SRSS Sabres aiming to return to football playoffs

The Steinbach Regional Secondary School Sabres (SRSS) football team got off to a hot start to the season, with their camp beginning Aug. 24.

The team was grateful for a break in the weather, as players battled heat and humidity over the first two days of camp.

“It’s been really good,” head coach Stephan Fedus said after practice Aug. 26, adding the coaching staff was careful to not overstress players in the heat.

“A nice cooler day like tonight was refreshing for the kids. We’ve been really impressed with varsity. Our install on offense and defense has gone really well. Attendance has been really good. Kids are quite committed. Now it’s about working on the skills and how we play. We’ll get there.”

The Sabres are dealing with key losses due to graduating players, with last year’s starting quarterback (Bradey Dornez) and best player (Mason Funk) aging out. Steinbach managed to make the playoffs last year, battling to be one of the eight best teams in the province.

“That’s part of football at the high school level, good players graduate and young guys are going to be given opportunities to fill in,” Fedus said.

“Funk is a pretty special player. Being completely honest, we’ll have to replace him by committee. There isn’t one guy that will replace everything that he did.”

Funk is in his first year at the University of Manitoba, and the linebacker even picked up a tackle in the team’s pre-season game against Regina Aug. 22. The Bisons kick off their season against Saskatchewan Aug. 31.

Meanwhile, in Steinbach, the Sabres will be in tough to start the season. The team will play three of the province’s top high school teams over the next two weeks, taking on St Paul’s in pre-season action Aug. 29 before beginning their regular season against Dakota and Grant Park. The game against Grant Park Sept. 12 is Steinbach’s home opener.

“The schedule is the schedule, we don’t have control of that, but we consciously made the decision to play against St Paul’s as our exhibition game because we want our kids to see the level of the best teams in the province,” Fedus said.

“That’s the level we’re aspiring to be. You’re never going to get to that level if you’re hiding from those teams.”

Fedus didn’t say who would be the team’s starting quarterback to start the season, noting Toby Plett and Angelo Stoyanov would both get chances to impress against St Paul’s.

Whoever stands behind centre will be throwing to a young, talented receiver group, with a few excellent grade 10 players set to make the cut on the varsity team this year.

“We’re expecting big things out of them,” Fedus said on his receivers.

“It’s going to be a year of development and we’ll see how it goes. I’m confident we can still do well and have a winning record.”

Another position group which could turn into a team strength over the next two seasons is offensive line. The Sabres are projecting to start four grade 11 players up front.

“It’s exciting,” Fedus said.

“They’re young, they’re getting better, they’re working hard and they’ll be ready for the season.”

Steinbach will also be fielding a junior varsity team this season in the 9-player division, after only playing exhibition games last season.

“Those kids are smiling, they’re having fun, they’re learning the game right now,” Fedus said.

“They’re really excited to have a full season, which we didn’t know whether we could have or not last season. That’s a good thing for us… That division is growing, it’s a really good place for kids who have never played football to learn to play.”

Fedus said the varsity team’s goal is to make the playoffs again this year.