Steinbach Regional Sabres will need upset victory to advance in football playoffs

The Steinbach Regional Sabres varsity football team will need to pull off a shocking upset if they want to win their first playoff game since returning to the top tier in the province.

The Sabres couldn’t keep pace with the Oak Park Raiders, losing 51-6 in their final regular season game of the season in Winnipeg Oct. 17.

After falling behind 14-0 early, Steinbach had a chance to get back into the game, pushing the ball to within three yards of the goal-line, but falling just short. Any chances of a second-half comeback were dashed when Oak Park scored on the first play of the third quarter.

The result meant the Sabres finished third in the Potter division, and will play the Vidruk Division’s second-seed, Vincent Massey, in the league quarterfinals.

“The Sabres should be proud of their effort and resilience against one of the top programs in Manitoba,” program coordinator Jamie Peters said after the game against Oak Park.

“While the scoreboard didn’t reflect the full story, our players battled on every snap and continued to improve against elite competition. Games like this build toughness and character, and the lessons learned in moments like these go far beyond football.”

Steinbach has played four top teams in the Winnipeg High School Football League this year (including against St Paul’s in the pre-season), losing to all four by a combined 160-6. Included in those scores is a 40-0 loss to their playoff opponents.

Kick-off for the Sabres in the quarterfinals is Oct. 24 at Fort Garry Lions field in Winnipeg at 7 p.m. The semi-finals and finals for the Winnipeg High School Football League will take place at Princess Auto Stadium.

The Springfield Sabres will also be in action Oct. 24, as they take on Murdoc MacKay at the East Side Eagles field. Springfield finished fourth in the Tier 2 AAAA standings this season.

Serious injury shakes league

The entire Winnipeg High School Football League is rallying after a Sisler player could be paralyzed from the neck down.

Darius “Dee” Hartshorne, who plays both offensive and defensive line for the Spartans, was injured while being tackled returning a short opening kick-off during a game against Tec-Voc Oct. 17.

Hartshorne was rushed to surgery, where doctors worked for six hours to help the player recover. He is still in the intensive care unit.

“No doubt, this tragic accident is life changing and we are all still in shock and thinking, praying and hoping for a miracle of recovery,” WHSFL commissioner Jeff Bannon told the Winnipeg Free Press.

“We don’t know what the future will hold, all we know is that we’ll be here for him, his family and his teammates.”

Fundraising is underway to help the family with immediate and recovery costs, with $34,000 of the campaign’s $35,000 goal donated by press time Oct. 22.

With files from Joshua Frey-Sam