The Fort McMurray Monarchs pose together as a team after winning the 2016 Canadian Major Football League Championship with a 59-45 victory over the GTA All Stars. Robert Murray/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network
Robert Murray – Fort McMurray Today – Sunday, September 11, 2016
Three years ago, football players Jesse Maddox and David Bosch, both known for their defensive abilities, went on the offensive.
Working to create a senior men’s football team in Fort McMurray, the duo didn’t just want to be good, they wanted to be the best.
Saturday, the Fort McMurray Monarchs reached that pinnacle of excellence, capturing the Canadian Major Football League national championship with a 59-45 victory over the defending champion Greater Toronto Area All Stars.
“This one’s not just about us, this one’s a community thing and I think this is a great storybook ending,“ said Maddox.
Saturday’s success was a testament to the bumps along the way in the three years it took to reach that moment. In year one, the team found its legs in a competitive Alberta Football League. A year later, the Monarchs added head coach Dave Spence and a wealth of offensive talents, improving their game by leaps and bounds.
In 2016, when it seemed as though everything was about to fall apart, it all came together. Forced from their home in May, just weeks before they were to play full-time at Shell Place, the Monarchs rebounded by making Spruce Grove their temporary home.
When the Central Alberta Buccaneers exposed the Monarchs in the second week of the season, Fort McMurray once again fought back, eventually topping the Bucs in the AFL Championship game.
For Maddox, it was the players cohesiveness that kept the team from fraying.
“At the end of the day, the camaraderie, the manhood, the family is there this year,” he added. “It’s deep this year and I think that’s why we’re able to overcome some things that we wouldn’t have last year.”
In Saturday’s championship game, it was one of those adjustments, the addition of quarterback Will Arndt, that made the biggest difference. His four rushing touchdowns led the way offensively, starting the scoring in the game on the Monarchs’ second drive and sealing the victory in the fourth quarter.
When it wasn’t Will Arndt rushing through a heavy All Stars defence, Jourdain Alexis came up with an interception on defence or a big return on special teams. Further up the field, Maddox and Bosch haunted All Stars quarterback Tommy Denison all night.
“There were a couple drives where we needed to get a score, they got some momentum and we found ways to grind out the drives,” said Arndt. “I think guys were getting a little complacent, but ultimately a really great, resilient effort by our guys.”
The win was a special one for Spence, who added his third national championship in three years and Maddox, who earned his second. With a shower of water for the second time in as many games, Spence could only help but reflect on what his team had gone through this season and where they were now.
“We’ve had practices when we first started out with 10 guys,” said Spence. “It grew and grew and we were all displaced and they really came together.
“To do it with this group after the adversity that we’ve had to overcome, it’s really special.”
It wasn’t the shutdown or cakewalk as the All Stars provided a significant challenge to the Monarchs. Trailing by 18 at the half, the visitors came out with a different intensity in the third quarter, bringing the game to as close as nine points in the third quarter, but never any closer.
“We fought with everything we had there,” said All Stars quarterback Tommy Denison. “They kept scoring, they put more points on us.
“Our defence was a little banged up; they kept doing everything we couldn’t. I’m proud of our guys, how hard they fought.”
As good as this Monarchs team was, it won’t be the same squad suiting up to defend their AFL title next year. For now though, the moment of being a national champion is one for the team savoured as they drank from bottles of champagne moments after entering their locker room after the win.
“To be a champion in anything, it’s not easy to do in life,” said Arndt. “I’ve got a bond with these guys forever as national champions.”
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The Fort McMurray Monarchs pose with the championship trophy after defeating the Central Alberta Buccaneers 32-23 in Saturday’s championship game in Lacombe. Robert Murray/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network
Robert Murray – Sunday, August 28, 2016 – Fort McMurray Today
The Fort McMurray Monarchs had to wait over two months, but they finally found a way to exact some revenge against the Central Alberta Buccaneers.
Down 11 points at the half, the Monarchs’ offence roared to life in the second half of the Alberta Football League championship game while their defence found its rhythm, handing the Bucs a 32-23 decision on their home turf.
“I’m just so happy for the guys and the city of Fort McMurray,” said Monarchs head coach Dave Spence. “The way we battled back, it shows how we all come together, just like the community did when there was the fire. This is just a true test of character for our guys and I’m really proud of how they played.”
While the Monarchs’ offence couldn’t gain any significant field position in the first quarter, they managed to take the first lead of the game, with the special teams forcing the Bucs to concede a rouge and a safety, giving the Monarchs the all-important 3-0 lead after the first quarter.
As the rain continued to beat down on the field in the second quarter, so to did the Monarchs start to feel the effects. Easy running plays up the gut became slips while completions were a rarity with a soaked ball.
The Bucs took advantage of that situation, scoring a pair of touchdowns in the quarter to take a 14-4 lead into the half.
Whatever the Monarchs went through in the dressing room between halves seemed to work as the away side came out firing in the third quarter as the rain tapered off. A pair of rushing touchdowns helped tie the game at 17 points apiece.
Early in the fourth, the Bucs reclaimed the lead, but missed the ensuing kick for a single point. That would be one of the many turning points in the quarter as minutes later, Carl Bisallion hauled in a touchdown reception and converted their point after to claim a one-point lead.
Both teams pressed for the final lead until the final two minutes, when Brandon Leyh, who had been solid all game, was picked off by Pascal Tshilambo, who took it into the end zone. That took the wind out of the Bucs’ sails as they couldn’t muster anything in the final minute except giving the Monarchs another point for the third rouge conceded of the game.
Captain and linebacker Jesse Maddox said his team dug deep when they needed to in the performance, especially in the second half.
“You can’t really put it into words; you’ve just got to bite down and figure out who you are as a man,” said Maddox. “At the end of the day, we know we played really well the first quarter, we played terrible the second quarter and we knew in the second half we had to make magic.”
With the win, the Monarchs will now host the national championship game of the Canadian Major Football League Sept. 10 against the Greater Toronto Area All-Stars.
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Receiver Josh Blanchard of the Central Alberta Buccaneers is taken down by St. Albert Stars defensive back Randy McLean during AFL semifinal action at M.E. Global Field Saturday. Blanchard recorded four touchdowns in the game, setting an AFL playoff record. The Bucs defeated the Stars 43-23. Ashli Barrett/Lacombe Globe/Postmedia Network
Ashli Barrett – Lacombe Globe – Wednesday, August 24, 2016
It wasn’t pretty, but the Central Alberta Buccaneers secured a berth in the Alberta Football League final for the first time in franchise history Saturday.
In what was a penalty-laden affair, the Bucs defeated the St. Albert Stars by a score of 43-23 in semi-final action at M.E. Global Field. While winning was what mattered most, Head Coach Devon Hand made it clear his team’s performance was anything but.
“That, without a doubt – and I’ve been involved with football for over 20 years now – was the ugliest game I’ve been a part of,” said Hand. “We didn’t show up, first of all, to compete.
“There was some issues with officiating, which I won’t comment on. We had players ejected, we had disruptions. We had just about every negative thing you could really factor into a football game.”
Dusting off rust after a first-round playoff bye, the Bucs struggled to find their offence early. Leading by just 2-0 after the first quarter – the Stars allowing a safety – it wasn’t until three minutes into the second that quarterback Brandon Leyh found Josh Blanchard for the first touchdown of the game.
The Bucs led 24-10 at the half. It was in the third and final quarters that things became really ugly.
While fans of both teams jeered at officiating, St. Albert Stars’ offensive line Chance Willman and Bucs defensive back Steven Adu were ejected from the game. A Bucs touchdown was wiped out on a holding call and penalties continued to slow the game.
“I’m not sure what the league record is in a playoff game for penalties but I’m pretty sure we own that one. That’s not a record you want,” Hand said.
“There’s so many lessons to be learned from this game. If we try and take anything like the product today against Fort Mac next week, we’re going to get beat and beaten badly.”
Still, there were some bright spots on the field for the number one ranked team in the country.
Blanchard set a new AFL playoff record, connecting with his fellow Mount Allison University alumnus quarterback Brandon Leyh for four touchdowns.
“They were mainly playing Cover 3 and a little bit of man so we just took advantage of how they were playing up close,” Blanchard said. “It was just about getting behind them on defence and waiting for Brandon to sling the ball down the field.”
Nick Leonidakis also set a playoff record, sacking the Stars quarterback on five different occasions.
“We made some adjustments in the second half. They came out and had better continuity,” said Hand. “I thought Ron Lee did a great job of pacing the offence and gave us the spark and the ground game we haven’t had all year so that was nice to see.”
The Bucs will now face the Fort McMurray Monarchs – the very team that bucked them out of the semi-finals one year ago, and very nearly handed the Bucs a loss in the regular season this year.
The tale of the week, Hand says, will be using the last game as a teaching point and working to improve the team’s discipline.
“Fort McMurray’s a very, very good team. We beat them by one point,” Hand said. “They’re incredibly hungry, they’re talented, they’re motivated and they’re not doing the things we’re doing.
“If we continue this trend, our season’s over.”
The Bucs will play the Monarchs for the AFL Championship Saturday, Aug. 27 at M.E. Global Athletic Park. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
Should the hometown team pull of a win, they’ll host the Northern Football Conference champion from Ontario Sept. 10 for the national title.
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John Bain of the Sarnia Imperials tackles Jameek Murray of the GTA All-Stars during the Northern Football Conference championship game at Norm Perry Park on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016 in Sarnia, Ont. The All-Stars won 29-21. (Metcalfe Photography/Handout)
Terry Bridge –Sarnia Observer – Monday, August 22, 2016
Reflecting on a record-setting season for the Sarnia Imperials didn’t ease the pain of coming up short in the league championship game.
“It is our best season, but it’s not sitting well,” Imperials head coach Jake Cherski said of his team’s 29-21 loss to the GTA All-Stars in the Northern Football Conference final. “It’s not where we should have been, we’re a better team than that. We’re a better team than what played on Saturday, I think.
“I woke up, I wasn’t a champion. It didn’t sit well.”
The Imperials rallied late – the home side trailed 29-8 after three quarters before making it a one-score game – but were unable to close the gap on the scoreboard at Norm Perry Park.
Quarterback Pat Wright accumulated 259 passing yards, with a good chunk coming during the fourth-quarter surge.
“We started to move the ball late in the game,” Cherski said. “Couldn’t really establish a running game much.”
The club’s comeback attempt featured two successful onside kicks by Kevin Allaer.
“We kind of let him do what Kevin wants to do, very rarely does he ever mess up for us especially when it comes to onside kicks,” Cherski said.
But before the rally, there was some angst on the Imperials’ sideline as the 21-point disadvantage evoked emotions similar to the 75-17 blowout at the hands of the All-Stars back in June.
“A lot of different mixed emotions on the sidelines,” Cherski said. “A lot of the guys that don’t see a lot of the (playing) time, there’s a little bit of rumblings and grumblings going on behind you, so it’s not what you need really in a game like this, everyone just needs to buy in and button it up and let us do our jobs.
“With that being said, our guys have never given up all year, we’ve always played hard, we’ve always – even when we had a big lead if our second and third strings were out there they always play hard too, so it’s just one of those things, that’s what you get from the Imperials is a hard-playing team, we’re never going to give up.”
Attendance was estimated at between 800 and 900 for the season’s only afternoon kick-off in Sarnia.
“I’m very happy with that,” Cherski said. “I wish every home game was that big, and maybe we’ve started something because when you have twice as many fans as you normally get in now that they’ve seen the calibre of football, we’re not taking a back seat to anybody.”
To get to the title game, Sarnia compiled an NFC-best 7-1 regular-season record and earned home field advantage throughout the playoffs, then beat the Oakville Longhorns 56-0 in the quarter-finals and the Tri-City Outlaws 18-14 in the semifinals. It’s the first time Sarnia has reached the league final since forming a team in 2006.
Looking ahead to the 2017 campaign, the off-season preparation has already begun.
“I wanted to take a couple days off but (that) didn’t happen,” Cherski said. “We’ve already started talking football, talking coaching, talking about recruiting to a bunch of people.”
The coach said he’s currently not aware of any significant players who won’t be returning next year.
Meanwhile, GTA advances to the national championship game against the winner of Saturday’s Alberta Football League final between the Fort McMurray Monarchs and Central Alberta Buccaneers. The cross-Canada contest is Sept. 10.
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Fort McMurray Monarchs Dylan Elias, left, and Devon Stewart, right, celebrate a touchdown reception by Elias against the Gators. The Monarchs are headed back to the Alberta Football League title game for a second straight year. Robert Murray/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network
Robert Murray – Fort McMurray Today – Sunday, August 21, 2016
It’s been a long time running. It’s been a long time coming.
Coming into the 2016 Alberta Football League season, the Fort McMurray Monarchs had yet to ever beat the Calgary Gators; with the most recent loss coming in last year’s championship game, the toughest of them all to take.
Saturday, the Monarchs scored their second victory of the season against the Gators, ensuring an end to a three-year run by Calgary teams at the top of the league. While the Monarchs’ crop of talented, yet young players savoured the victory, the win meant a little bit more to team president and linebacker Jesse Maddox, a longtime AFL veteran.
“It opens the door for a lot of things,” said Maddox. “It’s a confidence booster and it’s also a hump we needed to get over.”
On the opposite side of the ball many times before was quarterback Darryl Leason, a former Canadian Interuniversity Sport standout. Leason had gotten the best of Maddox almost every time, including last year’s championship game.
This time though, Maddox and the Monarchs had Leason and the Gators figured out.
“Playing against Leason, the offence hasn’t changed,” continued Maddox. “With the personnel we had, it was easy to cater our game plan around what he was doing.”
The game on paper was a contrast between strong offences and suffocating defences. After both teams forced each other to punt from their first series, Melvin Abankwah took the ball into his capable hands and even more capable legs, returning it down the field for the opening score.
Off a blocked punt by the Gators, the visitors equalled the game’s score with a touchdown of their own. That tie didn’t last for long though, with Carl Bisallion hauling in Will Arndt’s second touchdown pass of the quarter to restore the seven-point lead.
The Monarchs continued to pad their lead in the second quarter with a touchdown reception by Dylan Elias. Though the Gators brought the game to within seven points again, the Monarchs could not be contained.
“We definitely knew we had to mix it up,” said Monarchs head coach Dave Spence. “They did a great job of stopping the run at times.”
Though Spence noted the missed opportunities in the red zone by his team to add more points to the board, the team did come through at points, faking a field goal, with Arndt tossing his fourth touchdown pass of the evening to Nigel Thomas.
A late Gators touchdown tightened the score, though it was a case of too little too late for the defending AFL champions.
“We knew it was going to be a battle, it ended up being a great game,” continued Spence.
Still new to the league in the team’s regular season victory over Calgary, quarterback Will Arndt rose to the occasion once again Saturday.
“We were doing some things offensively, having some miscues and not being totally on the same page, but finding ways to grind out drives,” said Arndt. “That was the best defence I’ve played all year.
“We’re just happy to come out with a win.”
The win sets up another chance at the AFL title for the Monarchs, one they’ll go for next Saturday in Red Deer against the Central Alberta Buccaneers. In wake of last year’s title loss and a loss to the Bucs earlier this season, Spence knew there’d only be one acceptable result this time around.
“Just getting there is not good enough,” he added. “Nobody remembers second place.
“We want to go there and try to finish the job.”
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The Central Alberta Buccaneers defeated the St. Albert Stars, move to AFL championship against the Fort McMurray Monarchs.
Todd Lewis – Central Alberta Buccaneers Chairman – Sunday, August 21, 2016
The Central Alberta Buccaneers, for the first time in franchise history, are going to the AFL Championship.
After the St. Albert Stars bested the Edmonton Raiders in the quarter-finals (56-0), they were matched up to take on the Bucs in Lacombe (who finished in the first seed overall). In regular season play, the Bucs beat the Stars in convincing fashion (44-8). After some additions to their team, the Stars were looking to avenge that loss and upset the men in red.
Contrary to the Bucs’ play during the regular season, the team got off to a slow start. The offense that had been so potent and deadly was struggling to reach the Stars endzone for much of the first half. Going into the second quarter, the Bucs only lead by 2-0. Eventually, the pirates fell back into their usual rhythm and were able to earn positive yardage. The Stars offense found success too, however, and marched the ball during numerous drives. After a long and hard-hitting game, the final score was 43-24, Bucs.
Penalties were a major hindrance during the Stars matchup. “We need to play more disciplined on both sides of the ball,” said Jesse McPhail. “In every game, there’s going to be calls that you can’t control. At the end of the day, it’s still our responsibility to keep those to an absolute minimum. We had trouble doing that yesterday.” Looking ahead to the AFL Championship, McPhail said “we’ve got the talent and the numbers – we need to just stay focused and composed.”
Several Bucs had outstanding performances, including several AFL record-breakers. Josh Blanchard scored 4 receiving touchdowns (a new AFL record), Jamal Henry had multiple receptions and managed to return a Stars punt for a touchdown, and Nick Leonidakis sacked the Stars QB 5 times (a new AFL record).
With the semi-finals victory over the Stars, the Bucs are set to take on the Fort McMurray Monarchs, August 27th, 6pm, at Lacombe’s MEGlobal Athletic Park. The Monarchs beat the Calgary Gators, 32-20.
Earning the right to play in the AFL Championship is a first for the Buccaneers football club. For long-time veteran, Dave Henderson, this game “means everything. It’s been 15 years of hard work. It truly is an honour to share this game with the other guys, especially the other vets on the team like Baird, Blinky, Fay, Keetch, Lewis, and Tylor. I’m forgetting a few others, but you’ll have to excuse me: I’m old!”
In addition to the on-field success, the “Romance Galore with 24” came to its conclusion. The fundraiser (organized by the Buccaneers and Whisker Rescue) raised money in order to help and rescue stray cats in the Central Alberta. Throughout the season, tickets were sold at each home game; the winning ticket was drawn during Saturday’s halftime. The winner, Krista Lanz of Lacombe, gets to go on a date with #24 Ryan Miller (as well as receive other prizes). Several hundred dollars were raised for the Whisker Rescue.
For more information on the Central Alberta Buccaneers, like their Facebook page, follow on Twitter/Instagram @CABucs, and visit www.cabucss.com.
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The Airdrie Irish wrapped up its second season in the Alberta Football League with a 77-10 loss to the Central Alberta Buccaneers. Although the team had just one win, it is looking at this season as another building block in the team’s foundation. Andrew Halipchuk/Rocky View Publishing
Andrew Halipchuk – Airdrie City View – Thursday, Jul 28, 2016
It’s another season of no-playoff football for the Airdrie Irish senior men’s football team.
The Irish concluded its regular season July 23 with a 77-10 loss to the Central Alberta Buccaneers in Lacombe.
With the loss the Irish finish the season with a 1-7 record, one less win than in the team’s first season, when it went 2-6.
Though some may view this season as a step back, Irish president Matt Squires said there were some positive takeaways.
“(The Buccaneers) was a really good team to play against. They are the number-one ranked team for a reason,” Squires said. “It was a frustrating game, but the guys did as best they could.
“In the win column this season was definitely a step back, but I see this as a building step in the foundation process.”
The Irish played in much tighter games in its second season in the Alberta Football League.
The Irish did have big losses to the top teams in the league – including the Fort McMurray Monarchs (44-0), Calgary Gators (44-0) and the Buccaneers – but the team had chances to win in each of its other five games in the regular season.
Three of the team’s losses were by less than 15-point deficits, including to the Lloydminster Vandals (15-1), Edmonton Raiders (30-17) and the Grand Prairie Drillers (16-10).
“There are a few things that we should have put ourselves in a better scenario for,” Squires said. “We needed to capitalize on that.
“There were a lot of missed opportunities that we could have been better on.”
The team hopes to build from its recent inclusion of University of Calgary Dinos players.
“Guys coming out of a Canadian Interuniversity School go and play where their buddies are at,” Squires said. “We’re hoping to build on that heading into next year.”
Squires said though it wasn’t expected the Irish would be a competitive force in the AFL in its first couple of seasons, those years are some of the most important for building team culture.
Coming into this season the Irish knew it would have to lean heavily on its defence – but the team now needs the unit to take the next step and become a dominant force.
“We were one of the least penalized teams in the league,” Squires said. “Our guys played with a lot of class and discipline.”
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Jeffree Rogers of the Central Alberta Buccaneers tries to push through a tackle by his Airdrie Irish opponent during Saturday evening AFL action at M.E. Global Field. The Bucs defeated the Irish 77-10. (Ashli Barrett, Lacombe Globe)
Ashli Barrett – Lacombe Globe – Wednesday, July 27, 2016
The Central Alberta Buccaneers clinched first place in the AFL with a dominant 77-10 victory over the Airdrie Irish this past weekend.
Now 7-0 on the season, the pirate crew is off to its best start in franchise history. While their record is perfect – they’ve clinched the number one seed heading into playoffs – the team is still playing with a hard-working, determined mindset as though they have a long way to go before they reach the top.
According to Head Coach Devon Hand, they do.
“The end goal is the national championship,” said Hand. “Until you get there and you’re crowned, that’s the focus.”
The Bucs charged to an early 32-0 lead in the first quarter, and were out in front 63-3 at the half. Receivers Josh Blanchard and Jesse McPhail were major contributors, making four and two touchdowns each, respectively.
As the game wore on, however, the Bucs defence began to ease up allowing the Irish to sneak in a touchdown.
“Not once have we played four complete quarters with lights-out, three-phase football,” said Hand. “As scary as that is, it can get a lot better.”
It was a sentiment echoed by quarterback Brandon Leyh.
“We haven’t played a full game yet,” said Leyh. “We’ve got to keep the foot on the gas peddle.”
Leyh, who was knicked up in last week’s game against the Gators, threw for four touchdowns before being pulled for precautionary reasons.
Still, the Mount Allison University alumnus said things felt good with the team.
“I’m on the same page with the receivers. They’re making crazy plays week-in and week-out,” he said. “Offence is rolling along, defence is starting to get back to where they were last year, and things are starting to come together.”
Receiver Jamal Henry is just one of the players Leyh has developed some chemistry with, and a key component in each of the Bucs wins.
“Jamal’s pretty special to say the least,” Leyh said. “I can’t really say enough high praise for a guy like that. No one can cover him in the league, so it makes it easy.”
While there are still things for the Bucs to work on, however, Hand said it was nice to be ranked first in the AFL.
“It does [give us confidence]. It lets you know that you’ve arrived on the scene, and that’s been the whole goal since I took over. It was nice to see, but it goes back to the first point,” he said.
“Nothing matters until you win it all.”
In addition to the win, the Bucs won the off-the-field fundraising battle against the Irish, collecting more than $1,200, and a combined total of more than $1,500 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
The Bucs, along with the rest of the league, will now have a week-long rest before closing out the regular season at home against the Edmonton Raiders Aug. 6.
The Raiders are currently tied for fourth place in the league, and will be looking to not only improve their position, but exact revenge on the Bucs who knocked them out of the playoffs last year.
“It’ll be an interesting game because we’ll get them the last game of the year,” said Hand. “Not looking too far ahead, but I believe we’ll see them again in the second round.
“It’s an important game.”
Kickoff against the Raiders is 6 p.m. at M.E. Global Field.
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The Central Alberta Buccaneers improve to 7-0 after defeating the Airdrie Irish on Saturday, July 23, 2016.
Todd Lewis – Chairman Central Alberta Buccaneers – Tuesday, July 26, 2016
On July 23, the Central Alberta Buccaneers were finally back in Lacombe after four weeks of road games – they were determined to not only put on a show for their fans but to continue their undefeated winning streak and improve to 7-0 in the 2016 Alberta Football League (AFL). In addition to kicking off against the Airdrie Irish on-field, the Bucs were striving to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation in the two teams’ annual Pink Game matchup.
The Buccaneers offense showed up early (once again); moving the ball down field with pinpoint passes and huge gains, the Bucs found themselves in the Irish end zone often.
“We moved the ball extremely well throughout the game,” said Tylor Johanesson. “We had eight different guys record a catch – this is a very rare thing in football. Josh Blanchard even tied the AFL record for most receiving touchdowns in a single game (with four TDs).”
Quarterback Brandon Leyh was brilliant once again and was at the helm of the offense for the first half. During the second half, quarterback duties were split between Andrew Stannix (who threw for 63 yards and a touchdown) and Judah Knip (who threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns).
“I was really impressed with Judah today. He made some great throws and a few runs that were exciting to watch on the field,” said Jesse McPhail.
Johanesson added that Knip “looked like a 10-year vet. This isn’t an easy league to play quarterback in, yet he did just that. Phenomenal job.”
Knip is a hometown Lacombe player and started his career on its minor football teams.
The defence and special teams components of the pirate crew were firing on all cylinders as well.
“I think that every squad (offense, defense, special teams) came out strong and hungry for another W, which definitely translated to some big plays early on,” praised McPhail. “I personally believe our “Spades” (Bucs special teams) put on an absolutely lights-out performance.”
Johanesson was able to break the long-standing AFL interception record in only seven seasons (whereas the last player took nine); he has 32 interceptions so far.
“I hope to play for another 10 seasons and make the record unbreakable,” he joked.
Other notable performances included Steven “Sonic” Adu, who made two interceptions; he scored on both and ran for 101 yards. Ian Keetch had another big game – he made six tackles (two for a loss of yards) and recorded one sack.
Jesse McPhail, another Lacombe resident, is playing his first season as a Buccaneer. McPhail played for Concordia University as a receiver and the Bucs have made use of that experience and talent; he has made 10 touchdowns and recorded 697 yards in only seven games. Regarding his “rookie” year as a Buc, McPhail said “I think this is one of the closest teams I’ve ever been on in my time playing football. I have so much fun every week at practices and games. I think because we’re so close knit as a team that we are sitting at 7-0 right now.”
At the end of the game, the Bucs topped the Irish, 77-10. In addition to on-field success, the team was able to raise over $1,200 to support the fight against breast cancer (the total was well over $1500 with contributions from the Airdrie Irish). Fans, players, and local businesses all contributed to the Pink Game. On the Bucs community efforts, Johanesson said “we are always looking for ways to give back to our home towns and community – it’s a big part of being a Buccaneer and we are proud to do it.”
The season-long fundraiser “Romance Galore with #24,” put on by the Bucs and Whisker Rescue, saw tons of attention as well. The fundraiser has people entering a raffle to win a date with #24 Ryan Miller of the Bucs (as well as win other prizes). The raffle can still be entered at the Bucs next home game – the winner will be announced August 20 during the semi-finals. Proceeds from that fundraiser support Whisker Rescue, an organization that rescues stray cats in Central Alberta.
The Bucs last regular season game is set on August 6 in Lacombe. The team will be looking to continue its winning streak and finish with its first-ever undefeated season. For more information on the Bucs, like our Facebook page, follow on Instagram/Twitter @CABucs, and visit www.cabucs.com.
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The Bucs are now 5-0 after defeating the Calgary Wolfpack, 79-0, at Shouldice Park in Calgary, Alta., on Saturday, July 9, 2016.
Todd Lewis – Chairman – Central Alberta Buccaneers
The Central Alberta Buccaneers improved to 5-0 with a convincing win over the Calgary Wolfpack, 79-0. The two teams kicked off at Calgary’s Shouldice Park during a very wet and hail-ridden July 9 evening.
The Bucs wasted no time getting on the scoreboard; the pinpoint passing of Brandon Leyh found several pirate receivers in the ‘Pack end zone in the first half of the game.
“Offensively, Brandon Leyh came ready to play. As usual,” said linebacker Elliott Mabbot. “Our o-line has been huge for us all season. They are the unsung heroes of the team and because of their hard work, our pass and run games are deadly.”
Defensively, the Bucs were stingy and aggressive. Not only did they hold on for the shutout, they limited the Wolfpack offence to only 4 first downs.
“Our front seven on our defense shut down their running game and put on a lot of pressure on the quarterbacks and made life difficult for them,” said cornerback Cole Stewart. “We set the tone early and even when we subbed in new guys we kept the tempo up. It was good to see.”
Standout individual performances include slotback Jamal Henry with two receiving touchdowns on the night, for a total of 112-yards. Jesse McPhail also caught two touchdown passes, for a total of 159-yards. Runningbacks Junior Rivera and Ron-Lee King each rushed into the Wolfpack end zone twice. In the first half, Leyh threw for 253-yards, which included three touchdowns. In the second half, Judah Knip and Andrew Stannix ran the offence as tandem quarterbacks – Knip threw his first passing touchdown as a Buccaneer QB. Defensive-end Ian Keetch led the pirate defence with seven tackles, three of which were for a loss in yards.
Looking forward to next weekend, the Bucs take on the Calgary Gators, 4-1, in what is sure to be a hard-hitting, close game. The Bucs will have their hands full in Calgary, as the Gators, having won the 2015 AFL Championship and runner-up at the CMFL nationals in Ontario, are looking dominant again this season. This game will not only decide if the Bucs continue their winning streak, but will decide where they finish in the AFL standings. If they win, Bucs will likely finish first overall (earning home-field advantage in playoffs). If they lose, they enter a three-way tie with the Gators and the Fort McMurray Monarchs. The seeding’s are then decided by score differentials between those teams’ games against one another. So far, these teams have played tight games: the Bucs beat Fort Mac 43-42 and a few weeks ago Fort Mac beat the Gators 42-37. There is low margin for error at the top of the AFL.
Cole Stewart said regarding the upcoming game against the Gators: “It will mostly come down to discipline and overcoming adversity. We need to be prepared going into the game but I believe if we stay disciplined and stick to the coaches’ game plan, we will be successful.”
The Bucs travel to Calgary on July 16.
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