Foote Field – For the second year in a row the Paul Kane Blues suffered their only loss of the season in the Tier II provincial north playoffs.
The two-time reigning Miles division two champions in metro Edmonton high school football fell short in the north semifinal against the St. Joseph's Celtics of Grande Prairie after losing the north final the previous year to the Austin O'Brien Crusaders.
"We just have to get over that provincial hump. Somehow we need to find that next gear in provincials. It's a tough draw to go up against these guys," Rob Strecker, head coach of the 8-1 Blues, told the Gazette inside an empty locker room after the 22-1 loss to the Celtics on a cold and snowy Saturday afternoon.
Last year they Blues rallied from deficits of 14-0 and 21-14 on a slick field in Grande Prairie to defeat the Celtics 45-28 for their 10th straight win but in the north final at the snow covered Clarke Park they were shutout 32-0 by AOB, the perennial Alberta Bowl champions and Carr division one team.
"The weather has sort of been our Achilles heel. It takes a little bit away from our game but I'm not going to use that as an excuse this year. The field was better than what it was last year in the AOB game, there is no doubt about that," Strecker said. "But hats off to the Celtics. That's a good football team. We just didn't get it done today."
The Blues averaged an explosive 49.7 points in eight wins but could only muster a punt single through the endzone by Grade 11 junior callup Jamison Enger on third and long at the Celtics' 30 on the last play of the first quarter to open the scoring.
"If you were going to tell me that we were only going to get one point today I would've said you're mad," Strecker said. "They did a great job. Their defence was up to the task. They were physical and they wore us down. We had our chances but we just couldn't capitalize. We could move the ball between the 20s and then we would get stuck."
The Celtics tighten up their pass coverage, took away the long ball threat and pressured quarterback Brendan Guy into throwing several incomplete passes.
"Our defence was lights out all day. We were giving them some runs but we knew they had a hell of a quarterback and he was going to throw the ball so we had to make sure we took away all of his routes and all the easy stuff that he usually takes and our guys did a great job on that," said a pumped-up Trevor Prichard, head coach of the 12-0 Mighty Peace league champion Celtics.
Rushing attack
The ground and pound game by the Celtics was perfect for the inclement weather.
"It was a hard fought battle with the snowy conditions, which was really ugly kind of with the first snow, but we've got big size up front and we were able to push forward. We weren't hiding what we were doing. We run the ball and push forward with the guys that have been getting us to this point all year so we were really happy with the run game today," Prichard said.
Taylor Rempel, a Grade 11 standout operating out of the backfield, was the straw that stirred the drink for the Celtics.
"Their game plan I'm sure was to take away No. 20 and limit what he can do. When he gets the ball in his hands he is very dynamic but he is also very powerful for a smaller back. He also relies on that offensive line and that offensive line doesn't get a lot of the kudos that they deserve and they really deserve full monty today. They were awesome," Prichard said.
The slippery Rempel consistently gained first downs at key points throughout the game.
"He's a tough running back. He was hard to read what he was going to do. They had great blocking up front for him and we needed more penetration," said Grade 12 linebacker Josh Freeman.
An equally stout Paul Kane defence kept the Blues within striking distance of the Celtics.
"That's a big team and a power running team but our guys hung in there and I was proud of them," Strecker said. "Rempel is a great running back and he got his yards. They wore us down but we held. It was 14-1 for the longest time so we kept them in check."
A gritty goal-line stand stopped the Celtics at the one after the No. 1-ranked Tier II team in the province marched from its 36 after the opening kick off during a 4:24-minute drive.
On the second possession by the Celtics the Blues lost the services of Aidan Mueller to an upper body injury. The Grade 11 slotback and SAM linebacker was the team's nominee for the Haliburton Trophy as the most valuable player in the Miles. He led all Miles' receivers with 333 yards on 25 catches, finished tied for third in touchdowns with six, shared first place in interceptions with five and added 13 tackles.
"Losing Aidan not only changed the dynamics on O, he gets open so often, but also on D. We just were not able to do some of the things that we normally do with him in the lineup," Strecker said.
In the last minute of the first quarter a holding penalty wiped out a 15-yard TD pass from Guy to Grade 10 junior callup Keaton Zaychkowsky in the endzone. The drive started from the Celtics' 48 after another defensive stand by the Blues. A measurement was needed following Kieran Porter's burst into the line on third and one. Two plays later, on second and eight, Kelly Repato's 18-yard reception put the Blues at the 17. The Blues would settle for a punt single.
The second quarter started with the Celtics racking up the yards during a quick run-oriented drive from their 35, capped off by a 35-yard TD run and the convert was good.
The Celtics came close to scoring their second TD with a 20-yard TD pass into the endzone but the play was broken up by Freeman with under six minutes to go before halftime.
The next time on offence the Celtics started from their 36 and a facemasking infraction against the Blues put them at the Paul Kane 41. On third and 20 at the 36 the Celtics aired the ball out for a reception at the one. On second and goal they scored and the conversion left the Blues trailing by 13 with 2:22 to play in the half.
In the third quarter a holding flag nullified a big first down run by Rempel and the Celtics were forced to regroup at their eight. On first and 20 Rempel turned a swing pass into a 32-yard gain before he was stopped by Freeman's TD-saving tackle at the 40. On second and seven Ryley Melynk's tackle for a loss of one put the Celtics in punt formation.
Before quarter time, after a promising drive by the Blues ended with a punt from the Celtics' 43, the Grande Prairie squad went two and out but on the punt the kicker pulled down a high snap and ran for a first down. The Blues were also flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play and as a result the Celtics were awarded the ball at their 54.
Early in the fourth quarter Blake Schafer recovered a fumble at the Paul Kane 29 but the Blues went two and out.
With 6:59 remaining the Celtics kicked a punt single on third and three from the Paul Kane 31.
After a heavy dose of Porter carrying the ball for most of team's yardage in the contest, the Blues were forced to pass with time a factor while down by 14.
"Kieran ran so hard for us. He is a bruising back who was pretty banged up. He truly was a warrior considering he was playing with a number of injuries and we just couldn't give him a rest," Strecker said of the Grade 12 workhorse.
An incomplete pass on third and 15 at the Paul Kane 40 with 2:01 to go allowed the Celtics to work the clock while chewing up yards en route to a one-yard TD in the last minute of play.
"It was hard fought both ways and honestly in the end it just came down to the weather. We're more of a warm weather team," Freeman said. "Near the end it was a tough climb. We really knew that there was no point of return with about three minutes left."
Prichard expects the Celtics will be even more dangerous next year.
"Last year we were really young. We were almost all Grade 10s and 11s. This year we're all Grade 11s and 12s. The nucleus of this team is Grade 11s and we've got a great group of guys coming back next year so we're looking good and we're very excited for what the future holds at St. Joe's," he said.
The Blues also have high expectations for another winning season in the fourth year of the Paul Kane football program after serving as a feeder school for the St. Albert High Skyhawks for 13 years. Next year's projected roster will include 15 returnees in key positions on both sides of the ball and several high-calibre juniors joining the senior team on a fulltime basis.
"I'm so proud of the team. For a rebuilding year it was pretty good," said Strecker of the No. 2–ranked Tier II Blues. "I'm happy we went undefeated in the Miles again and we're going to be just as good next year."
Freeman, 16, agreed.
"It was our rebuilding year but we still made the best of it," said one of the 12 players from last year's team on the 31-man roster. "It was a great season and I would like to thank our coaches for being such great coaches for us."
