WHSFL’s Senior Bowl set for Saturday
May 25, 2016
Rick Henkewich glances at the Gerry James Trophy, awarded annually to the winners of the Winnipeg High School Football League’s Senior Bowl.
“This was made for us by the Winnipeg South Technical College,” proudly begins Henkewich, the WHSFL Commissioner at a press conference on Wednesday. “And, amazingly enough, it’s very hard to get your name on this plaque. A lot of people who have their name on this plaque have come back to look at it and taken pride in it.
“It’s something guys will remember, to win this Gerry James Trophy.”
The 16th Annual Senior Bowl goes this Saturday at Investors Group Field and features some of the finest graduating players in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario. It’s a chance for the players to line up against – and with – some of their long-time high school rivals while getting some outstanding coaching from some of the city’s best tutors.
It’s also a way for the WHSFL to honour those who have given so much to the game, as guest coaches. This year’s guest coaches are Gil Bramwell, a two-time Vanier Cup champion with the University of Manitoba Bisons who launched the Oak Park Raiders program in 1991, and Blue Bombers President & CEO Wade Miller, who played at Sturgeon Heights before an outstanding career with the Bisons and then 11 more years with the Bombers.
It was also 26 years ago that Miller played in a senior bowl, although it was referred to as the Blue and Gold Game back then. His coach? Dave Ritchie, then Bombers’ linebacker coach and a man who would later become the club’s head knock – and Miller’s coach.
“It was pretty special to be coached by Dave Ritchie and then play for him later. That was back in the day when the linebackers of the Blue Bombers were pretty special and that’s who Dave Ritchie was coaching.”
Wade Miller
“This is something that will be a memory forever and playing at Investors Group Field is also a great treat for them.”
The game will feature over 100 players with the kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. (tickets are just $5). And for some players, it will be the last time they pull on a helmet. Others are hoping it’s simply another game before the next chapter in their careers begins.
“It’s a really big honour to play in this game. It’s a fun time and it’s a nice parting gift as we’re all graduating from high school, to get that last game,” said Todd Campbell, a linebacker with the Sisler Spartans who has verbally committed to the Vancouver Island Raiders of the B.C. Football Conference. “Obviously there’s a really good coaching staff brought together for both teams so there’s a learning experience with it, too.”
“For a lot of us seniors we want to play as many games as we can and this is a good way to close out our high school careers,” added Tommy Semchyshyn, a receiver with the St. Paul’s Crusaders. “I’m really looking forward to it.
“Football really does teach you a lot of life lessons. When I look back and when I first started playing for St. Paul’s I wasn’t very good, I’m not going to lie. But it was that constant and relentless pursuit of always trying to get better.
“It’s been the best experience and one helluva ride.”
There are three other games at IGF on Saturday, with the Rural Manitoba Football League All-Stars from Western Manitoba playing at 10 a.m., the U16 Thunder Bay Knights vs Manitoba’s U16 team at 4 p.m. and the Northwest Ontario U18 vs. Manitoba at 7 p.m.
