Last season, Matt Lefleur was one of four Leo Hayes receivers whose hands netted the Lions sixteen hundred yards thru the air, on a campaign that had three thousand total yards. The senior’s season ended with a loss in the Provincial final, snapping the clubs perfect season. As if losing the championship wasn’t bad enough, LeFleur was lamenting his grade twelve season without his QB of two years, Hunter Sturgeon.
“He’s crazy,” LeFleur recalled of Sturgeon, “He throws the ball harder than anyone I’ve played with, he puts it wherever you want, he’s a really good athlete”.
LeFleur didn’t log his total yards gained, but hailed in an impressive 20 catches with six touchdowns on the season. Returning of 3/4 of last years receiver corps the Lions are in the hunt for a viable replacement. Two weeks into camp and the team is still watching a QB competition between two sophomore QB’s, Jonah (LH) and Sam Phillips (FHS), each two year starters with their JV program. Realizing his performance in camp could impact the selection process LeFleur is doing everything he can to help the new QB’s.
“As a WR you need a QB, so you’ve got to give it all in camp because that’s going to determine who’s starting.”
Although the teams head coach plans on running more this season to break in the rookie signal caller, LeFleur was also quick to comment that the team will still be airing the ball out.
To prepare for the season, and his role in dismantling defensive backfields, the six foot, one hundred and ninety pound athlete lifts regularly and takes part in impromptu field training, where he runs routes for anyone with an arm. This summer’s sessions at times included both prospective QB’s, giving them and LeFleur a glimpse of one another.
“They’re both awesome, I like the way they play, they’re both really good. They have to get used to our speed and how we run our routes. With more practice we’ll build better chemistry” commented LeFleur.
Fast and tough at six feet and one ninety five, LeFleur anticipates he’ll be getting used out of the slot for the majority of his reps.
“They like me inside. I’m a bigger receiver but can post out more than anything for the short game,” he explained.
When not exploiting the middle of the field, LeFleur tries burning defenders with the corner route where he’s confident his hands will help the Lions move the ball.
“I like corners, it opens up a lot of field to work with, the QB can put it anywhere and you just have to find it.”
For his final season, LeFleur is hoping to get back to the provincial final again. To get there will take beating several good teams along the way, including the season opener against the Titan’s.
Excited to see how his new team does against the champs, LeFleur realizes the season is much more than this first game, and also knows his team needs to be better prepared for the pressure that comes with play off football.
“It was a good experience. There was a lot of distractions, it was our first time having a crowd like that, I have to learn to blur them out to keep my mind occupied on the game.”
Beyond grade twelve, LeFleur is hoping to attend business school, and is considering all options that present themselves for athletics and academics. Playing WR and returning kicks at the Canada Cup this summer gained the seventeen year old some attention from recruiters at Ottawa U, Mount Allison, SMU, and the Alberta Golden Bears.
Regardless of where he winds up, LeFleur realizes it will take much more than him to not just get back to the final again, but to win it this time.
“We have to stick together and play together and practice hard. Success isn’t a secret, we have to keep working and play for the season.”
Matt LeFleur #12
Receiver
6’0, 195
Teams: Leo Hayes Lions
Official Visits: none
Un Official Visits: none
Commitments: open
Class: 2018
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