Foote Field – The beat goes on for the Paul Kane Blues in high school football.
The Blues pounded the drums for eight touchdowns while posting their fourth shutout of the season in the 53-0 smoke show of the Ardrossan Bisons in the Miles division two semifinal Friday.
The defending champions waltz into the final for the second year in a row undefeated as the No. 2-ranked Football Alberta Tier II (750 to 1,249 students) team.
Saturday’s kick off between the Blues (7-0) and the McNally Tigers (6-2) is 11:30 a.m. at Foote Field and admission is $5.
“To repeat would be a great experience,” marvelled Julian Pawlychka, a returning player from the first senior championship team in Paul Kane history. “It’s been quite an experience so far.”
The last Miles’ team to win two banners in a row was Ardrossan in 2010-11.
“To repeat would show that this isn’t a building year. We still kept our skill and our coaches are not letting things go,” said Grade 11 wideout Tanner Buchanan.
The winner will join the Austin O’Brien Crusaders, a 3-4 Carr division one team ranked eighth in Tier II, in the Tier II north semifinals Nov. 8 at Foote Field.
AOB, the three-time reigning Tier II Alberta Bowl champion, would play the Lloydminster Barons at noon and the Blues or McNally would huddle up against the St. Joseph Celtics of Grande Prairie at 2:30 p.m.
St. Joseph of the Mighty Peace league is ranked No. 1 at 10-0 and Lloydminster of the Wheatland league is ninth at 7-1.
Last year the Blues were 10-0 until falling in the Tier II north final to AOB 32-0 on a snowy field at Clarke Park.
“We’re going to keep going until we lose,” Buchanan said. “The whole team works hard and we just want to come out on top.”
With so much at stake the Blues can’t look past McNally, who snuck past the O’Leary Spartans (5-2) in a 39-27 semifinal upset.
In the third game of the season the Blues knocked off McNally 41-24 despite being flagged 16 times. The Blues posted leads of 14-0 at the end of the first quarter, 20-17 at halftime and 27-17 after three quarters against the first team to put points on the board against them this season.
“It’s going to be a big challenge,” Buchanan said. “Our record gives us a lot of confidence going into the final but we can’t get too cocky because teams are ready to play us.”
Ardrossan (3-5), last year’s Tier III (450 to 749 students) Alberta Bowl finalist, beat the undisciplined St. Albert High Skyhawks (3-4) 28-10 earlier in the week for a shot at the Blues.
In the semifinal it was 25-0 at halftime as Ardrossan, ranked eighth in Tier IV (449 or less students), managed only a couple of first downs in the opening half.
“We had kind of a slow start but we picked it up. We got our drives going and connected on our passes and it turned out pretty well for us,” Pawlychka said of the Paul Kane offence that racked up eight touchdowns in the blowout. “Our defence was doing phenomenal at the start. They were making some pretty good shutdowns, turning down the yardage and really doing a great job and that picked up the offence and carried us through.”
Grade 11 quarterback Brendan Guy completed 17 out of 25 passes to eight receivers for 295 yards and TD strikes to Shaydon Phillip (18 yards), Aidan Mueller (10 yards) Mike Webb (13 yards), Kelly Repato (35 yards) and Buchanan (11 yards).
In the regular season Guy was the top Miles’ quarterback while going 108-for-179 passing for 1,517 yards and 19 TDs and only three interceptions.
Phillip caught six passes overall in the semifinal for 103 yards, Mueller had four receptions for 70 yards and Buchanan was targeted three times for 60 yards.
Five players combined for 131 rushing yards on 25 carries for three TDs.
“The offence is perfect the way we run it with our tempo. Teams aren’t able to keep up with us,” said Buchanan, 16.
He finished third among Miles receivers in league play with 319 yards on 14 catches for five TDs in his first year on the senior team.
“I love being part of this team. It’s a bigger step up than junior,” Buchanan said. “I love celebrating after games. It’s awesome.”
So why are the Blues too good to be true?
“It’s heart,” Buchanan explained. “We’re all playing as a team. Everything we do is as a team.”
Pawlychka, 16, is one of 12 veterans on the 31-man roster that features 16 Grade 12s.
“The team is a bit closer and we’re connecting a lot more. Last year we did have good connections and relationships but this year it’s a different level of bonding,” said the offensive tackle and outside linebacker who is tied for second on the Blues in tackles with 19 in league play.
“We’re basically all playing for each other, especially with the new guys beside you.”
