Fighting Saints Football

We are now into 2016, there is quite a bit of snow on the ground and it seems unusual to be talking about football. Our season review is a bit late this year, but better late than never.

Our junior squad had a very successful year. The juniors boasted their largest numbers in quite a long time, carrying 49 players on the roster at the end of the season. Half of these players were Grade 9s, which speaks volumes about the success and popularity of our program.

The juniors finished the regular season at 3 and 2, locking up third place heading into the playoffs. After a decisive win over a tough Superior squad in the quarterfinals, the juniors had to face second place Hammarskjold in the semifinals. The team played their best football of the season that day, but fell 15-13 after nearly pulling off the upset in the final seconds against the Vikings.

With upwards of 25 potential returning Grade 9s, the juniors should be posed to be in contention for the SSSAA crown once again.

Our senior squad likewise had a very successful 2015 campaign. With quite a number of Grade 12 players and a solid core of Grade 11s, the seniors were regarded as one of the top teams in the league.

The seniors headed into the playoffs in third place, finishing tied with St. Ignatius at 5 and 2. The semifinals pitted them against those same Falcons; the outcome was bitterly contested for most of the game, until St. Ignatius pulled away in the second half.

The seniors also have quite a number of returning players and should again be regarded as one of the top teams in the league this coming season.

This year our teams lent their support to another of worthy causes. In October, our captains sported pink “C’s” as it was breast cancer awareness month. For the November playoff games, the captains wore camouflage “C’s” in honour of veterans month and Remembrance Day.

Our program has been very fortunate over the years to have a number of our players move on to play football at the university level. In the spring of 2014, we had our first alumni drafted into the Canadian Football League.

Nigel Romick only began playing football in Grade 10. He very quickly established himself as one of the best tight ends and defensive ends in the city. His hard work earned him a scholarship to St. Mary’s University in Halifax. Nigel’s size and talent made him a force for the Huskies’ defence; in his final season he tallied 27 tackles and 6 sacks. That output led him to be selected as the 23rd overall pick in the CFL draft by the Ottawa Redblacks.

Nigel has always been very willing to give back to the school and our program. Over the Christmas break, he came to visit bearing a special gift; a game worn jersey. Nigel took some time to address to the players and coaches who were present, speaking about how his time at St. Pats and football changed his life. Senior team captains Kellen Steudle and Cody Baranyk, along with junior captains Calen Fennell and Erik Steinhaeusser accepted the game jersey on behalf of the program. It will eventually be displayed in the school hallway alongside other notable St. Pats alumni such as Katie Weatherston, Carter Hutton and others. You can read and watch the media coverage of the event via these links: Chronicle-Journal, Tbnewswatch and TBT News.

With the new year upon us, there are a number of important events coming up. On Tuesday, February 9th we will commence our off-season workout program in the weight room. Then on the following Tuesday, February 16th, members of our junior team will be at Pope John Paul senior elementary school to promote our program. The next day, February 17th, is the annual school open house for prospective Grade 8 students. Fighting Saints football will have a booth set up and both coaches and players will be on hand to answer any questions about the upcoming season.