The junior varsity EMCS Wolverines football team finished their season with a loss to the Ballenas Whalers in Parksville on Oct. 31. The pouring rain and sloppy field made the play suitably scary for Halloween night, with both teams fumbling and slipping through the game.
Despite not being overly competitive this season, there is plenty of reason for optimism. Of the 19 players registered, only three were Grade 10s, and, overall, eight were playing their first year of football. This included Gavin Cowper-Dawdy, Jamie Blakeborough, Matt Hancock and Riley Boake who all had strong years and improved greatly over the course of the season.
The three grade eights on the roster—Andy Abell, Jordan Schutt and Eddie George—more than held their own against competitors usually two years older than them. All three have come up through the Sooke Seahawks community football program, and next season’s Wolverines should see another bumper crop of grade eights and nines.
Add them to the current group, who will be a year older and have their first year of playing out of the way, and on paper the junior Wolverines will be ready to begin competing at the AA level.
The senior Wolverines finish up their season with a home game Nov. 9 against GP Vanier.
A few weeks after that, the Wolverines will begin their offseason training program. Anyone currently in Grades 7 through 11 who might be interested in playing football next year are encouraged to attend these sessions. There is no cost and it is a great way for new players to meet their coaches and teammates before committing to the season. For more information on the offseason training program, please contact JV head coach Richard Whiteley at front2steel@yahoo.ca.
By Nathan Lowther