Picture Caption. Runningback Matt Howe plunges in for a touchdown in last year’s OFC Championship game. Photo by Jason Romisher
The Huronia Stallions Football Club kicks off the 2015 season with a trio of games this weekend.
The Varsity (ages 16-18) team is coming off another highly successful season in which they captured their fourth consecutive OFC Northern Conference Championship. The varsity team graduates Conference MVP Quarterback Adam Zussino, John Shields, Jesse Alves, and defensive stalwarts Brandon Johnston, and Mac Holliday. Zussino does return however as the Varsity and Junior Varsity Quarterbacks Coach.
The success of the house league program (ages 7-13) has led to a constant stream of talent filtering up through to the Bantam (ages 12-13), Junior Varsity (ages 14-15) and Varsity travelling teams. Hence, fresh talent will be ready to step up and fill the shoes of the graduating Stallions.
Included in this year’s Varsity squad are two veterans who have both committed to play football for the University of Toronto this coming fall; running back Matt Howe and receiver Nick Stadnyk. Both were dynamic playmakers on last year’s Varsity offence.
Former Stallions and Acadia Axeman standout and current Runningback Coach Brett Haenni referred to Howe as the “best player I have ever coached.” Ontario Prospect Challenge (OPC) offensive linemen Kyle Comstive and Joe Peters will look to pave the way for the skill position players, including Jayden Kelly who doubles as a special teams ace in the return game.
The defence led by defensive lineman R.J. Foles, linebacker Terrell Cook and defensive back Austin Currie will look to lead the group throughout the season. First year Varsity players Jacob Tanguay, Andreu Gill and Christian Hutter-Coppin were leaders on last year’s Junior Varsity team and have impressed in training camp.
The Junior Varsity team graduated the majority of last year’s starters but is loaded with talented newcomers and has tremendous depth. Returning players Luc Pilon, Braeden Butcher, and Kayden Peters look to lead this year’s JV defence. Mike Tomczyk and Kail Dava are two standouts from last year’s Bantam team who have impressed in training camp and are projected to be impact players this season.
The Bantam Stallions will be headlined by quarterback Nicholas De Jesus. Returning players Bradlee Kitchikake, Aden Alfieri, and Liam Harrison will try to light up the scoreboard on offence while Isiah Tabobondung, and Gavin Wallin are positioned to lead the defence.
The 2015 season kicks off with House League action in both Barrie and Orillia on Friday night. Saturday features two games at the Barrie Sports Complex in Midhurst both against the Sudbury Gladiators. The Junior Varsity game is at 2pm and the Varsity game which is being televised by Rogers Television will be under the lights at 630pm. The Bantam team travels to Hamilton with an 11am kickoff Sunday.
Preview written by Daniel Harvey. Coach Harvey was a Stallions player from 2003-2008 and has been the Bantam Head Coach since 2013.
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