The Paul Kane Blues kick off their second year of high school football in search of their first victory after a winless debut in the metro Edmonton league's Carr conference.
"Our first win would be huge for the organization and the school. When it will come I'm not sure but we're definitely going to give it a go in our first game on September 6," said Rob Strecker, head coach of the senior Blues.
The season-opener against the O'Leary Spartans starts at 7:30 p.m. at Clarke Park.
"That is where everything is pointing towards right now. We're getting ready for O'Leary and getting the boys on board in what we need to do for us to accomplish that first goal," Strecker said.
Since the formation of the metro association in 1988/89, Paul Kane students played football for the St. Albert Storm and then 13 years for the St. Albert High Skyhawks before the formation of the gridiron Blues last year.
The Blues started the season with a bang by defeating the Edmonton public league's M.E. Lazerte Voyageurs 40-0 in pre-season, but in the Carr conference they were outscored 180-18 in six losses. The Blues were shut out four times and failed to register a point in their last three games, including losses of 22-0 to the Bellerose Bulldogs and 15-0 to the Skyhawks. The team's main offensive threat was kicker Ideen Samodi.
"Last year we played really well in the spring and in the fall against M.E. Lazerte. I actually thought we were going to have a pretty good year and then we had it handed to us. It wasn't for a lack of trying, it's just that these teams were well polished," Strecker said.
The Blues will stay the course in the notoriously strong Carr circuit instead of regrouping in the lower level Miles conference.
"We know what we have in the junior program and these boys are football players," Strecker said. "What I'm hoping for this year is to rattle the cage and make a little noise. Next year will be the year. The majority of this team will be in Grade 12. They will have a few years of high school football under their belts and we'll go from there."
Juniors now seniors
The bulk of last year's roster has graduated and moving up to the senior ranks is last year's 7-1 premier junior championship team.
"I have a really good core of boys from the junior team, a solid base, so that's a good place to start from. I only have three returning guys from the senior team so the majority of this team will be our junior team from last year," Strecker said. "We're really excited with the group of guys we have. We have a lot to work with but we're very young, so small steps. We're just looking to improve. We obviously have a long ways to go from last year so we'll build on little things and keep escalating it throughout the year."
Strecker stressed the growing pains will continue for the Paul Kane program as the juniors adjust to the senior level.
"Senior football is a big step and it will be a big step for a lot of these guys from junior. There is some big fast boys. The pace of the game is totally different from junior and a number of these boys will see that as we go along when we start playing the big boys like Facey and Sal. Bellerose is going to be really strong this year and St. Albert High too."
Strecker coached the receivers on the junior and senior teams and assisted offensive co-ordinator Tim Enger.
"As a coach the big thing is showing the guys that this is big boys' football," Strecker said. "We had it pretty easy last year as a junior team. Not many teams could give us a game other than Bev Facey and Bellerose and we're going to find that we're going to be in those types of games all year. It will not be like how it was last year."
Deep talent pool
Strecker is encouraged by the team's potential, especially its speed at the skill positions, but will still scout the hallways for more players to fill out the 35-man senior roster and the projected junior line-up of 40.
"I saw a lot of good things in spring camp. Fall camp is going great. We did a lot of good things against JP [Rebels in Friday's joint practice]," said the Paul Kane phys-ed, sports medicine and science teacher. "I just cannot see it being like last year. There is just too many good football players out here and I know we're going to get it done. By no means am I saying we're going to run the table but I think people will take notice of us."
Grade 11 quarterback Cory Knott, the Grant Yuzyk Award winner as the most outstanding junior in the metro league, will run the offence.
"How can you have the most valuable player in the junior league not be your starter?" Strecker said. " Cory will do fine. Cory will be very familiar with the guys we have because most of the junior receivers are coming up and we have a couple of the seniors, or new guys that I pulled in, so I'm really excited about our offence."
Strecker's specialty is on the offensive side of the ball from his days as a sure-handed receiver. The Paul Kane alumnus played his minor football in St. Albert with the peewee Crusaders and the bantam Colts and in high school suited up for M.E. Lazerte.
"I had a brief stint with the [Edmonton] Huskies and I did try out for the [Alberta Golden] Bears and did OK, but I had to make that decision whether I was going to work or play football and I chose work," he said. "I've been associated with the Eskimos for 30-odd years and was an equipment manager for 15 of those years full-time, day and night, and that's where a lot of my football knowledge has come from, just sitting back and watching and seeing how things are done. I got to witness all those hall of famers playing and practicing and the coaches and how they handled situations and run practices. That's kind of the philosophy I've taken."
