Tag: WHSFL

Trojans cap perfect season, win JV title

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: The Vincent Massey Trojans strike a pose after winning the JV title.

The Vincent Massey Trojans JV squad were a well-oiled machine all season, outscoring their opponents 296-21. They completed a perfect season on Thursday night with a 39-0 victory over the resilient Grant Park Pirates.

Two-time Team Manitoba U16 member Negus Lewin led the way, scoring four majors while racking up over 200 yards on ground. He would’ve had six touchdowns if not for two holding penalties that negated a score on the first play of the game, as well as a long punt return. The running back, who watches film of NFL Hall-of-Famer Barry Sanders to get mentally prepared, was quick to credit his teammates — most of whom will move up to varsity with him next season.

“This weather was tough, so I knew I’d have to grind even more,” he said. “My team helped me as well to get where I am right now. Its a group effort. If my team’s not doing well, I’m not going to do well. We all performed great which led to me performing great.

Defensively, the Trojans recorded ten turnovers, two of which came on interceptions from defensive back Nick Gilberto in the first half as they led 20-0 at halftime.

“I really want to give thanks to my coaches and my team for everything they’ve done this year,” Gilberto said postgame. “It was all about them. They rushed the QB, especially the defensive line and that was the key.”

Grant Park fought tooth and nail however, getting some key plays from their stout front four led by Sal Pasta, as well as defensive back Jake Nitychoruk, who had a forced fumble and was all over the ball. But every time the Pirates made a key play, Massey was able to respond. Starting pivot Jordan Hanslip had a stout game as well, throwing for two touchdowns as a strong complement to Lewin’s ground attack.

The win was the Trojans fourth Homerun Bowl title in its nine-year history and pushed Massey past Oak Park for the most JV titles all-time.

Tigers win first title since 1980, play in honour of fallen teammate

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: 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.

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 tonight.

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 tonight, 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.”

The Tigers knew exactly what they needed to do to win the contest over the 6-1 Elmwood Giants, who handed them their only loss in the regular season: stop Evyn Melville-Toth.

The punishing tailback broke the division 3 record this year with 17 touchdowns, four of which came in the two team’s regular season matchup in week two. But on Thursday night, he was contained, as St. John’s stacked the box and won the battle at the line of scrimmage.

The Tigers set the tone early, scoring on their first possession of the game thanks to some big passing plays from pivot Myles Kakewash. The drive was capped by an Asher Wood touchdown on a screen pass.

After multiple turnovers on both sides, the Giants were able to tie the game up early in the second quarter, as Melville-Both finished off a run-heavy drive. But St. John’s kept their composure, re-taking the lead before the half on a 17-yard field goal from Wood that was set up by a fake punt.

Elmwood would re-tie the game with a field goal, thanks to a fumble recovery by Edward Kisimba and an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Tigers that would have otherwise stopped the drive.

From then on, it was a fight to the finish, as both sides registered massive interceptions. The Tigers would get the last laugh however, taking the lead on a 30-yard field goal from Wood that was set up by a Trent Raven pick. The Giants would have two cracks in the final minute to tie the game, however Wood shut down both drives with an interception and a pass breakup and was named Player of the Game.

The rangy 6’3″ receiver/defensive back/kicker was quick to mention Thomas postgame, echoing his coach’s remarks.

“I was in the finals in grade ten, and [Thomas] was the quarterback,” he said. “To win this, I feel like we’re really honouring him and it feels really great.”

WHSFL championship games preview

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: The ANAVETS Bowl sees a rematch from week three, as two national powerhouses in St. Paul’s 1 and Vincent Massey go at it.

The field is set, and now it’s time to see who the best of the best truly are as WHSFL championship week gets going. All five varsity conference champs advanced to the final, while St. John’s only loss was at the hands of Currie Conference champion Elmwood. In the JV division, Vincent Massey will look to complete a perfect season as they do battle with the resilient Grant Park Pirates. Get all the details below. Please note that there is a $5 entrance fee for all contests.

JV Homerun Bowl: Vincent Massey WPG Trojans (6-0, #1 seed) vs Grant Park Pirates (3-3, #4 seed), Thursday at 5 p.m. at IGF

The Trojans rolled through their competition in the regular season, outscoring their opponents 296-21, including four shutouts. It’s really no surprise that they’re in the position they’re in now, as they had eight players on Team Manitoba’s U16 silver medal-winning provincial team — a number of whom played vital roles, such as Negus Lewin, Payton Lake, Mekai Sallaint and Jordan Hanslip — the future of the Trojans varsity program under centre.

“We’re really close from playing on the same team for a while now,” Hanslip said of the dynamic he has with his teammates. “We just have a really good connection and we know what each other are going to do at any moment.”

The Pirates played Massey tight in the regular season, falling 27-7 in what was one of the Trojans toughest battles all year. Hanslip expects another hard-fought contest tomorrow night.

“They’re a really good team and they’re coached really well,” he said. “They’re very disciplined and play very physical, so we’re expecting a hard-hitting game and I’m hoping for the best.”

Grant Park started the season 1-3, struggling through some though injuries. But they’ve won their last four games in a row, including two shutouts. Long-time varsity head coach Mike Kennedy has done a great job grooming his players to be prepared and you can expect a dog fight when these two squads go at it. One player to watch out for is defensive end/centre Sal Pasta, who has been described by varsity head coach Doug Kovacs as a “straight up savage.”

“We had a couple mistakes and a couple turnovers the last time we played Massey and a couple of guys hung their heads at that,” Pasta said. “This time around we need to keep our heads up, even if there’s a turnover or a bad play and just go forward with the next play and keep pushing.”

Division 3 CanadInns Bowl: Elmwood Giants (5-1, #1 seed) vs St. John’s Tigers (5-1, #2 seed), Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at IGF

Two original WDS1 teams will go at it on Thursday night for division 3 supremacy, as the Tigers look to avenge their only loss of the season against the Giants.

The Tigers have had strong protection from the right side of their offensive line all year, giving pivot Myles Kakewash enough time to find open receivers or scramble for yards outside of the pocket. He finished the year with 706 passing yards and 13 scores, including 166 in the 45-28 loss to Elmwood back in week two.

One of the key hoggies up front was captain Chase Kaminski, who feels that the key to a Tigers victory in the rematch will be winning the battle up front. The Giants boast running back Evyn Melville-Toth, who broke the division 3 record for rushing touchdowns this season, with 17.

“If our defensive line controls the line of scrimmage and shuts down the run, I think we’ll do pretty good,” he said. “I believe that our 12 will out-hustle and out-work them for sure.”

The soft-spoken Melville-Toth is the furthest thing from his quiet demeanour when he steps on the field. He’s not the biggest guy out there, but he thrives on contact and is essentially like a bowling ball once he gets rolling. He ran for 168 yards and four scores the first time the two teams met and will look to use his power to his advantage once again tomorrow.

“I’m small so I have a low centre of gravity,” he said. “When people try to get lower than me it doesn’t really happen. I learned to read blocks from my coaches which has also helped.”

Division 2 CTV Bowl: River East Kodiaks (6-1, #1 seed in Bramwell) vs Kelvin Clippers (6-1, #1 seed in Vidruk), Friday at 5 p.m. at IGF

This contest sees veteran head coach Jon Romu do battle with first-year bench boss Sean Oleksewycz in a rematch of their week five contest, which River East won 33-0. There’s plenty of knowledge between the two teams, as former Kodiaks varsity head coach/current JV front man Robin Meade was part of Romu’s staff back in the day.

“There’s always been a tie between River East and Kelvin as far as coaching staffs and family goes,” Romu said. “So it was actually really interesting that we make it to the finals. It’s also great, because River East and Kelvin have both been around for a long time and both teams are going through a bit of a resurgence.”

Oleksewycz preached trusting the process all year and the kids got on board, winning in the semi-finals for the first time in over two decades.

“When I took over in January, the first thing we instilled was a process and a culture,” he said. “We put a weightlifting program in and our kids bought into it. The hard work is paying off.”

Leading the charge for the Kodiaks is senior pivot Sammy Hezekiah, who scored a combined 20 touchdowns through the air and on the ground while amassing over 1,000 all-purpose yards as a Player of the Year candidate. The Bison commit, who will play for the U of M as a halfback, also shut down Kelvin’s Brock Gates — the division’s leading receiver — the first time the two squads met.

“[Oleksewycz] has prepared us mentally, especially with film,” he said. “Right now, I think we have the best defence in the league and that’s because we know what the other offences are doing position-wise.”

The Clippers are no slouches on the defensive side either. The trio of Dylan Hess, Treyshaun Bollers and last year’s Kas Vidruk – Outstanding Down Lineman award winner Isaiah Letander have combined for 17 sacks. All three players are close friends off the field and have found their stride over the past two years. Bollers noted that the key to stopping Hezekiah will be limiting what he’s able to do with his legs in read-option situations — something that didn’t happen the first time around.

“I think it’s about holding our contain on the ends just so [Hezekiah] can’t keep running out,” he said. “We want to force him to use his arm instead of using his speed.”

Offensively, Clippers pivot Daniel Moroz — who was the division’s rookie of the year in 2017 — overcame a devastating spine injury during last year’s semi-final, throwing for over 1,200 yards this year. He has arguably the division’s best receiving corps, led by Gates and Robin Brooks, however the unit — like many others this season — were stymied by Hezekiah, JoJo Funk-Clements, Simon Kosman, Victor Mubambe and company during the regular season.

“Really it’s just about knowing my receivers,” Moroz said of his pass-catchers, four of whom were in the top five in yards this year. “We’ve got stud receivers all across the board and I know where they’re going to be on the field.”

River East QB/HB Sammy Hezekiah is the heart and soul of the Kodiaks team.

Division 3 ANAVETS Bowl: Vincent Massey Trojans (6-0-1, #1 seed in Gustafson) vs St. Paul’s 1 Crusaders (6-1, #1 seed in Potter), Friday at 7:30 p.m. at IGF

Two nationally ranked squads will go at it once more as the Crusaders and Trojans renew a rivalry that has quickly become one of the most competitive and entertaining in the province. St. Paul’s 1 have reached the division 1 final 11 years in a row — including back-to-back victories, while the Trojans are looking for their first bowl win since 2015, when head coach Kelsey McKay and company knocked off Stacy Dainard’s high-powered squad from River Heights.

“Every time we play St. Paul’s, we know what’s predicable. They don’t beat themselves, they’re very well-disciplined, highly-skilled and well coached,” McKay said. “It’s going to be a tremendous challenge for us on Friday night.”

The Trojans handed St. Paul’s their only loss of the season, a 14-10 defensive slugfest in week three and Dainard knows the rematch will be just as competitive.

“Coach McKay has done a great job over there building a program, and they’re the class of our league this year,” he said. “It’s going to be a dog fight and we certainly look forward to the challenge. It’s going to be a physical game in lovely November weather.”

The Crusaders defence paced the team all year, surrendering just 21 points in the regular season. The linebacking trio of senior Tyler Grom, junior Nathan Carabatsakis and sophomore Nic Pereira pave the way, while senior defensive lineman Dylan Duha led the team in sacks.

“This whole year, we’re basically a new team,” Duha said of the defensive dynamic. “This is my first year on the division 1 team and I think just working together every day in practice and coming out and being discipled helped us this year.”

Offensively, Crusaders pivot Brody Lawson threw for over 1,000 yards and also made plays with his feet. Last year’s ANAVETS Bowl MVP also had plenty of targets to throw the ball to, including seniors Tristen Hutter, Cordell Francis and speed demon Thane Tomlinson, who knows that the offence will need to play at the highest level in order to flip the script from the regular season contest and continue the winning tradition at St. Paul’s.

“It’s a legacy,” he said.

“We’re always building off the tradition at St. Paul’s. The veterans last year told us that we had to keep working at it and get back to this position of being in the finals again. It was something that I never wanted to forget, and being back here is another opportunity to get that feeling again, so we’re really excited to play Massey this Friday.”

Vincent Massey counters with a roster that already has two Bison commits in receiver Vaughn Lloyd and running back Breydon Stubbs. The former had a 32.8 yards per reception average while the latter registered 823 yards as a strong complement to senior pivot Jackson Tachinski — who’s also getting a strong look from the U of M and threw for over 1200 yards this year with 14 touchdowns and no picks.

Defensively, 6’8″ defensive end Kyler Filewich — who already has a division 1 offer from UND — paced the Trojans pass rush with five sacks while also being a key cog on the offensive line.

“I think our defence has been good,” he said. “We definitely improved a lot throughout the year and going into the game we should be able to perform well. It will be a tough game for sure, but I think we match up well on both sides.”

Kyler Filewich helps bring down Crusaders pivot Brody Lawson earlier in the season.

Alcaraz and Rivera enjoying last ride with Garden City, will suit up for Manitoba in the fall

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Elijah Rivera (L) and Jarrett Alcaraz (R) shortly after signing with the Bisons. Photo by Garden City Collegiate.

For defensive backs Jarrett Alcaraz and Elijah Rivera, football is family. The duo have been best friends ever since grade one and have been playing football together since grade three, when they both suited up for the North Winnipeg Nomads of the Manitoba Minor Football Assocation.

Now in their senior years with the Garden City Fighting Gophers, the desire to get better hasn’t ceased.

“Overall, I just remember that there’s always been a constant push between both of us,” Alcaraz says.

“With Nomads, we’d have a strength and conditioning program at the end of practice and I remember we’d always push each other to see who would be the fastest at the end. So there’s always been a constant competitiveness and pushing of each other to be better since then.”

The pair were both on the U16 provincial team in 2016 as well as the U18 roster this past summer. They credit Recruit Ready, a local training program, with helping to develop them into the players they are now, as well as converting them to the defensive side of the field. Prior to grade ten, Alcaraz had played primarily quarterback, while Rivera was a running back. Each player is still excelling at their respective positions on offence, while also holding down the boundary side of the field on defence.

“I think it helps me [playing both sides], because I’ve learned tricks and moves at receiver and running back, so when I see that as a DB, I know what the other player is trying to do,” Rivera says.

The pair were clear standouts during this summer’s U18 tryouts at defensive back, earning the attention of Bison football head coach Brian Dobie as well as defensive backs coach Rich Urbanovich – who also taught the position for Team Manitoba this year.

Dobie invited them for an official visit prior to the start of the Canada Cup, and naturally, they wanted to have their meeting together.

“We both had our meetings at the same time, just because we wanted to do everything together, because it’s always been like that,” says Alcaraz.

“[Dobie] asked us that night if we wanted to commit, and me and Elijah went outside for a second and just talked about how even if we were to get any other offers for other schools, that we wouldn’t want to play anywhere else except for here because it’s home.”

With their commitment already decided prior to the start of the 2018 season, the duo simply had the opportunity to enjoy their last ride at the high school level. Garden City rolled to a 5-2 regular season record as well as a quarter-final victory over Vincent Massey Brandon last week. The athleticism on offence from the pair, as well as their ability to work cohesively on the boundary side of the defence were significant factors in the team’s success.

“From a young age, we learned how to communicate with each other and say what we see,” Rivera says. “It helps now, because we play on the same side on defence and the communication is still there.”

The Fighting Gophers head into the semi-finals for the first time since 2015 tomorrow night, looking to upset the top-seeded Vincent Massey Trojans. The pair is excited to get at it with his brothers once more, on a roster that also includes long-time friends Reese Francey (defensive back), Kaiden Bannon (receiver) and Everrett Findley (receiver/defensive back).

“We all have good chemistry together, just because we’ve all been playing together since we were young,” he says. “It’s a very well-connected team and we have good communication.”

WHSFL semi-final preview

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Brody Lawson and the St. Paul’s 1 Crusaders will do battle with Dakota in a rematch of last year’s ANAVETS Bowl.

The field has been trimmed to 12 as the WHSFL semi-finals commence tomorrow night. Below is a breakdown of every matchup. Please note that every contest is $5, with kids 12 and under getting in free.

DIVISION 1: Dakota Lancers (4-2-1, #3 seed in Potter) vs St. Paul’s 1 Crusaders (6-1, #1 seed in Potter), Friday at 5 p.m. at IGF

The Lancers will be looking for revenge against a Crusaders team that topped them in week one, as well as last year in the ANAVETS Bowl.

In their week one contest, St. Paul’s 1 was able to put up 23 unanswered points in the second quarter while keeping Dakota off the scoreboard all throughout. Mental mistakes played a factor in the contest, as the Lancers botched a snap on a punt that led to a touchdown and also missed a field goal that would have opened the scoring in the first quarter.

Crusaders senior pivot Brody Lawson has been a thorn in the side of Dakota for each of the past two years and he will look for even more success on Thursday. The MVP of last season’s ANAVETS Bowl is a threat with both his arm and legs and will need to be contained in at least one of those departments if the Lancers are going to have any sort of chance of snapping St. Paul’s two-year bowl streak.

Dakota will counter Lawson with an athletic defence that’s led by their front seven. Linebackers Josh Ma, Raffaele Caligiuri and Josh Paulic, as well as defensive linemen Jordan Friesen (Division 1 Rookie of the Year in 2017), Ethan Papineau and Daniel Okedara will attempt to make life rather difficult for the cool-headed pivot.

The x-factor in this contest can be found on Dakota’s offence, in running back Peter Orajekwe, who didn’t play in the week one contest. The former Division 3 Rookie of the Year with Churchill provides a balanced option for the Lancers and senior pivot Aidan ‘Romo’ Campbell — who had his best game of the season last week against Sisler.

Getting past the St. Paul’s 1 defence will be no easy task however, as they only gave up 21 points in the regular season, pitching five shutouts overall. The linebacking trio of senior Tyler Grom, junior Nathan Carabatsakis and sophomore Nic Pereira leads the way. All three players are athletic and seem to make key plays at the perfect moment. They are well coached as usual and have benefited from the tutelage of Crusaders/Bisons alum DJ Lalama, who is helping the team this year due to an injury that kept him from playing for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL.

Dakota RB Peter Orajekwe didn’t play the first time the Crusaders and Lancers met, and could be a big factor on Friday.

DIVISION 1: Garden City Fighting Gophers (5-2, #2 seed in Potter) vs Vincent Massey WPG Trojans (6-0-1, #1 seed in Gustafson), Friday at 7:30 p.m. at IGF

This matchup will see four Bison commits go against each other, in Vincent Massey’s Breydon Stubbs (running back) and Vaughn Lloyd (receiver) and Garden City’s Jarrett Alcaraz (quarterback/defensive back) and Elijah Rivera (running back/defensive back). The Trojans are looking to return to the ANAVETS Bowl after getting upended in the semi-finals by St. Paul’s 1 last year, while the Fighting Gophers are back in the final four for the first time since 2015.

Vincent Massey rolled to the top seed in division 1 thanks to a balanced attack that scored over 40 points in six of eight games this season, including a 49-7 victory in the quarter-finals over Steinbach last week. Senior pivot Jackson Tachinski — who’s on the Bisons radar as a potential quarterback of the future — leads the charge. He threw for over 1100 yards this season and has an incredibly high football IQ, as evidenced by his 13 touchdowns and zero interceptions. He’s supported by Stubbs, a powerful back who can run inside or outside the tackles, as well as speedy receivers Shad Nkiasi-Nsedwir and Jayden Zimmer. Lloyd went down with an injury a few weeks ago and won’t be in this contest, but has also been invaluable as a speed demon in the slot.

The Fighting Gophers are paced defensively by a veteran secondary that have tremendous chemistry due to playing with each other for a number of years, dating back to the North Winnipeg Nomads. That group includes Alcaraz and Rivera — who man the boundary side — as well as Everrett Findley and Reese Francey. All four players have great range and athleticism and will likely be key cogs once more on Friday.

Alcaraz mans the controls of the Fighting Gophers offence as well as their quarterback. The pivot is incredibly elusive and can keep plays alive with his feet. He’s got a well-rounded receiving corps in Findley — who had a great game against St. Paul’s 1 in week seven — as well as fellow senior Payton Yakimishyn and vertical presence Kaiden Bannon.

The Trojans secondary was up to the task last week against Sawyer Thiessen and a pass heavy Steinbach squad, and will look for an equally impressive performance this week from defensive backs such as Tegan Simon, Brandon Kamenz and Quinn Adolfson, who combined for five interceptions in the regular season. Fellow DB Sam Oyetunji is another player to watch. He had three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries this year, including the game-ender against St. Paul’s 1 in week three.

Defensive back Teagan Simon (25) is a player to keep an eye out for for the Trojans.

DIVISION 2: Portage Trojans (4-3, #3 seed in Bramwell) vs River East Kodiaks (6-1, #1 seed in Bramwell), Thursday at 5 p.m. at IGF

This game will be a rematch of week six, which the Kodiaks won 39-16. If the Trojans are going to be able to pull the upset, they’re going to need another big game from running back Kaiden Banfield — who is a top contender for division 2 Rookie of the Year. One of the standouts during Team Manitoba’s U16 tryouts this summer, he ran roughshod over West K in the quarter-finals and is particularly dangerous between the tackles.

The Kodiaks defence — who pitched a shutout last week against Miles Mac — will need to be strong in the interior defensive line as well as in the linebacking corps. Ethan Topping (linebacker/safety), Spenser Pilon (linebacker), Joshua Desjarlais (linebacker) and Landon Colbourn (linebacker) are all players to keep an eye out for.

Defensively, the Trojans are led by Canada Cup member Carter Little on the defensive line. He was tied for the team lead in sacks this season and was also the leading tackler. He and his teammates will need to be on their a-game in order to limit Bison commit Sammy Hezekiah, who can make plays with both his arm and legs at the pivot position.

DIVISION 2: Murdoch MacKay Clansmen (5-1-1, #2 seed in Bramwell) vs Kelvin Clippers (6-1, #1 seed in Vidruk), Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at IGF

This contest will pit two of the top pure passers in the division, in Murdoch’s Carter Kutzan and Kelvin’s Daniel Moroz — who was the Rookie of the Year in 2017.

Kutzan had over 1100 all-purpose yards and holds a slight advantage in the running department, as the Clansmen like to utilize the read-option rather frequently due to their pivot’s athleticism. He gets great protection up front, led by Liam Sobering and Dawson Waldner and has plenty of weapons to throw to, including Christian Kull and Luke Wood — who is also one of the hardest hitters on the team on defence. Running back Preston Kull is also dangerous, and can catch teams sleeping at times due to the threat of Kutzan’s arm.

On the other side is Moroz, who threw for over 1200 yards. He has arguably the most well-rounded receiving corps in the division in Brock Gates, Robin Brooks, Liam Stephenson and Adam Fast, who all had at least 230 yards in the regular season. Additionally, running back Lamont Evert offers the team a change of pace at running back. He’s made his carries count this year, averaging 7.1 yards for a team that prefers to air it out.

The Clippers hold the heavy advantage defensively however, as they shut out five teams in the regular season. The team also had 30 sacks this year, 17 of which came from the fearsome trio of defensive linemen Isaiah Letander (Bison commit), Dylan Hess and Treyshaun Bollers.

Murdoch QB Carter Kutzan can make plays with both his arm and legs.

DIVISION 3: Fort Frances Muskies (4-2, #2 seed in Currie) vs Elmwood Giants (5-1, #1 seed in Currie), Thursday at 5 p.m. at Eastside Eagles Field

This contest is a rematch of week three, which the Muskies won 14-8. It was also the only blemish on the Giants record this season.

Quarterback Brady Meeks and running back Cam Bowles accounted for the two Muskies touchdowns the last time the pair of teams met, with the latter rushing for 116 yards in the contest. The former also had an excellent game in the quarter-finals against Maples last week, throwing for over 250 yards and will look for similar success against the Giants on Thursday.

Look for linebackers Owen Giancola and Isaiah Binns, as well as defensive end Jeremy Hampshire to have solid games for Elmwood in an attempt to negate the Muskies dynamic duo. The trio of defenders combined for 67 tackles during the regular season, as well as three interceptions.

On the other side of the equation is Evyn Melville, a behemoth of a back who scored at least two touchdowns in every game except week three. His 17 scores broke the division 3 record for majors in a season and he also ran for 1180 yards total. The offence runs through him, and Muskies linebackers such as Colten Allen — who led the team in tackles in the regular season — as well as Brett Allan, who had a pick six last week, will need to play at the top of their game.

DIVISION 3: Churchill Bulldogs (4-2, #3 seed in Currie) vs St. John’s Tigers (5-1, # seed in Currie), Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Eastside Eagles Field

The Tigers got the best of Churchill when the two teams met in week three of the regular season, thanks to a well-rounded defensive performance and 112 yards passing from pivot Myles Kakewash, who is protected by one of the league’s best offensive lines.

Fortunately for the Bulldogs, running back/linebacker William Barnsdale has been on a tear ever since week five and is a prime contender for Defensive Player of the Year. His seven fumble recoveries broke the division record, while he had 28.5 tackles and two interceptions over weeks five and six. He’ll need to be just as strong this week in order to help contain Kakewash, who had 13 touchdowns on the year.

Barnsdale also paced the Bulldogs offence with 703 yards and a 10.7 yards-per-carry average, but had solid support from pivot Dallas Reis and receivers Micheal Blackford and Pedro Quadros.

On the other side is a Tigers defence that pitched two shutouts in the regular season and gave up more than ten points just twice. Defensive back Asher Wood — who stands at 6’3″ — played a huge factor with a division-leading five interceptions, while fellow defensive back Riley Mercer led the team with 30 tackles.

Lancers, Clansmen and Giants victorious in WHSFL games of the week

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Clansmen pivot Carter Kutzan was on point against the Kodiaks, contributing in some capacity on all of his team’s touchdowns.

In a battle of undefeated teams in the WHSFL’s Bramwell conference (division 2), it was the Murdoch MacKay Clansmen who emerged victorious, while the Dakota Lancers and Elmwood Giants both improved to 3-1 on the year. Below is a recap of all three games of the week.

Division 1 (Potter conference): Dakota Lancers (3-1) 42 – 0 Grant Park Pirates (1-3)

The Dakota Lancers took a 20-0 lead into halftime and didn’t look back, knocking off the Grant Park Pirates 42-0 on Thursday night at Murray Field. Junior Peter Orajekwe — who was last year’s division 3 rookie of the year as a member of the Churchill Bulldogs — paced the home side’s offence, rushing for 153 yards and the games opening touchdown on just 12 carries.

“The game plan was to start hard and make [Grant Park] quit, and we just kept on going like that every five minutes,” Orajekwe said postgame. The team is pretty happy, but we need to keep working hard.”

Carson Cadieux also added a rushing touchdown, while senior defensive back/receiver Josh Yanchishyn had a hat trick, with a rushing, receiving and passing touchdown in the game.

Defensively, the Lancers were able to hold the Pirates potent running attack to just 58 yards, 40 of which came from feature back Paulo Dizon. Leading the charge was junior linebacker Josh Ma, who had 5.5 tackles, as well as two bone-crunching hits on special teams. Fellow grade 11 Jordan Friesen — who is a top 100 player in Canada for the 2020 class — added 4.5 tackles and a sack, while Daniel Okedara and Paul Orajekwe also got to Pirates pivot Wyatt Barber.

Despite the score, the Pirates defence did an admirable job. Alex Minor led the way, making multiple key tackles as well as registering an interception. Defensive back Jackson McLean also tallied a pick.

Next up for the Lancers is a critical matchup against the only undefeated team left in division 1, the Vincent Massey Trojans. That game goes at 5 p.m. at Dakota this Friday. Next up for Grant Park is a home tilt with the 0-4 Dryden Eagles at 4 p.m. on Friday.

Junior Peter Orajekwe — who was last year’s division 3 rookie of the year as a member of the Churchill Bulldogs — paced the Lancers offence, rushing for 153 yards and the games opening touchdown on just 12 carries.

Division 2 (Bramwell conference): Murdoch MacKay Clansmen (4-0) 32 – 16 River East Kodiaks (3-1)

In a battle of best on best in terms of offence and defence respectively, it was the Clansmen who were able to out-muscle the Kodiaks, holding them without a point in the second half, while scoring 17 straight in the third quarter en route to the victory.

Junior pivot Carter Kutzan led the way once more for Murdoch, making plays with both his arm and legs. He scored three majors on quarterback keepers, while also passing for another. The versatile quarterback was quick to praise his blocking up front for Murdoch’s current success in 2018.

“I couldn’t do anything without the offensive line,” he said postgame. “Our centre and our left guard Liam [Sobering] and Dawson [Waldner], they’ve just been unbelievable, but our whole offensive line, if we don’t have them, it’s nothing for us.”

Early on, it was the vaunted Kodiaks defence that stepped up. They recovered a fumble on the first Murdoch possession, and on the ensuing drive, Manitoba Bison commit Samuel Hezekiah was able to find the end zone with his legs.

The Clansmen would answer back though, as Kutzan found receiver Christian Kull on a few big post routes, which led to QB keeper to tie the game up at seven.

The Kodiaks would continue to make plays when it counted in the first half however, as hybrid safety Ethan Topping recovered a botched kick in the Clansmen end zone to give River East back the lead. Topping finished the day with 15 tackles, as well as a forced fumble to go with his major.

A safety would make the score 16-7 for River East, as they continued to bend but not break in the first half defensively. But Kutzan and the Murdoch offence continued to push back, scoring in the final minute of the first half on a touchdown pass. Receiver Alex Grace would add a two-point convert as the home side went into the break down by just one.

The second half is where things started to fall apart for the Kodiaks, as Kutzan and company began to start rolling, keeping the River East defence guessing with read option plays by Kutzan as well as a strong showing on the ground from running back Preston Kull, who came into the contest averaging 140 yards.

A safety gave the Clansmen their first lead of the game, which spelled the beginning of the end as the Murdoch defence was able to hold Hezekiah and company in check for the remainder of the contest. Kutzan would add two more scores, while River East was held to less than 140 yards on the ground.

Kodiaks head coach Sean Oleksewycz said postgame that nothing changed scheme-wise in the second half in terms of what either team was doing, and that Murdoch was simply able to make more plays.

“Carter [Kutzan] is a hell of a quarterback, he knows what we’re seeing,” he said. “We had them scouted well, we knew their plays before they were coming, but Liam Sobering and Carter, they’re great players. Hats off to them, they whipped us today pretty well.”

Despite the outcome, Oleksewycz added that a loss at this stage of the season isn’t the end of the world.

“Going 3-0 early, a loss is good for us right now,” he said. “We’re not world beaters right now, we know we have to come pay our rent each week so we can have success. We didn’t have a great week of practice and when it comes down to it we just didn’t play well.”

Both teams head into week five with critical contests yet again. The Clansmen will do battle with the 4-0 St. Norbert Celtics, who have been the feel good story in the Vidruk conference of division 2 so far. That game goes Friday at 4:30 at Murdoch. The Kodiaks will face off with the other undefeated team in the Vidruk conference, as they head to River Heights to take on the 4-0 Kelvin Clippers at 4:30 this Thursday. Both contests will be included as games of the week for division two.

Division 3: Elmwood Giants (3-1) 39 – 28 Maples Marauders (1-2)

The Giants got another stellar performance from running back Evyn Melville, as he ran the rock for 145 yards and four scores on just 12 carries in the victory. Linebacker Jacobien O’Connor paced the defensive play for Elmwood, recording two tackles, a blocked kick and three fumble recoveries.

The Marauders got 172 yards and two scores on the ground from the trio of Riley Mckee, Aaron Gosselin and Harper Brown, as well as seven tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery from defensive back Adamo Urciuoli, but it wasn’t enough to top the Giants, who now move into a three-way tie for first place in the division with the St. John’s Tigers and Fort Frances Muskies.

Next up for the Giants is a battle with the Churchill Bulldogs this Friday at 4:30, while the Marauders will do battle with the Muskies this Thursday at 4 p.m.

Trojans, Kodiaks, Tigers victorious in varsity games of the week

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: St. Paul’s 1 running back/punter Te Jessie attempts to lunge past Vincent Massey defensive back Teagan Simon.

The number of undefeated varsity teams dipped to five this past week, as in the division one game of the week, the Vincent Massey Trojans handed the St. Paul’s 1 Crusaders their first regular season loss in over seven seasons. The St. John’s Tigers also levelled the playing field in division 3, topping the previously unbeaten Churchill Bulldogs. Below is a breakdown of all three marquee matchups from week three.

Division 1: Vincent Massey Trojans (3-0) 14 – 10 St. Paul’s 1 Crusaders (2-1)

In a growing division 1 rivalry that continues to produce game of the year candidates, it was the visiting Vincent Massey Trojans who were able to knock off the Crusaders, handing the hosts their first regular season loss in over seven years this past Friday night. The Trojans were also the last team to beat St. Paul’s 1 in the playoffs, that being in the 2015 ANAVETS Bowl.

To no one’s surprise, the defensive battle was decided in the final minutes.

St. Paul’s 1 had the ball, down 14-10 with two minutes to find the endzone. Senior Crusaders pivot Brody Lawson stepped back and unloaded a deep ball that found receiver Tristen Hutter, who had the team’s only touchdown in the contest. But just as it appeared that the senior had given his team ideal field position, Massey defensive back Sam Oyetunji — who had four tackles in the contest — stripped him from behind. The fumble was recovered by teammate Brandon Kamenz and the Trojans were able to run the clock down to secure the win.

“Honest to God I just trusted the coaches and what they called,” said Oyetunji regarding his critical forced fumble.

“They were like, ‘we’re going to play yellow [cover three] on this, because we know St. Paul’s, they’re going to go deep.’ So we were expecting it. The coverage, I was supposed to take someone else, but I saw the ball let go and I just knew I had to do something. Hutter caught it and I saw that the ball wasn’t tucked into his arm very good, so I was like there it is. At the end of the day, all glory be to God.”

The first quarter was a see-saw affair with both defences flexing their muscles. The Trojans forced St. Paul’s 1 to punt from the shadows of their own end zone on multiple occasions, however the Crusaders D held strong, with linebackers Nic Pereira, Nathan Carabatsakis and Tyler Grom all producing big hits.

The Trojans would open the scoring early in the second quarter, becoming the first team to produce a touchdown on the Crusaders this season. The drive was aided by a critical third down conversion and was finished off with a Kyler Filewich touchdown reception from Jackson Tachinksi.

A Te Jessie punt single and Vince DeRosa missed field goal would make the score 7-2 Massey at the half, as both teams continued to bend but not break. Defensive backs Trae Tomlinson of St. Paul’s and Shad Nkiasi-Nsebwir of Massey displayed their versatility, making key plays during the middle frame.

The Crusaders would take their first lead of the game with 3:54 to go in the third on a drive that was aided by a massive third down conversion by Jessie, who was originally set up to punt but saw a massive hole open up on the near side of the field and used his speed to move the chains. Lawson would cap the drive off with a five yard major to Hutter. The ensuing two-point conversion was also successful, giving the hosts a 10-7 lead entering the final quarter.

Massey secured the game-winning score with seven minutes to go, courtesy of a Jayden Zimmer touchdown reception. The grade 11 also had a pivotal catch earlier in the drive. Running back Breydon Stubbs busted off some critical second down conversions late as well to seal the contest. He finished with 149 yards on the ground on 26 carries.

Despite the loss, Hutter was resolute postgame, vowing that the visitors hadn’t seen the best of the Crusaders.

“It’s a good lesson on how to deal with adversity,” he said. “We’re definitely going to play them again, can’t wait. I feel like this was a really good challenge for us.”

Next up for the Trojans is a home date with the 2-1 Sturgeon Heights Huskies this Thursday. The Crusaders will continue their campaign on Friday night as they take on the 1-2 Steinbach Sabres.

Division 2: River East Kodiaks (3-0) 46 – 9 Kildonan East Reivers (0-3)

River East kept their undefeated streak going on Friday, topping their East Kildonan rivals in convincing fashion on homecoming night.

The Kodiaks defence has given up just 17 points all year, and continued to flex their muscles against the Reivers, holding versatile pivots Nicholas Ducharme and Brice Bayisabe to just 65 combined passing yards. The latter did have 55 yards rushing on seven carries but was unable to gain sustained momentum.

Offensively, River East’s two-headed monster of Samuel Hezekiah and former Reiver Deion Nelson continued to wreak havoc. The former had 238 combined all-purpose yards and four scores, while the latter had 167 yards rushing and two majors, including a play where he bounced off of at least four different Kildonan East defenders.

The Kodiaks will be participants in the division 2 game of the week again this week, as they go head-to-head with the Murdoch MacKay Clansmen — who are also unbeaten — this Friday. Something’s gotta give in a contest that should see plenty of fireworks, as these two squads have combined for 292 points this year. The Reivers will look to get in the win column on Thursday, as they take on the Beaver Brae Broncos, who also have yet to get their first W of the 2018 campaign.

Division 3: St. John’s Tigers (2-1) 24 – 7 Churchill Bulldogs (2-1)

The Tigers kept the playing field level on Thursday night, handing Churchill their first loss of the 2018 campaign.

St. John’s run defence was critical, holding game-changing running back Gustavo Quadros to just eight yards on six carries. This comes a week after he burned up the turf for 200 yards against Lorette. Defensive lineman Nick Wakos was huge with seven tackles, while defensive back Riley Mercer had a team leading 12. Fellow defensive back Asher Wood also added an interception.

Offensively, the Tigers were paced by tremendous play up front, giving pivot Myles Kakewash plenty of time to throw. He finished with 112 yards passing and a major on the day and also had a rushing touchdown. Shawn Inglis also had a strong day, gaining 49 yards on just six carries.

Churchill has the bye this week, while St. John’s will take on Tec Voc on Friday.

Week three WHSFL varsity games of the week

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Manitoba Bison commit Breydon Stubbs has been a huge part of the Trojans offence this year. Photo supplied by Ryan Karhut.

This week’s contests see St. Paul’s 1, River East and St. John’s return to the GOTW primer. They’ll be taking on Vincent Massey Winnipeg, Kildonan East and Churchill, respectively.

Division 1: Vincent Massey Trojans (2-0) at St. Paul’s 1 Crusaders (2-0), Friday at 4:30 p.m.

Two consistent contenders in division 1 will renew their rivalry in week three as the Crusaders host Vincent Massey. These are the only two undefeated teams left in division 1, with St. Paul’s 1 currently leading the Potter conference, while the Trojans are on top of the Gustafson conference.

The contest will be the ultimate tale of offence against defence. The Trojans have scored a mind-blowing 101 points through the first two weeks of play, while the Crusaders have yet to give up a single point. Something’s gotta give.

Vincent Massey will be led by senior pivot Jackson Tachinski, who has thrown for 482 yards and seven touchdowns thus far. Five of those touchdowns have been caught by versatile threat Vaughn Lloyd. The ridiculous part is that the scatback has only recorded six receptions. But those six catches have gone for 256 total yards, giving Lloyd a yards per catch average of 42.7.

Complementing the duo is another standout senior in Manitoba Bison commit Breydon Stubbs. The well-rounded running back has 186 yards on just 19 carries, averaging 9.8 yards per carry with two scores.

Combatting the Trojans offensive attack is a Crusaders defence that is young, but flies to the ball, plays physical and does their job — all critical traits on a Stacy Dainard-coached team.

Pacing the tempo are a pair of linebackers in junior Nathan Carabatsakis and sophomore Nic Pereira. Carabatsakis is one of the top linebacker prospects in the 2020 class and has six tackles and a sack this year. His intensity and fire are evident every time he makes a play. Pereira, a standout at the U16 Western Challenge under defensive coordinator Sean Oleksewycz, has six tackles, an interception and a forced fumble so far this year. His speed coming through the hole is among the best in the league.

The defensive line gets plenty of pressure both on the interior and edge as well. Two notable players are senior Dylan Duha, who has four tackles, and Zach Lytle — one of five sophomores on the squad — who has 3.5 tackles. The secondary also sees a sophomore making an impact in Trae Tomlinson, the second ranked player in the CFC class of 2021. He recorded an interception in his debut as a starter in week one against the Dakota Lancers. Seniors Vince DeRosa and Kyle Chorney also have interceptions.

Division 2: Kildonan East Reivers (0-2) at River East Kodiaks (2-0), Friday at 4:30 p.m.

The two schools that are just seven minutes apart from each other will renew their rivalry at River East’s homecoming game this Friday.

The Kodiaks are led by a stout, playmaking defence that has given up just one touchdown this year. Pacing the way is safety Ethan Topping, who has 16 tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery. Two-way athletes Samual Hezekiah, who has multiple U SPORTS offers, as well as former Reiver Deion Nelson have been standouts on both sides of the ball. They’ve combined for five tackles and a interception a piece on defence, as well as 535 yards on offence and eight touchdowns.

Kildonan East will combat with an offence that’s led by athletic quarterback/receiver Nick Ducharme, who was a member of the Reivers 2016 WHSFL Bowl-winning team. They also have speed at running back and slotback, provided by Alex Fedrizzi and Bryce Bayisabe, respectively. Six-foot, 256-pound defensive end Joseph Heyward leads a defence that has played well this year, particularly last week against a stout St. Norbert squad.

Division 3: St. John’s Tigers (1-1) at Churchill Bulldogs (2-0), Thursday at 5 p.m.

The Bulldogs have been dominant through two weeks so far, scoring 74 points while surrendering none. They’ll go face-to-face with their toughest challenge yet this week, in a Tigers squad that has had contributions from their squad all across the board. Four players have scored at least once on offence, led by Myles Kakewash’s five combined majors. On defence, the team has three total interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

A history of the Never Alone Foundation game/McPhillips Bowl

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Members of the 2017 Spartans and Fighting Gophers gather with WHSFL commissioner Rick Henkewich (middle, left) to present a cheque to the Never Alone Foundation. Photo by Ligia Braidotti

This Thursday at 7 p.m., the Sisler Spartans and Garden City Fighting Gophers will do battle in the fourth annual Never Alone Foundation game/McPhillips Bowl at Charlie Krupp Stadium, the home of the North Winnipeg Nomads.

About the Never Alone Foundation

The Never Alone Foundation was conceived by former Bombers President and CEO Lyle Bauer in 2004, after being diagnosed with throat cancer. He said that he had never felt so alone and unsure of what the future would hold.

His experience successfully fighting the disease and the support he received from friends, family, and cancer service providers inspired him to help other cancer patients, and to let them know that they are Never Alone.

Over the years, the Never Alone Foundation has provided funding to numerous agencies and programs working to defeat cancer, while also supporting initiatives that provide assistance to the families of cancer patients, both before and after diagnosis.

How the game came about

Over the years, Bauer had done a lot for high school and amateur football in the province. In conversations that WHSFL commissioner Rick Henkewich had had with him, it just made sense to work together to come up with some sort of game involving Never Alone, with all proceeds being donated to the foundation.

“We just decided this was a great way to raise funds and to give back to the people who were working for us,” Henkewich says.

“We also wanted our guys to understand that they’re on the lucky side of life, and there’s another dimension to where we are. We’re blessed with athletic ability and everything else, whereas others are suffering and are inflicted with cancer.”

During the process, the North Winnipeg Nomads football club stepped up, volunteering to supply their field every year for the game. What that guaranteed was a game under the lights due to the amenities located at Charlie Krupp Stadium.

All the league needed now was a rivalry game attached to it to hype up the contest. That was made possible when Garden City moved up to division 1 in 2015.

“Sisler and Garden City, now that they’re both division 1 schools, it just made sense to have the McPhillips Bowl,” Henkewich says.

“Most of these guys played their minor ball with the Nomads, so they’re playing against their friends and the game is always critical in the standings. It’s also a way to give back to the community and help out a different level of people.”

Over the past three years, just shy of $10,000 has been raised for the Never Alone Foundation, primarily coming from the $5 gate charge as well as the canteen proceeds collected at the game.

“For two high school teams out of Winnipeg’s north end, that’s a great deal of money,” Henkewich says.

“And it’s not just the teams, it’s their student populations and fan support that step up to this too. It’s a
fantastic rivalry.”

About that rivalry….

The Sisler Spartans currently hold a 2-1 record since the game’s inception, and will enter this year’s McPhillips Bowl as the defending champs. The game has traditionally been tightly contested, with the first two editions being won by a combined total of just 20 points.

Even MLA’s in the city have started to get embrace the game’s rivalry.

“The MLA’s for the area, they’ve had a bet for the last couple of years. The losing team has to
wear the other team’s jersey in the house. So that’s always a great thing,” Henkewich says.

Last year, Sisler won so Nic Curry had to wear a Sisler jersey in the house. The fact that the politicians have jumped on this too is absolutely fantastic. It really shows the community support.”

Raiders, Kodiaks and Giants victorious in WHSFL Games of the Week

By: Mike Still

Feature photo: Oak Park running back Rhyland Kelly makes a move against Sisler in the WHSFL Division 1 varsity game of the week.

Week two of varsity action in the WHSFL saw plenty of tight contests and thrilling performances. Below is a breakdown of the three games of the week.

Division 1 (Gustafson conference): Oak Park Raiders 25 – Sisler Spartans 13

The Oak Park Raiders (1-1) successfully defended their field at homecoming this past Friday night, defeating the Sister Spartans (1-1) 25-13 in a defensive slugfest. Defensive back Ben Hilton was the player of the game, pacing the home squad with an interception in the second, third and fourth quarter. His second pick was the most critical, occurring while the Spartans were driving into Oak Park territory down 18-7 late in third.

“We were watching the game film all the time, so we were just reading their plays and practicing our coverages,” Hilton said postgame. “Every time, we knew what they were doing.”

The contest’s first touchdown was rather unique. Raiders kicker Niall Reid’s intended field goal went off the crossbar, however Sisler was unable to field the ball. Oak Park defensive back Tyson Wood promptly recovered the pigskin in the end zone to give the home side a 7-0 lead.

The Spartans levelled the score early in the second quarter, courtesy of a 25-yard Steven Koniuck touchdown reception in double coverage. This was the dynamic receiver’s only grab of the game however, as the Raiders secondary held him in check for the rest of the contest. Koniuck also made his presence felt in the return game though, as he was named the Division 1 Special Teams Player of the Week with 95 yards in kick returns.

But the home side would re-take the lead for good on a 30-yard Reid field goal with six minutes to play in the first half. The kick was set up by a 50-yard punt return.

Pandemonium would ensue in the final few minutes of the first half. First, Hilton would record his first interception of the game, taking the ball all the way into Sisler territory. Then, on the ensuing drive, senior Austin Balan would give the ball right back to his squad, picking off a pass from junior Thomas Hubbard. Just when it looked like the Spartans were pulling the momentum back in their favour, they fumbled the ball and Oak Park defensive lineman Grayson Wright recovered. The Raiders would score on the following drive, courtesy of a quarterback keeper from Hubbard to take a 17-7 lead into the break.

The third quarter featured a little bit of deja vu. First, with Oak Park now up 18-7, Hilton would grab his second interception of the game on a third down gamble from the Spartans. But on the next Raiders drive, Balan was able to haul in his second pick courtesy of an impressive diving grab. Unfortunately for the visitors, Oak Park’s defence would once again capitalize on a fumble, with Wright ending up with the pigskin for the second time on the ensuing drive. Sophomore running Rhyland Kelly would put the game to bed shortly afterwards, running the ball right down the Spartans throat while capping off the following Oak Park drive with a major of his own to make the score 25-7.

The 14-year-old had a tremendous showing for the hosts, pacing the offence all game long. He was humble with his assessment of his performance after the contest.

“Honestly, it was just like straight forward football. Just hit the hole and go,” Kelly said. “It was nothing special, no madden plays or anything.”

The Spartans would add a late touchdown courtesy of Balan, but it was too little too late. Despite the score, the CFC 100 athlete was tremendous. Along with his two picks, he recorded 217 yards on the ground on 22 carries and had six tackles.

“I thought we played better than the scoreboard showed,” Balan said postgame. “We were able to move the ball on offence, we just couldn’t capitalize. Defensively we played well. Overall the bounces just didn’t go our way, and we weren’t disciplined enough today.”

Next up for the Raiders is a home clash with the 1-1 Dakota Lancers on Thursday evening. Sisler’s next matchup will be under the lights at Nomads stadium this Thursday, as they take on the 1-1 Garden City Fighting Gophers at 7 p.m. in the McPhillips Bowl.

Division 2 (Bramwell conference): River East 54 – Neelin 6

The River East Kodiaks (2-0) continued to prove that they’re a top contender in division 2 with a commanding 48-point victory over the Neelin Spartans (0-2).

The storyline of this contest was the Spartans strong passing game going up against a stout River East secondary. After throwing for 366 yards and two touchdowns a week ago, the Kodiaks were able to hold Neelin pivot Evan Nachtigal to just 192 yards and a score on Thursday night. His one touchdown occurred on a Hail Mary toss on the final play of the first half, which receiver Kaleb Johnston hauled in from 40 yards out. Despite their 0-2 record, Nachtigal and Johnston have developed quite the connection, with the latter hauling in 307 of the former’s 558 passing yards this season.

River East’s offence was clearly no slouch in this contest either. They went off for 435 yards on the ground, 187 of which came from Kildonan East transfer Deion Nelson. Next week, Nelson will get a chance to face his old team, as the undefeated Kodiaks do battle with a tough Reivers squad that are still looking for their first win of the season. That game will take place this Friday at 4:30 p.m. at River East in the division 2 game of the week. Neelin’s next game is Friday as well, as they take on the 2-0 St. Norbert Celtics at home at 5 p.m.

Division 3 (Currie): Elmwood Giants 45 – St. John’s Tigers 28

It was an offensive showcase on Thursday night at Elmwood, as the Giants (2-0) held off a surge from the Tigers (1-1) to stay undefeated.

Both pivots had a solid day, with Elmwood’s Logan Claeys and St. John’s Myles Kakewash throwing for two touchdowns and close to 200 yards each. The difference in this one came down to the ground game, where Giants running back Evyn Melville continued his stellar start to the 2018 season with 168 yards and four touchdowns. His rushing yardage was more than five of the Tigers ball carriers combined. In two games, Meville has now ran for 382 yards and six majors,

Next up for the Giants is a road tilt with the 1-1 Fort Frances Muskies on Friday afternoon, while the Tigers next game is this Thursday against the 2-0 Churchill Bulldogs in the division 3 game of the week.