Last chance for glory
November 10, 2008, Winnipeg Sun
By ADAM WAZNY
Footballers prep for final game
It's been a strange week of practice and reflection for Sean Clark.
The Churchill Bulldogs running back, a Grade 12 student about to play his final Winnipeg High School Football League game when his club takes on the St. Paul's Crusaders 1 in the ANAVETS Bowl tonight (Canad Inns Stadium, 7:30 p.m. Shaw TV), is one of a few players in an unique situation.
Win or lose, this stage of their football careers will come to a close. A humbling thought, according to Clark.
"I was downstairs in our change room talking to some of the guys and we were saying how next week at this time, this place will be empty," he said the other day.
"It's weird knowing that if you are a Grade 12 player, this will be your last game. Even at practice this week, everyone seems to be aware of that and is trying a little harder and that kind of thing. It's like, either you do it now, or you won't do it at all."
That message is not lost on the Bulldogs head coach.
Kelsey McKay has been with the program as a coach in some capacity since the 1990 season and says his is a fine line this past week; a balancing act between the singular preparation for a championship game while ensuring graduating players hold a sense of the big picture of their time at Churchill.
"Appreciate what's going on right now. Don't worry about what is happening next week or next month, just enjoy the present," McKay said on what he told his players. "The football season is a long one and we've had some adversity this year, but I tell my guys to just stay in the moment.
"Look at the person beside you and enjoy their friendship, because you may not ever get that chance to play this game with them again."
Sentiment aside, the Bulldogs-Crusaders match-up should be a doozy.
St. Paul's comes into the game with a 9-0 record while Churchill looks to avenge its only loss of the season, a 28-26 decision to this same Crusaders club.
McKay said his defence will have to do a better job of keeping St. Paul's quarterback Nicholas Cobb in the pocket.
"They hurt us with the long pass and a lot of dinks and dunks, but where they really hurt us was when their quarterback ran the ball," McKay offered. "We thought we took away a lot of things for him, but he saw a few holes and took advantage of them. He must have got four or five first downs that way."
On the Churchill side, expect a lot of Clark, who ran for 1,076 yards on 112 carries this season, and Riley Coates (five touchdowns in the semifinal) in the Power-I formation.
"You have to be able to pound the ball in October and November, and Power-I football is a staple at Churchill," offered McKay, who is 0-4 against St. Paul's since the Bulldogs won the city title in the 2004 season.
"It was there when I played quarterback at Churchill in the '80s, and that's what we ran under (current Manitoba Bisons head coach Brian Dobie) and (current Winnipeg Rifles coach Paul Normandeau). And that has never changed at Churchill. The conditions will be cold, but we think we're built for it."
The Potter Division (AAA) final is one of three WHSFL championship games today.
In the Currie Division (A) final, Portage takes on Murdoch MacKay (2:30 p.m.), while the Vidruk Division (AA) final has Garden City matching up against Sturgeon Heights (5 p.m.).