Springfield, SRSS Sabres improve records in WHSFL play

The region’s two AAAA football programs both came away with wins this week, as the Springfield Sabres shut out Garden City 30-0 in tier 2 play, while the Steinbach Regional Sabres took out Grant Park 38-27 in the top tier of high school football in the province.

Springfield was dominant on the ground, with River Wiebe racking up 237 yards and four rushing touchdowns on 20 attempts. Wiebe was especially effective in the first half, as the Sabres jumped out to an early lead and relied on their defense from there.

“When you can give the best players the opportunity, that’s what you do, and you can see that’s what we’re doing,” head coach Marcel Pelland said after the game against Garden City.

Wiebe gets the lion’s share of carries for the Sabres, serves as the team’s punter and kicker and chips in on defense as a defensive back. Pelland said he’s proud of how the rest of the grade 12 players on their roster have responded to shaking off the rust.

“The first game caught us on our heels a little bit,” Pelland said.

“The blocking has now caught up to River and the quarterback (Colton DeClercq) is definitely keeping pace with him.”

The Sabres are looking good so far this season. Through four games they have a 3-1 record, giving up the second-fewest points while scoring the third most in the 10-team division.

Pelland said the team has been “blessed” with excellent health so far this season.

“Offensively, we have some great things happening,” he said.

“We have a quarterback who is developing really, really nicely. On the defense, it’s been a real shut down thing. There really hasn’t been a run that comes at us we can’t stop.”

Pelland and the Sabres will visit River East next week, in a game that means a lot for the River East alum who is in his first year as head coach in Springfield.

Former head coach Tom Walls, who moved to South America over the summer, is still helping coach the team from afar. Walls was the coach who installed what has become Springfield’s trademark power-run game.

“We’re holding true to the original Wing-T, but opening it up a little bit,” Pelland said with a chuckle.

Pelland said he’s hoping to see a bit more discipline from his team, as they were regularly flagged throughout their win over Garden City.

SRSS SABRES

The Steinbach Regional Secondary School Sabres moved to 2-2 on the season, defeating Grant Park 38–27 in a back and forth affair under the lights at Fort Garry Field in Winnipeg Oct. 2.

The game flipped on a goal-line stand late in the second quarter. With the score tied 7-7, the Pirates had the ball first and goal from the three yard line. Steinbach’s defense held the line and their offense responded with a four-touchdown third quarter to take a 35-7 lead.

Mason Wiebe finished 19/27 through the air, racking up 314 yards while completing touchdowns to running back Braeden Sinclair-Unger and receiver Ryan Martin. Sinclair-Unger added 86 yards rushing in addition to his passing game help.

Earlier in the day, the junior varsity Sabres swept to a 32-0 win over the Raiders in the JV9 division. The game was called at half-time after Oak Park lost players due to injury.

The Sabres will play Miles Mac Oct. 10 at A.D. Penner Park. Kick-off is set for 4:30 p.m.