Kelsey] McKay was the head coach, he actually moved me to slot then,” he says.

“When I was younger, I was more nervous about a suicide ball or just trusting the quarterback to get me the ball versus just being handed the ball at running back. But especially this year with [senior quarterback] Jackson [Tachinski], who I’ve played a lot of football with over the years, we have a really good relationship and I know the throws he can make and how good he is. It made playing slot this year a lot more fun.”

Lloyd’s first week at slotback in his senior year against Oak Park offered a tantalizing taste of what was to come. He demonstrated his speed and route-running abilities, hauling in two receptions for 96 yards, with both grabs going for touchdowns.

“After the Oak Park game the first game of the season I thought the season was going to be something special for me. That game was when I really knew that slotback would be fun.”

The following week against Massey Brandon, Lloyd continued with his impressive yards per catch average, going off for 160 yards on four receptions, with three resulting in majors.

Two weeks into the season, it appeared that the converted running back was primed for a record-breaking year. But the following week, tragedy struck.

Lloyd was throwing the ball around with some of his teammates before practice like he usually did, when his knee gave out while he was trying to break on a ball.

“At first I wasn’t really sure what happened, because I’ve had multiple injuries to this knee before so I didn’t think it was much of a concern,” he says. “I ended up getting an MRI done, went to some doctors and that was it.”

Lloyd was diagnosed with a fully torn ACL and meniscus, seriously de-railing the momentum he had created just a few weeks ago. But instead of accepting the injury, he chose to fight through it. That week’s contest was against St. Paul’s and there was no way he was going to miss a rivalry game against Division 1’s perennial powerhouse.

He wore a soft-shell brace for the matchup, recording two receptions for 27 yards while noting that he didn’t feel the injury that much, despite it occurring less than a week prior.

But the following week against Dakota, Lloyd was given a different type of brace by the doctor that essentially made it feel like he was playing on the injury with no protection. He had one reception in the contest before sitting out the next month.

He returned to the lineup in memorable fashion in the Division 1 ANAVETS Bowl against St. Paul’s, producing countless big-time plays in both the run and pass game as Massey won 28-25.

“To be completely honest, I didn’t really think about it,” Lloyd says of playing with a severe knee injury.

“Personally I think it was the amount of rest I had. I basically sat out the next 3-4 weeks and all the coaches thought my season was over. I’m honestly very happy with the game I played and how I performed.”

Lloyd will have a chance to continue his legacy in 2019 with the Manitoba Bisons, a team he committed to last October. He’s particularly excited to line up with some fellow Division 1 alumni who are a few years his elder.

“I’m really excited to play with Shae Weekes (St. Paul’s) , Brody Williams (St. Paul’s), Abdul Gassama (Massey) and Brayden Saville (Massey). When I was in grade nine, these were all guys that I looked up to and trained with. I never thought I’d be anywhere close to them and now It’s crazy to think that I’m right up there with them, so that’s exciting.”

The top moments from Manitoba amateur football

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: River East Kodiaks defenders Jo-Jo Funk-Clements and Kian Crampton make a play on Kelvin receiver Cooper Dawson earlier this year. Their run to the CTV Bowl ranks as the number two moment in Manitoba football this year.

It was another stellar year of amateur football in the province of Manitoba in 2018. Whether it be individual performances, team performances or simply acts of good deed, there’s no denying that plenty of memories were made. Below I’ve listed 11 of the top moments. Please note that this list is entirely subjective and while the items are listed 1-11, that doesn’t necessarily mean there is a hierarchy here.

Oh and a special shoutout to those that didn’t make the list but also had memorable campaigns, such as the ANAVETS and HomeRun Bowl champion Vincent Massey WPG Trojans and the RMFL champion Interlake Thunder, who each capped off undefeated seasons in memorable fashion, running back Alex Taylor, who became Western’s all-time leading rusher, as well as Jeff Ready’s Team Manitoba U16 squad, which earned a silver medal at the Western Challenge.

11. Rifles D picks off six against Calgary

While the 2018 season in the Prairie Football Conference (PFC) didn’t go as well as the Winnipeg Rifles had planned, there’s no denying that their defence was one of the best in the conference all year.

The group led the PFC in interceptions with 18 — six more than any other team — while also scoring two majors. One of the best examples of Winnipeg’s D flexing their muscles occurred on Sept. 30 at home against the Calgary Colts. The Rifles romped to a 39-6 win, thanks in large part to six interceptions, three of which came from University of Manitoba transfer Keenan Onyebuchi. 

With players such as Mike Hart (LB), Machuor Akau (DE), Cole Sneesby (LB), Jake Richardson (DB), Troy Wilson (DB) and 2018 PFC All-Star Justin Kwiatkowski all likely to be back in 2019, the Rifles defence should once again be one of the top units in the conference. 

10. Lalama spends shoulder rehab coaching in Winnipeg

A training camp shoulder injury to Montreal Alouettes linebacker DJ Lalama forced him out of the lineup and under the knife to undergo surgery. The sixth-month recovery time resulted in him missing the entire CFL season, but instead of getting down on himself, he opted to direct his focus to the next generation of local talent.

The former Manitoba Bison and St. Paul’s Crusaders standout chose to do his rehab back in Winnipeg and while at home, he also decided to help coach at his former high school. With his assistance, the Crusaders churned out one of the most feared linebacking corps in the WHSFL, in senior Tyler Grom, junior Nathan Carabatsakis and sophomore Nic Pereira. The trio combined for 45 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles as the Crusders returned to the ANAVETS Bowl. Pereira was also honoured at year’s end as the Division 1 Rookie of the Year. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqyZHqDgwgP/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share&igshid=xc9xekmt0ora

9. Banares and Ybarra Jr. rep Canada at World Flag Football Championships

It was a memorable 2018 flag campaign for Julian Banares and Jamie Ybarra Jr. The duo were part of a Team Manitoba roster that captured gold in May at senior men’s flag football nationals in Saskatoon. Among the competition was a Team Canada roster that included Chris Bauman, the first overall pick in the 2007 CFL draft, as well as former Grey Cup champ Chris Getzlaf.

Both players earned a trip to Panama to don the red and white at the World Flag Football Championships due to their performances, with Banares also being named defensive MVP at the Saskatoon tourney. The duo picked up a few critical wins during the world championships, including one against host Panama, before falling to Austria in a tight quarterfinal battle, 31-26.

Ybarra Jr. wouldn’t stop there however. Not long after his Panama experience, he was back in the pads as the Manitoba Bisons needed his services due to a training camp injury to one of their quarterback recruits. He would later go on to throw for 396 yards and two scores in his U SPORTS debut against No. 10 UBC in the final week of the 2018 Canada West conference regular season. You can read more about Jamie’s personal story here and Julian’s here.

Banares after receiving individual recognition.

8. Team Manitoba medals in every event at flag football nationals 

Team ‘Toba has proven year after year that they are one of the most dominant provinces when it comes to flag football and 2018 was no different. Along with the gold from the senior men’s team, our U16 and U18 male and female teams also each came home with hardware during their trip to Halifax for nationals in August.

The U16 female team earned bronze while the U16 male squad brought home a silver. In U18 action, the females came back with bronze, while the males ran the table to earn gold.

The U18 male squad was also littered with players who went on to have tremendous seasons in the WHSFL, including CTV Bowl champ Jo-Jo Funk-Clements (RB/DB) and ANAVETS Bowl champs Jackson Tachinski (QB), Teagan Simon (DB), Vaughn Lloyd (SB), Keyshawn Gaskin (DB) and Brandon Kamenz (DB).

Additionally, PIT football co-founder Jon Franklin was part of the male U18 coaching staff, and a total of 26 players spread out between the national team and U18 squads participated in the PIT in 2018, demonstrating its value at the national level.

7. Schrot caps off U SPORTS career in style 

Receiver Dylan Schrot knows a thing or two about overcoming adversity.

Just a few seasons ago, his football future looked uncertain. In 2015 while playing in junior, he tore his ACL and was staring down a long recovery process. But instead of getting down on himself, he got a job as a personal trainer, which helped him learn how to take care of the body and ensure an injury of that magnitude didn’t happen again. He was back the following year and was named an All-Canadian with the Calgary Colts.

His play earned him a spot with the Manitoba Bisons for 2017, however the year didn’t go as planned as he pulled his hamstring and struggled to get back to 100 percent. But again, he didn’t get down on himself. Instead, the mature receiver focused on sports psychology, trained hard and was back in the lineup for his final year of U SPORTS eligibility in 2018, where he was an integral part of Manitoba’s stellar aerial attack.

Schrot’s 49 receptions and 788 yards both placed him in the top three in program history and he was also named a Canada West All-Star at season’s end. Click here to read more about Schrot.

6. Barnsdale breaks WHSFL Division 3 fumble recoveries record, ties single-game mark for tackles, fumble recoveries 

The 2018 WHSFL season is one that William Barnsdale won’t soon forget. The numbers he put up on defence were simply astounding, including tying the Division 3 record for tackles in a game, with 20 against CanadInns Bowl finalist Elmwood. He also set a new division record for fumble recoveries in a season, with seven — three of which came against Lorette in mid September.

Barnsdale was a critical part of a Bulldogs team that nearly upset St. John’s in the semi-finals, falling just short 11-7. He racked up over 40 tackles while also contributing close to 300 yards as a running back in the final few weeks of the regular season and was honoured at year’s end as the Division 3 Elite Performance Centre Defensive Player of the Year.

Barnsdale after winning the DPOY award for Div 3.

5. Nachtigall sets new WHSFL Division 2 passing yards, attempts records 

It’s not easy stepping out of the shadows of Dayton Black, however that’s exactly what quarterback Evan Nachtigall did this year for Neelin. In the process, he broke two records set by last year’s Division 2 Offensive Player of Year, putting up a record 234 passes for a new division 2 high of 1985 yards.

The gunslinger was honoured for his work as the second straight player from the Spartans to win the Elite Performance Offensive Player of the Year award and third in a row from a Brandon school after Mack Adams from Massey Brandon took home the trophy in 2016.

“It really started in grade nine when I came into Neelin being a backup behind Dayton and taking second team reps every practice, and even the odd one in-game, especially last year in the playoffs against Kelvin,” said Nachtigall.

“The offseason was really about throwing a lot of balls and getting my arm ready for my first year starting at quarterback.”

Nachtigall after winning the Div 2 OPOY award.

4. Bujalski selected to OUA All-Rookie team at McMaster

The McMaster Marauders have quickly began to assemble quite the contingent of Manitoba talent. There are currently eight players from the 204 on their roster, including pivot Andreas Dueck (Vincent Massey WPG), receiver Xander Tachinski (St. Paul’s/Winnipeg Rifles) and linebacker Eryk Bujalski (Vincent Massey WPG) — the final of whom earned All-Rookie honours after collecting 28 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery this past year.

Bujalski, a true freshman, suited up in all eight contests for the Marauders and was the squad’s fifth-leading tackler while manning the middle. The former standout for Team Canada has a bright future ahead and is sure to make more waves come 2019.

3. Oliveira wraps up final season at UND in style 

At a young age, it was obvious that running back Brady Oliveira was going to be something big. The former North Winnipeg Nomads star towered over his competition, parlaying his successful minor football days into a stellar run in high school with both Canada Prep Football Academy as well as the Oak Park Raiders. His senior season with the Raiders was something to behold, as he broke the WHSFL Division 1 record for rushing yards in a season, with 1,723 in seven games as well as rushing touchdowns, with 26.

Oliveira then continued his dominance down south with NCAA Division 1’s UND, forming an immediately dangerous 1-2 combo with Minnesota native John Santiago. Affectionally nicknamed the “Manitoba Moose,” due to his punishing 5’10,” 220-pound frame, he’s had a stellar four-year run with the Fighting Hawks. His 2,822 career yards puts him seventh all-time in program history, with 936 of those yards coming during a strong 2018 campaign.

Oliveira now looks to the future and the NFL and CFL drafts. The Fighting Hawks have had 31 NFL teams either come to a practice or watch the team play this year, along with six CFL teams and the bruising back is sure to be on some of those squad’s wish lists. He was also placed as the top ranked running back in the CFL’s first scouting bureau ranking list in late August.

2. Rookie head coach Sean Oleksewycz leads Kodiaks to first varsity title in 21 years

The River East Kodiaks finally got the monkey off their back in 2018, capturing Division 2’s CTV Bowl following a 22-14 win over Kelvin. It was the school’s first varsity title since 1997, with first-year bench boss Sean Oleksewycz and Bison commit Sammy Hezekiah helping to lead the way.

The duo have been closer than family ever since Hezekiah came to River East in grade nine. Originally a running back, it was Oleksewycz — the defensive coordinator for the Kodiaks at the time — who convinced Hezekiah to try his luck on the defensive side of the ball. That suggestion paid off, as the Nigeria native, who was the Bomber Alumni Most Outstanding Player for Division 2, recorded the game-winning pick six to help his squad come back from a 14-13 second half deficit. He also added a forced fumble on defence, as well as over 200 all-purpose yards via the ground and air at the pivot position on route to being named the game’s MVP.

While Hezekiah was the difference-maker on many an occasion, he certainly had some help as well, with players such as Ethan Topping — the Division 2 Elite Performance Centre Defensive Player of the Year — as well as JoJo Funk-Clements, Joshua Desjarlias, Spenser Pilon, Rylan Griffiths, Landon Colburn and Owen Unrau, among others, all coming up clutch in various situations throughout the year.

1. St. John’s Tigers win first title since 1980, play in honour of fallen teammate

The St. John’s Tigers had Jordan Thomas on their mind when they went into battle with the Elmwood Giants for Division 3 supremacy at Investors Group Field in early November.

The former QB, who helped lead the Tigers to their last championship game two years ago, was murdered during his senior year in December of 2017. The team played in his honour, winning a hard-fought 13-10 contest in the snow for their first title since 1980. After the game, St. John’s head coach Grant McMillan laid down the former three-sport star’s jersey (#7) in front of the CanadInns trophy for the squad’s photo.

“It was about honouring him and the players who have come before us,” McMillan said in an emotional postgame interview. “This victory is bigger than the team and bigger than the school. It’s a celebration for our community.”

It’s difficult to think of a story bigger than this one in 2018, as it transcended football. It was a clear example of the coming together of community for a common cause and hands down the most emotional moment I’ve ever had the pleasure of covering.

Game MVP Asher Wood deserves some love for his performance as well, as the Bomber Alumni Most Outstanding Player for Division 3 caught a touchdown, kicked the game-winning field goal and also had the game-ending pass breakup.

St. John’s Tigers head coach Grant McMIllan lays down the jersey of Jordan Thomas (#7) for the team’s championship photo. The former high school pivot was slain in December of 2017.

Recruiting 101 with Ryan Karhut: The signing process, provincial teams and more!

So your highlight tape is now completed and sent out. Some schools are calling, some email, texting, etc. It’s December and you are unsure of what to do next. Should I be playing 7 on 7? What about provincial teams? Will coach love it or hate it if I play another sport in the offseason? If I’m grade 12 and committed to a school, should I just focus on training? Should I hire an outside recruiting agency to help me get noticed by a school?

These are all questions we get asked all the time by recruits and players who have signed. They are all legitimate concerns and for young athletes. Let’s work through them and answer them for you from a college football coach’s perspective.

The signing process 

First of all, in the NCAA there is a ‘signing day’ in which everyone has to sign their letter of intent (LOI) on. Thus, making the recruiting process more frantic as their is a distinct end date they are working towards. In U SPORTS there is no signing day. Athletes can literally sign all the way up until/during training camp. The only stipulation on athletes signing in Canada (as far as dates go) is they cannot sign until September 1st of their senior year of highschool.

So what has become popular now is athletes verbally committing to a school earlier than that but then signing in September. For example, with the Bisons the past two years, we have had a handful of players verbally commit to us prior to September. So we invite them and their families to come and sign officially with us, on the field, during halftime of our homecoming game.

Left to Right – Austin Balan, Sam Hezekiah, Jarrett Alcaraz, Elijah Rivera, Isaiah Letander, and Breydon Stubbs. Photo: 1812 Photography

So with less ‘pressure’ of no signing day in U SPORTS, everyone’s recruiting process is unique and moves at a different pace than others. Some players commit very early into their senior year. Others start committing to their school of choice right around the holidays. Some do not even start visiting or talking to schools until the new year or after their first semester exams.

Still, there are plenty that do not commit to a school until well into the spring. This is one of the most exciting times of your life. Do not rush it. Do not let people pressure you into making a decision. Think about what is best for you, where you feel you fit in the best, commit to it when you are ready, and you will never look back.

Playing multiple sports/provincial teams

Aside from the actual recruiting process there is lots of other things going on in a young athletes life. The question we probably hear the most is athletes asking whether or not they should play basketball or hockey (or any other sport) that offseason or should they just train and get ready for university. Our answer never changes, no matter who is asking. You should always play each and every sport you want to play in high school.

There is nothing wrong with, and actually it is beneficial for all, if you DO play multiple sports in high school. There is so much cross training and mental sport development that occurs with athletes who play multiple sports that it is completely unnecessary to think you have to focus solely on football.

For athletes who are not in grade 12, we always get asked if they should play on the U16 or U18 provincial programs. Furthermore, some athletes will ask if it’s worth it if they basically already know what school they are probably going to. After all these tournaments are very well known for their recruiting frenzies.

For example, the U18 Canada Cup, is well known for all 27 U SPORTS teams having coaches there watching every game and practice. Most staffs send multiple coaches to the tournament to ensure they don’t miss anyone. For us, we love when guys we are recruiting play in these national tournaments.

For one, it exposes them to new competition and usually a higher level than they have ever played before. Two, being coached by new coaches, playing with new teammates, and travelling to compete are all things you are going to have to go through to play at the university level. Three, the tournament is a short, intense, microcosm of university football. You practice, you recover, you’re in meetings, film study, gameplan meetings, team meals, etc, for an entire week. It is a very good glimpse for you, and for us, to see how you adapt to these circumstances.

Does it make us a little uncomfortable to see guys like Breydon Stubbs win offensive MVP every game he competes in at the tournament? Of course, but our job is to recruit high quality players like that to stay in Manitoba and be Bisons, so there is no way we would discourage anyone from wanting to compete nationally.

Third party recruiting agencies

Lastly, and this one might be painful for some to hear, let’s talk about third party recruiting agencies. They are people whom you hire to send your film out and put you in contact with university coaches on either side of the border. They usually cost a good chunk of money and make no promises for what they can secure for you. They ultimately put it on you to put a great tape together and do great things on the field.

Please, please, do NOT waste your money on these agencies. I have worked in two different conferences within U SPORTS football in Canada (CanWest and OUA). I have met dozens of coaches and talked about recruiting with almost all of them. A common theme amongst all of us how turned off we get from film sent to us by a ‘recruiting agency.’ So much so in fact, I have had numerous coaches over the years tell me many times that they won’t even watch the film if it comes from an agency, simply because of the headache of dealing with them.

Coaches don’t want to offer a guy on your tape an opportunity to play for them. They want to get to know YOU the person and the athlete. Contact coaches directly, their email addresses are all public on the team’s websites. Make the email personal to that coach, (do not copy and paste the same one to every team) and show sincere interest in their program, tell them why you think you are a good fit for them, and why their school is a good fit for you. You will be surprised how quick coaches respond to email like that as opposed to generic ones.

Recruiting is a tough path to navigate and can always be daunting to work through. If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at either ryankarhut@gmail.com or michaeldtstill@gmail.com or  and we can answer it in the next article.

Recruiting 101 with Ryan Karhut: The do’s and don’ts of making a highlight tape

The 2018 varsity football season is now over, and for many seniors out there the next task at hand is obtaining an offer to play university or junior football. There are many factors that go into a coaching staff’s decision to offer a player a scholarship or simply an invite to camp and it can be intimidating at times trying to metaphorically man the waters that go with the recruiting process. With that in mind, manitobafootballfeed is pleased to offer a new bi-weekly series called Recruiting 101 with Ryan Karhut.

The former offensive lineman has been through it all, from coaching at the high school ranks all the way to playing in the pros, and is pleased to offer his insight on a variety of topics pertaining to recruiting.

He played five years of junior football with the Edmonton Huskies before being recruited by the University of Central Florida in NCAA Division 1 for the 2004 season. In 2005 he transferred to the University of Manitoba, where he spent the next three years, including winning a Vanier Cup in 2007 as a captain. He was also drafted in the fifth round of the 2007 CFL draft and played parts of three seasons with Montreal.

In 2012, Karhut won the WHSFL division 2 title with the Kelvin Clippers as their offensive coordinator before being named head coach of the Winnipeg Rifles, where he manned the helm from 2013-15. In 2015, he was appointed special teams coordinator and defensive line coach with York University — a position he stayed in until 2017, when he returned to the U of M in his current role as special teams coordinator and running backs coach.

Now that you’re well equipped in Karhut’s background, I’ll let him take it away with the first edition of recruiting 101, which will break down the do’s and don’ts of making a highlight tape. 

It’s that time of year again. Your football season has just finished and you are getting excited about getting recruited, as you should. Whether you are in Grade 12, 11, or even ten, this is when you should be making a tape of all your best plays from the season, even if you are unsure if you want to play college, junior, or any football at all.

There is a lot to consider and a loose structure you should follow when making that tape. Remember, not just the people you send it to will see it. Lots of university coaches will stumble upon and watch your film for various reasons. This is literally your first impression with potentially your future coach!

The hardest part for some players (especially grade ten and 11 students) is trying to figure out how to put a tape together, especially, if they are not the focal point of the offence or defence. Some athletes get discouraged being unsure of what constitutes as a highlight or not. There inlies the beauty of football.

Whenever someone makes a huge run, 11 other guys had to work hard to help make that happen. Highlights happen all over the place and university coaches love to see variety. If you are a receiver, coaches want to see you blocking people, showing great effort while blocking just like you show after you catch a ball. If you are a DB coaches want to see great coverage, and if it’s a run play, seeing you come off the block/route and showing great pursuit effort in getting to the ball.

Don’t ever discount high effort plays. As well, special teams plays should absolutely be included (if you played them).

Onto the structure of the tape. Let’s cover all the DO’S first before we talk about the don’ts. The very first thing that should appear on your tape is all your personal info. Coaches still scratch their heads when players don’t put height, weight, or contact info on their film. So please, start with that. Plus, this is a great opportunity for you to brag a bit and boast about your stats as well. Coaches want a reason to keep watching your tape, all this info is a great start to getting them hooked.

Next thing you need to do is ensure you highlight where you are on the film PRIOR to the snap. Coaches do not want to watch half a play of you. We want to see the entire rep with you clearly marked before the ball is snapped. We want to see first steps, note where your eyes are and why, and the path you take to make the play you are about to show us. Note: if you are a QB or kicker, it is fair to highlight yourself on the first play but there is no reason to do it every following play.

EXAMPLE: 

The next thing you want to do is ensure you properly put your highlights in order. Always, always always, put your best plays first. There are very few coaches who watch an entire 5-minute highlight tape before making a decision on you. If the film is chronological, some/most coaches may not even see your top-5 plays. Wow the coaches. Make them want to watch more, give them reason to watch another play, and another, and another.

Lastly, make the highlight tape as long as you see fit. There is no rule to follow here. The average is about four minutes per tape but don’t put in random meh plays just to make it to four minutes. Like I stated before, most college coaches don’t watch the entire film. They usually have their opinion of you as a player formed within the first minute of your tape. I have seen countless spectacular 2-3 minute tapes.

Here are some DON’TS of making a highlight tape that coaches see far too often and complain about all the time. First of all I know you feel like you need just the right music to bring the right energy to your film. You should know coaches watch about 95 percent of films with the sound muted. That being said, do not risk it by putting music with racial slurs, derogatory remarks, or cursing in it. Remember, this is your first impression to a coach who works at an academic institution.

It does not seem to be as much as an issue anymore as it used to be but do not put your personal info and contact info at the end of the tape. Most coaches don’t watch until the end and you will get lost in the shuffle if they turn on your tape and don’t see a way to contact you.

If your school or team has multiple film angles (tight and wide) do not put both angles for every play. As you go through and make your tape decide which angle best shows the play and put that ONE on your tape. Many coaches will shut off your tape in frustration after a few plays if they are always repeating themselves. If you are stuck and cannot decide which is right for you, the general rule of box players should be tight film and WR’s and DB’s on wide film is always your best bet.

Lastly, ensure the marking you use to highlight yourself are off the screen when the play starts. There is literally nothing worse that people who put huge graphics on themselves, or black out the screen except themselves, and the play starts and you can’t see what is happening.

As well, do not photoshop or edit your video to have all sorts of special effects. Again, if you want to do that for your own personal copy, go ahead, but don’t do it for a tape you are sending out. Keep the film simple and straightforward. Let your hard work and effort impress a coach not your edits. We want you to play football not work in our media department.

There are a lot of don’ts in here but remember, coaches are literally pouring over 500-700 tapes every off-season to find the 30-40 players they want. Nothing will get you bypassed faster than what was outlined. Make sure you remember, this is your first chance to make a great impression on your future coach who works for an academic institution. Represent yourself properly and professionally.

Balan cleans up at 2018 WHSFL year end awards

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Austin Balan stops for a photo after winning the Bomber Alumni Most Outstanding Player award for Division 1, his second piece of hardware on the evening.

On the field, Austin Balan is calm, cool and collected. He lets his play do the talking, puts his head down and gets to work. It’s rare that you’ll see him phased, which was particularly notable this year.

Entering the 2018 season, he knew his role would have to expand on both sides of the field with the departure of players such as Tyler Koniuck, Brayden Desjarlais and Easton Montour. The former Division 1 Rookie of the Year was prepared from the jump and it showed. He never took a play off, finishing with 1,222 rushing yards and eight scores as a fearless downhill running back as well as 81.5 tackles, four interceptions and two sacks at his more natural defensive back position, which he will play at the next level with the University of Manitoba upon graduation from Sisler.

Balan was rewarded for his efforts last night at the WHSFL’s year end awards banquet with both the Elite Performance Defensive Player of the Year and Bomber Alumni Most Outstanding Player awards. The former is presented to one offensive and defensive player in each division who made the biggest difference to their team as a whole while the latter is voted on by the Bomber Alumni Association and is presented to the best overall player in each division.

Not surprisingly, Balan was humble and respectful when discussing his newly-won hardware.

“I was very honoured to receive both of these awards tonight. It means a lot,” he said. “It represents all the hard work that I’ve put in over the past couple of years on the practice field and working out. I want to thank all my coaches for all the time and dedication they’ve put in to help me grow into the player I am today as well.”

The Elite Performance Offensive Player of the Year race on the other hand, was so tight that the committee chose to give the nod to two pivots: Jarrett Alcaraz from Garden City and Jackson Tachinksi from the ANAVETS Bowl-winning Vincent Massey Trojans.

The former — who will play for the U of M in the fall as a defensive back — was pleasantly surprised to co-win the award for what is technically his secondary position. While this may be true, there’s no denying the impact Alcaraz had under centre for the Fighting Gophers. He had over 1,000 all-purpose yards and double-digit touchdowns as a playmaker with both his arm and legs.

“It was definitely an honour winning this award, especially it not being my main position,” Alcaraz said. “Being able to win it with Jackson [Tachinski], that guy is one of my buddies, we played together this summer as well, so it’s definitely awesome winning it with him.”

Tachinski was lights out all year. The MVP of the ANAVETS Bowl had well over 1200 yards and didn’t throw an interception. He also displayed his poise, especially in the championship game, where he perfectly executed the two-minute drill to complete a come-from-behind win for Massey.

“It feels good,” Tachinski said after co-winning the award. “There were definitely a lot of other deserving nominees and I could’ve lost to any of them so I’m appreciative of this recognition.”

Tachinski hasn’t decided where he’s playing next season yet, however there is certainly plenty of interest in his services, including from the Bisons.

Division 2

It’s not easy stepping out of the shadows of Dayton Black, however that’s exactly what quarterback Evan Nachtigall did this year for Neelin. In the process, he broke two records set by last year’s Division 2 Offensive Player of Year, putting up a record 234 passes for a new division 2 high of 1985 yards.

The gunslinger was honoured for his work as the second straight player from the Spartans to win the Elite Performance Offensive Player of the Year award and third in a row from a Brandon school after Mack Adams from Massey Brandon took home the trophy in 2016.

“It really started in grade nine when I came into Neelin being a backup behind Dayton and taking second team reps every practice, and even the odd one in-game, especially last year in the playoffs against Kelvin,” said Nachtigall.

“The offseason was really about throwing a lot of balls and getting my arm ready for my first year starting at quarterback.”

The River East Kodiaks swept the Defensive Player of the Year and Bomber alumni awards, with Ethan Topping taking home the former and Sammy Hezekiah securing the latter.

Topping, a hybrid linebacker had seven sacks and five forced fumbles and was all over the field for the Kodiaks, helping them to their first varsity title in over two decades. He’s also the fourth player in the past six years from the school to win the award.

The charismatic Hezekiah had 19 combined touchdowns as a dual threat under centre for River East and was also lockdown all year at the halfback position, which he will play in the fall for the Bisons. He was also the CTV Bowl MVP after a stellar performance that included the game-winning pick six.

“It’s crazy. This is my first time winning anything major at this banquet,” a visibly excited Hezekiah said. “It means a lot to me.”

Division 3

Two record breakers were acknowledged for their performances in division 3, as Elmwood’s Evyn Melville-Toth took home the Elite Performance Offensive Player of the Year award while William Barnsdale of Churchill was selected as Defensive Player of the Year.

Melville-Toth, also known as the human bowling ball, used his small but built frame to bounce off of defenders all season. In the process, he broke the division record for rushing touchdowns, with 17. Barnsdale was a hound for the football, eclipsing the division record for fumble recoveries in a season, with seven while also tying the record for fumble receives in a game, with three.

The Bomber alumni award went to division 3 champion Asher Wood of St. John’s. The title game MVP did a little bit of everything for the Tigers — who won their first championship since 1980. He was the team’s leading receiver with 427 yards and eight scores, added five interceptions on defence and also tallied eight field goals.

“It’s a real honour to be named the most outstanding player in our division,” Wood said. “One of our best players Payton [Yakimishyn] moved just before the season started, so I knew I had to step up and become a leader on the team.”

Wood, who is also a standout soccer player, has had interest from universities in reference to his play on the pitch, but is still undecided on whether or not he will go that route or play football. One way or the other, he’s in a good position, as St., John’s gives out a number of full scholarships to the U of M, so he’s going to try and get one of those.

Other Major Award Winners 

Heavy Metal Design Coach of the Year: Mike Steeves, Vincent Massey Brandon

Rick Symonds Memorial Assistant Coach of the Year: Jason Park, St. Paul’s 1

Arnie Taylor Volunteer Award: Mark Dibol, Portage

Robert Whitlaw Memorial Rookie of the Year Award: Keshaun Ducharme (Churchill, Div 3), Kaiden Banfield (Portage, Div 2), Nic Pereira (St. Paul’s 1, Div 1)

Kas Vidruk Memorial Lineman of the Year Award: Jeremy Hampshire (Elmwood, Div 3), Isaiah Letander (Kelvin, Div 2), Kyler Filewich (Vincent Massey WPG, Div 1)

Jim Foubister Award (Presented annually to a high school football player who displays excellence on the field, sportsmenship, teamwork and overall good person. The selection of the award winner is determined by the officials of the league): Reese Francey, Garden City

John Potter/D’Arcy Bain Sports Physiotherapy Bursary Award (Presented annually to a grade 12 graduating high school football player who plans to continue their football career. The selection will be based on the development and progress made by a player during their high school playing career): Elijah Rivera, Garden City

Harry Hood Memorial Trophy (Awarded annually to the high school football player who exemplifies the standard in playing ability, school citizenship, fair play and scholastic standing.The selection of the award winner is made by the special committee.A scholarship of approximately $500.00 will be awarded to the trophy recipient upon registration at an educational institution of their choice next fall): Brody Lawson, St. Paul’s 1

Trojans outlast St. Paul’s for second time in 2018, win ANAVETS Bowl

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Members of the Vincent Massey Trojans celebrate after winning the ANAVETS Bowl.

In the regular season, Vincent Massey battled to a hard-fought 14-10 win over the St. Paul’s Crusaders in a game that came down to the final minute. The case was much the same on Friday night in the ANAVETS Bowl, as senior Kyler Filewich got his 6’8″ arm up in the air to block a St. Paul’s field goal as time expired, preserving a 28-25 win for the Trojans.

“Unreal,” he said postgame.

“I knew they were going to try that so I had to get to the right gap and get my hands up. I knew I’m strong and I’m tall. It actually hit my helmet.”

The victory marked a clean sweep for the program, as they also won the JV title over Grant Park the night before. It’s also the first time the Crusaders have lost in the final since 2015, once again to Massey.

The #10 nationally ranked Trojans entered the season as heavy favourites to make it to the finals, due in part to the fact that they had 30 seniors back for this year. A multitude of them made big plays in this one, including quarterback Jackson Tachinski — the contest MVP who led his team on the game-winning touchdown drive with just 30 seconds left, and Bison commit Vaughn Lloyd, who made big plays in the run and passing game despite an ACL injury suffered earlier in the year.

The score in the first half mimicked that of the team’s week three regular season contest: a defensive slugfest. The Trojans got on the board on their first drive of the game thanks to some power running from fellow Bison commit Breydon Stubbs, and a Tachinski keeper for the touchdown, while St. Paul’s hit pay dirt on a Brody Lawson pass to sophomore Muludesta Yitna and also got two safeties from their defence. Aside from that both sides were stout, forcing one turnover each.

Massey would re-take the lead late in the third quarter on a Tachinski naked bootleg and would make it 21-11 with ten minutes to play on a Stubbs rushing touchdown that was set up by a big catch from Filewich. But the Crusaders kept their composure, taking a 25-21 lead with 2:25 to go thanks to another Yitna grab and a Lawson QB keeper.

That’s when Tachinski entered clutch mode, moving the ball all the way downfield for the game-winning touchdown pass to junior Riley Ho, who had a ton of critical receptions late in the ballgame and was also an efficient kick returner. Shad Nkiasi-Nsebwir and Ishe Matange also had catches on the drive.

“I was just thinking of Eli Manning in the Super Bowl beating the Patriots,” he said with a chuckle postgame. “I wanted that game-winning drive and I wanted that win so badly. Nothing was going to stop me from getting that.”

Nothing was going to stop Filewich either, as he erased a big kick return from Yitna by blocking Vince DeRosa’s 32-yard field goal attempt to seal the win.

“Nothing but joy,” he said of the victory. “We put in the work for three years and it’s just great to see it pay off.”

Rookie head coach Oleksewycz leads Kodiaks to first varsity title in 21 years

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Members of the River East Kodiaks hoist up the CTV Bowl following their win over Kelvin Friday night.

Sean Oleksewycz struggled to hold back tears as he stood side-by-side with senior pivot/halfback Sammy Hezekiah following River East’s 22-14 victory over Kelvin on friday night in the Division 2 CTV Bowl — the first championship for the school since 1997.

“You’re the best player I’ve ever coached,” he said to the University of Manitoba commit in an emotional post-game interview. “If [Sammy] just keeps his head up and keeps working and keeps his temper down, he’s going to the CFL.”

The duo have been closer than family ever since Hezekiah came to River East in grade nine. Originally a running back, it was Oleksewycz — the defensive coordinator for the Kodiaks at the time — who convinced Hezekiah to try his luck on the defensive side of the ball. That suggestion paid off, as the Nigeria native, who’s been lock-down all year, recorded the game-winning pick six to help his squad come back from a 14-13 second half deficit. He also added a forced fumble on defence, as well as over 200 all-purpose yards via the ground and air at the pivot position on route to being named the game’s MVP.

Not surprisingly, he gave full credit to his head coach for helping him get to where he is today.

“[Oleksewycz] is a huge mentor. He’s able to know so much because of all the things he’s been through in his life. He’s an amazing guy.”

The Kodiaks set the tone for the contest early on, driving the field on their first possession thanks to a long passing play from Hezekiah to receiver/kicker Reece Wyke, who would eventually kick a chip shot field goal.

Kelvin would stiffen up defensively, registering an interception, but the Kodiaks responded early in the second quarter as Joshua Desjarlias blocked a Clippers punt and JoJo Funk-Clements hopped on it in the endzone to give River East a 10-0 lead. Another big passing play to Wyke led to his second field goal of the game as River East — who went 6-1 during the regular season including a shutout over their championship game opponent — entered halftime up 13-0.

Kelvin came out rejuvenated in the second half however. They got on the board with six minutes left in the third on a Liam Stephenson run that was set up by unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer calls on the Kodiaks. Four minutes later the Clippers had their first lead of the game, as Adam Fast hauled in a touchdown pass from pivot Daniel Moroz on a drive that was aided by a massive punt return from fellow receiver Robin Brooks.

“We should have put them away early in the third, we knew that,” Oleksewycz said. “We knew they were a good team though and they made a run. But we fought through the adversity.”

The Clippers had a few chances to increase their lead, including a drive that started after a Fast interception, but were unable to put Hezekiah and company away. He’d make them pay later on with the game-winning pick, shutting down the highly touted Brock Gates in the process. The Kodiaks added another field goal from Wyke to cap the scoring.

When asked about what this win means to both himself and the school, Oleksewycz was quick to bring up current JV coach and former varsity bench boss Robin Meade, who was the one who brought the Kodiak and Mount Allison Mountie alum into the fold.

“Without Robin Meade I probably wouldn’t be coaching football,” he said emotionally. “I had a terrible experience at another school coaching there and basically Robin was like, ‘why don’t you come over here for a year and see how it is.’ He was another U SPORTS guy and we just meshed so well. I can’t say enough good things about him.”