The motto for the Bellerose Bulldogs is “24 Strong” on the football field.
A young but small roster of Bulldogs with huge hearts have rallied around the slogan while going 1-1 to kick-off the Carr conference division one season in the metro Edmonton league.
“We have a lot of rookies to senior football on this team and we are asking a lot out of some of the young, inexperienced players,” said head coach Chad Hill of the “24 Strong” rallying cry. “Anytime you have a team that has this much youth and inexperience there is going to be some mistakes that happen and there’s going to be some execution issues and we just have to clean that up to be competitive against the big teams.
“If they’re going to beat us we have to make them beat us physically. We can’t beat ourselves through mental errors so we’ve got to hang in there with them and cut out the mental errors.”
A handful of returning Bulldogs from last year’s 5-4 semifinalists are showing the newcomers to the senior level what Bellerose football is all about.
“We’re pretty lit right now as a team,” said Colton Meronyk, a third-year Bulldog. “We have lots of rookies or younger people on the team who are inexperienced but we’re doing well coaching them up. The vets are taking a role here to help people know the plays and make everything good.”
Hill is encouraged by the contributions of the Bellerose newbies.
“Travis Heggart is playing two ways as a Grade 10. Brett Yost (Football Alberta U16 selection for the 2017 International Bowl in January) is contributing on both sides of the ball as a Grade 10 as well. Dylan McCoy is starting at offensive tackle as a Grade 10. Jacob Turpin has started both games at wide receiver and defensive back and is Grade 11, but he’s brand new to football and he’s got interceptions in both games,” Hill said. “These are some really inexperienced players and we’re counting on them to shoulder a big load.”
Young and old pulled together after a sketchy start against the Salisbury Sabres to defeat the Sherwood Park squad 26-8 last week in St. Albert.
“We got the win,” Hill said with a sigh of relief. “The first half was not pretty but then midway through the third quarter we came alive a little bit. A sense of urgency took over and we played better and crisper football.”
Down by one, the Bulldogs piled up 19 unanswered points in the last 5:03 minutes.
“Honestly, just because we were losing I thought it would be tough but once we had the momentum I figured we would come out with the win,’ Meronyk said. “We just wanted it more I guess. We finished plays on defence and came back.”
The Bulldogs led 7-1 at halftime on Ben VanLeeuwen’s blocked punt and 43-yard return for a touchdown in the second quarter. His point after attempt was good.
Salisbury (0-2) jumped ahead 8-7 with a one-yard TD run after recovering its short punt and penalties kept the drive rolling.
The Bulldogs rattled the Sabres with one-yard TDs by quarterback Quade Kozak and his second major with 1:35 to play was converted by VanLeeuwen.
With 38 seconds to go, Meronyk attempted to hurdle his way into the endzone from the one but upon impact did a somersault over the goal line.
“I didn’t have enough hops,” Meronyk said. “The linebacker just went under my legs and I flipped into the endzone.”
Turnovers set up the last two TDs, including Turpin’s interception to put the Bulldogs at first and goal for Meronyk to seal the deal.
Meronyk, 17, rushed 11 times for 56 yards and the majority were gained in the second half. He also recorded four tackles.
The Grade 12 Bulldog described his roles on the team as a leader first and then running back, linebacker, free safety and punt and kick returner.
“I just want to help give people motivation so we can do everything we can to win.”
Friday the Bulldogs huddle up against the Harry Ainlay Titans (2-0) at 7:30 p.m. at Foote Field.
“They are chock-full of athletes. They have a big line and they’ve got game changers on both sides of the ball,” Hill said of the No. 4-ranked Football Alberta Tier I (school population 1,250-plus students) team.
Ainlay is expected to challenge the No. 2-ranked Bev Facey Falcons (2-0) for the Carr championship banner as the first-place finisher in the league’s nine-team round robin. Facey, perennial playoff winners, has given up only one point in two wins and that was Kozak’s 65-yard punt single in the second quarter of the 45-1 rout of the Bulldogs on Sept. 2 in Sherwood Park.
This year marks the first time there are no Carr playoffs ands instead the top six Tier I teams advance to the provincial qualifier to determine three metro reps.
The only Tier II (750 to 1,249 students) Carr teams are the Paul Kane Blues (0-2) and Austin O’Brien Crusaders (1-0). AOB is sixth and the Blues are 10th in the Tier II rankings.
The Bulldogs are striving to finisher higher than sixth among the Tier I teams so they don’t have to face Facey again.
“Having six out of seven (Tier I) teams able to play on a championship Saturday is probably exciting too with the winners going to provincials. There is a lot on the line for that,” Hill said. “I understand the merit in why several coaches wanted to do this. It probably gives (metro teams) a more competitive advantage in provincials instead of beating each other up going through the grinder all over again (in the playoffs) against teams we’ve already played. Now you’re a little bit fresher for provincials and it makes the regular season count. There is no taking a game off in the regular season.”
THIRD DOWN: Tonight's exhibition between the junior Bulldogs and Facey starts at 7:30 p.m. at Johnny Bright Park.
Last year the Bulldogs celebrated their fourth consecutive metro division one junior championship while going 29-0 in league and playoffs combined with a convincing 41-6 victory over Facey in the final.
The pool B season opener for the Bulldogs is Tuesday versus the Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds at 7:30 p.m. at Clarke Park.
