High School Football playoffs ready for kick-off

As fall turns colder, fields across the province are ready to host some of the most consequential football games of the season.

The Winnipeg High School Football League playoffs began Oct. 27, with varsity teams from Springfield and Steinbach Regional set to play Oct. 30.

Both varsity teams are heading into the playoffs on sour notes, dropping their final regular season games of the season.

Steinbach fell 43-0 to the Dakota Lancers Oct. 23. Program coordinator Jamie Peters said in his game recap while the Sabres were able to move the ball, they couldn’t finish a drive in the red zone.

Dakota were led by their quarterback offensively. Declan Mielke finished an incredibly efficient 13/16 for 232 yards and three touchdowns.

The varsity SRSS team finished the year at 3-4, and will play the top seeded Vincent Massey Trojans in the quarterfinals. The game of the first round will be in Dakota, as the Lancers take on rivals St Paul’s Oct. 29.

Springfield had the potential to vault up the standings, but fell to second-seeded Sisler in their final game of the season. The Sabres finished 4-3 after dropping a game to the Spartans 26-17.

Springfield’s usual stout run defense was hit hard in the first half and by the time they had contained the Sisler ground attack, the visitors had built up a lead they clung to for the rest of the game.

The Sabres will be taking on the Windsor Park Royals in their Tier 2 AAAA quarterfinal match-up. Even though they are listed as the home team, the game will take place at the East Side Eagles field in Winnipeg.

Steinbach’s junior varsity team, which finished the year 6-0 but in second place on tiebreakers, hosted Crocus Plains after press time Oct. 28.

They clinched an undefeated regular season by way of a 48-23 win over Sturgeon Heigts Oct. 21. Even though the Huskies finished the season 0-6, they gave the Sabres a first-half scare, jumping out to a 16-7 first half lead.

“The second half featured a dominant defensive performance, led by Dexter Dick in the middle of the Sabres defense,” coach Kerry Friesen wrote in a post-game recap.

“On offense, Jad Kerrou found the end zone three times, running behind outstanding blocking from the offensive line. With all three phases of the game clicking, the Sabres took control and pulled away for a convincing victory.”

This is the first junior varsity Sabres team to finish with more than four wins in a season. The Sabres play in the nines division of the WHSFL.