Graham Unruh has got a talent on the gridiron, but a mind for the hardcourt.
The Grade 12 Evan Hardy student will fit in perfectly at the Ed Henick Senior Bowl, the 26th annual all-star game featuring the premier graduating high school football players from around the province. He’s one of the top slotbacks in Saskatchewan, and he proved it at the Saskatoon Hilltops spring camp earlier this month by being named top rookie.
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At six-feet and 210 pounds he’s built for the game, but he’s not a sponge of football knowledge nor an ardent student of the game. In the end, football is merely a mistress to his main squeeze.
“I’m still more into basketball,” he said. “With football I don’t really watch it on TV, and I don’t really watch it in general. I come out and run what the coaches tell me to run — that’s what I do.
“I’m starting to like and enjoy (football) more and more as the days go on.”
He’s played basketball since elementary school, but only took up football in Grade 9 at the urging of his brother Tyson. At running back, Graham was a natural, leaving defenders in his wake. It wasn’t until his Grade 11 season that he found his own motivation to show up, however.
“I actually don’t know why I kept coming out — (the coaches) just kept convincing me to come out so I did.”
In his final year with the Souls he lead the league with 595 receiving yards in just six regular season games, but lost in the 3A semifinals to Marion Graham.
Basketball followed a similar script, but with a more bitter ending.
With 20.9 points per game he led the Souls to a 12-3 record, before losing 91-79 to Holy Cross in the city final. The loss, he says, is something “he’s going to hold close to his heart.”
The decision to step away from basketball is simply a pragmatic move. He’s had conversations with University of Saskatchewan men’s basketball coach Greg Jockims about suiting up for the Huskies, but Unruh feels he’s more gifted in football. Thus, he’s committed himself to the Saskatoon Hilltops for next season.
“In Canada there’s so much more opportunity in football,” he said. “In basketball, after you’re done university it’s pretty much over. The chances of making the NBA or going to Europe are so slim. With Canada, obviously, we have the CFL so you can continue that if you’re good enough.
“Obviously I have to put the time in.”
Game-time for Monday’s Senior Bowl is set for 1 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium.
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