SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — The Summerside Waterwise Spartans find themselves in an unfamiliar position.
The Spartans, champions of the P.E.I. Bantam Tackle Football League five of the past six years, enter the 2019 Hilton Bowl against the undefeated Charlottetown Privateers as the underdog. The title game is scheduled for Eric Johnston Field in Summerside on Saturday at 4 p.m.
“It’s a different role for us for sure,” said Spartans head coach Brian Goguen. “The kids know what they are in for and know what Charlottetown brings to the table.
“It’s our job as coaches to prepare them to play their best. It’s up to them to do their job on the field.”
The Privateers, who dominated the three-team league’s regular season with a 6-0 (won-lost) record, can cap a perfect season with a win.
“They had an excellent performance this year,” said Privateers general manager David Henderson. “We have a large roster and making sure every player gets adequate playing time is often a challenge, but our coaches have done a terrific job of moving players around to make sure they did have adequate playing time and moving them around to different positions to help them learn different skills.
“A lot of them are getting ready for varsity next year as we have 14 players graduating the bantam program.”
The Spartans went 3-3 in the regular season and defeated the Cornwall Timberwolves in last week’s semifinal game between the second- and third-place teams.
“It’s been an up-and-down season,” assessed Goguen. “We’ve had some good results, bad results and we have continued to improve as the year has gone on.
“Our biggest test will be Saturday for sure.”
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Championship Weekend
- P.E.I. tackle football championship games:
- Saturday, Nov. 2
- At Eric Johnston Field in Summerside:
- Varsity
- Potato Bowl
- 1:30 p.m. – Summerside Clippers vs. Cornwall Timberwolves.
- Bantam
- Ed Hilton Bowl
- 4 p.m. – Charlottetown Privateers vs. Summerside Spartans.
- Atoms
- Sunday, Nov. 3
- At Eric Johnston Field in Summerside:
- 11 a.m. – Summerside Spartans vs. Charlottetown.
Head-to-head meetings
The Privateers won all three head-to-meetings – 19-18, 42-6, 34-0 – with the Spartans, who are looking to take advantage of playing at home.
“We will have them pretty pumped up before the game,” said Goguen. “We always say, ‘No one beats us in our house.’
“There is a lot of pride playing on your home turf. The one game we did play against them on our home turf we only lost by one, the other two were in Charlottetown. We didn’t play our game and play the way we normally do, but I think on the turf it will be a lot faster and I think it will be a great game.”
Henderson said he expects the Hilton Bowl, which honours former UPEI athletic director and football coach Ed Hilton, to be a tough battle.
“Going into the Eric Johnston Field is going to be a challenge,” said Henderson. “It’s a fabulous area, but the weather will determine a lot.
“The wind coming off the water creates some different situations and being a game later in the day with kickoff around 4 p.m., that’s going to change some of the dynamic as well.
“It’s going to be a really good matchup and the rosters match up very well size and skill-wise. It should be another close, tight match. I'm just hoping we come out on the right end of it”
Goguen does not have to be reminded about how the weather can play a factor at Eric Johnston Field.
“It looks like it’s going to be sunny and it doesn’t look like there will be much rain, but it looks like there will be a bit of wind, so it all depends on which way the wind is blowing,” said Goguen.
- RELATED:
- Click here for preview story of Potato Bowl:
- Click here for preview story of P.E.I. Atom Tackle Football League championship:
- Click her for Joe MacIntyre's Hot Corner sports column:
Balance
A key to the Privateers’ success this season has been “good balance on both sides of the ball,” noted Henderson.
“The running game has been very solid this year, our passing game has shown improvement over previous seasons and our defence has had very solid efforts against both the run and the pass,” said the GM. “We are pretty excited about that and the way the team looks overall.”
Goguen said one big factor for the Spartans on Saturday will be the team’s blocking up front.
“They have a big guy who is probably six-foot-three, 230, 240 pounds and if we don’t get bodies on him our whole offence breaks down,” said Goguen. “We have to make sure we make some key blocks up front with our front three and make some key blocks on the edges when we run outside and get yards outside.
“In terms of defence, they have a strong quarterback who can run and throw, we just have to maintain our zones, chase after the ball and make good tackles.”
Rosters
Rosters of teams in Ed Hilton Bowl:
Charlottetown Privateers
1. Isaiah Mermuys; 4. Max MacLeod; 7. Chayton Tremblay; 11. Daniel Ferguson; 14. Ezekiel Cormier; 16. Preston Stewart; 22. Mathis Blais; 24. Jared Watts; 25. Kenneth Smallwood; 26. Charlie Ross; 27. Hunter Lannigan; 29. Jahkei (JJ) Munnings; 34. Davis Knight; 36. Daniel Brown; 38. Connor Mosher; 39. Tylissa Larter; 40. Leon Jakas; 41. Blake Blackett; 48. Prithvi Singh; 49. Sebastian Kennedy; 53. Marshall MacDonald; 55. Riley Beaver-Hounsell; 56. Ewan Rogerson; 57. Udan Pamunuwe; 59. Matthew Koritansky; 73. Noah Potter; 78. Hardik Bhatia; 83. Anthony Artz; 84. Logan Buell, and 99. Noah Stanley.
Staff
General manager – David Henderson.
Head coach – Coady Carr-Boulter.
Offensive co-ordinator – Zac Jarvis.
Line coach – Dustin Gertley-Gregan.
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Summerside Spartans
7. Sam Friesen; 10. Cole Holland; 12. Zachary Connell; 21. Hudson Gallant; 20. Toby Gillis; 22. Donovan Ryder-Clements; 24. Lincoln Blacquiere; 25. Connor Blood; 28. Campbell Wadman; 30. Colby Gallant; 33. Brayden Pike; 51. Brex MacLeod; 54. Reid MacKinnon; 55. Drew Drummond; 58. Bradley McCourt; 59. Avery Gallant-Smith; 60. Damian Barlow; 67. Jonas Binkley; 70. Ethan Skevington; 75. Carter Lawless; 77. Luke Blacquiere; 88. Aaron Carr, and 92. Dane Rogers.
Staff
Head coach – Brian Goguen.
Assistant coaches – Kenny Blood, Rob Connell, Paul Walsh.
Jason.simmonds@journalpioneer.com
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