Senior Final: TBirds 28 - Predators 24

That one really hurt! After the game was over you could have heard a pin drop in the Predators locker room as the players and coaches absorbed what had just happened. If anyone thinks that our guys lost because they lacked heart, because they didn't care enough, because they weren't prepared or weren't focused... well, in my opinion none of those things ring true and they don't account for the loss. After the game was over you could read it in the face of every player, every coach - the equipment manager, trainer. Everybody had worked so hard through this season, knowing we had a team that was capable of winning a league championship. From spring camp right through the regular season and playoffs, everybody was aware that this Senior Predators team had a real chance to do something that hadn't been done in 10 years. And it was right there!
We got off to a bit of a shaky start, with the T-Birds managing to pull off two high risk plays early in the game. They had a successful punt fake that they eventually converted into a touchdown, and a short kickoff which they recovered to set up another touchdown. But our guys showed us something - they were not going to quit! Down by two touchdowns early in the game, the Predators did not panic. When Keith Rafuse picked off a Ross Sheppard pass and took it all the way to the house, there seemed to be a subtle shift in momentum. Although the Predators went into the locker room at half time down 14 - 7, there was a feeling that both our defense and our offense were starting to dominate the game. And in the second half, it became clear that our guys were hungry for the victory. Ryley Richardson caught a Garrett Gleisner pass over the middle and shook off the first Shep tackler. He took the ball 84 yards for a touchdown, picking up some key downfield blocks along the way. Kevin Jacobson and the offensive line did their part, breaking through the Shep defense on several occasions. Gleisner and his receivers seemed to be shredding the T-Birds in the second half, rolling up huge yards. Even our kicking game contributed to a very strong second half for the Predators. (And I don't think our kicking game has ever been considered one of the strengths of this team - no offense to anybody.) On at least two occasions when a Predators drive was stalled, Garrett somehow managed to punt the ball deep past the Shep returners - on one occasion kicking for a 70 + yard net gain, to pin the T-Birds in their own end. And what can you say about the Predators defense? All day they virtually shut down the Shep running game - often meeting their running backs behind the line of scrimmage before they had even secured the hand-off. They pressured the T-Birds quarterback, they had very few breakdowns in pass coverage and they forced the Shep offense to earn every yard they got. It was a total team effort, highlighted by a play where Shep's quarterback wanted to throw the ball but couldn't get set because of pressure from the Predators defense. On that play he learned about the quickness of our D. No slouch as an athlete himself, he managed to elude several Predator tacklers, but with each twist and turn he gave up yardage, and no matter what he did there was always another Predator defender in his face. After being chased all over the field and failing to find a running lane or a receiver he was tackled for a 45 yard loss, fumbled the ball, and the Predators recovered deep in T-Birds territory.

Even with the Predators playing so well in the second half, the T-Birds weren't about to roll over and concede the championship. They have a lot of talent and a lot of pride on their team too, and while they may not have looked great on the stat sheet in the third quarter, they only gave up 14 points, and they managed to score a touchdown of their own. Which set up a fourth quarter with the score tied 21 - 21.

The fourth quarter seemed to be a continuation of the third, with the T-Birds unable to advance the ball out of their own end and the Predators threatening to score on several occasions. The 21 -21 tie held up until very late in the fourth quarter. The Predators had once again moved the ball deep into Shep territory and seemed poised to put the winning points on the board with a field goal attempt. Shep would not have a lot of time left to get those points back, and they were not having a lot of success against our defense. And that's when it happened. "Bad things man! Baaaaad things!" The field goal missed. Shep picked up the ball deep in their own end zone, knowing they had to run it out of there to avoid giving up a safety. And they not only ran it out, they ran it all the way down the field, for what we are told was (unofficially) the longest touchdown ever scored in league final history. 28 - 21 for Shep, with time running out on the clock.

I have to admit that in the stands, I was thinking "That's it! Just like that, it slips away from us. Our guys don't have enough time and they won't be able to come back after that." Which just goes to show that I don't have enough faith in our team, because although they were obviously shocked by what happened, they weren't about to give up - they were not going to quit! With time ticking down the offense went to work. Managing the clock as best they could, the Predators continued moving the ball down the field taking what they could from the Shep defense. At the end, our guys would need a miracle to win, but they didn't quit even then. It was a desperation pass that finally ended the Predators hopes on this day. And a miracle of sorts. A pass that might have fallen incomplete, instead it bounces off somebody's foot and straight into the hands of a Shep defender. Interception. Seconds left. Game over. 28 to 24 for the T-Birds.

Honestly, it was a great game to watch, and the Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds deserve a lot of credit for maintaining their composure and capitalizing on their opportunities to win the championship. The two best teams in the Edmonton Public league were putting it all on the line and holding nothing back. The T-Birds beat us fair and square. But Parkland football fans should feel very proud of our guys for the way they battled and the way they performed in this game. And as one of the players told me afterward, there didn't seem to be anybody in that dead-silent locker room after the game who was sulking or feeling sorry for themselves. They certainly weren't pointing fingers or blaming others for the loss. A lot of the guys seemed to be taking it pretty hard, maybe wishing that they could have a do-over, possibly blaming themselves for what happened. It shows the true character of this team and it's something else that they can feel proud of - even after a difficult loss they kept their dignity and their pride, they stuck together as a team should.

Now that our season is ended we have to say goodbye to our grade 12 players who won't be back next year. Brayden Berry, Justin Buck, David Charleson, Michael (Budha) Chartrand, Dustin Clark, Brett Dobson, Callan Feser, Addlore Friedel, Steven Giebelhaus, Kris Godreau, Drew Mason, Dylan Niwa, Preston Panasiuk, Neil Parker, Ethan Riedlinger, Josh Solowan, Tyler (Milt) Steigel, Phillip Tautchin, Brett Veidemanis, Dougie Wray and Ryan Zimmerman - the Old Blogger's hat is off to you guys! I hope you enjoyed your time as a Parkland Predator and I wish you success in whatever comes after high school.

To all the rest of the Senior Predators - there's always next year. And to the Junior Predators - all the best in this year's playoffs. The Old Blogger would love to see you guys repeat this year as Champions in the Junior League!

2007 Senior High School Playoffs

It seems like such a short time ago that the Old Blogger posted "Game On!" Blog posts have been few and far between since then, but here we are. The regular season is over for our Senior Predators. Congratulations guys - undefeated in Regular Season Play! Now we roll up our sleeves and get ready for playoffs, starting with a game later today against Scona.

As a well known and respected "Football Pundit", the Old Blogger is aware of the awesome responsibility of predicting the outcome of all the playoff match ups. So here goes - Predictions for the 2007 Playoffs in the Edmonton Public Senior High School Football League.

ROUND ONE MATCH UPS

In round one of the playoffs we have ME Lazerte facing Harry Ainlay at Foote Field later today, at 5:00pm. The Old Blogger hasn't seen Ainlay's team this year, but rumour has it that they have a pretty potent offense. Their quarterback is ranked Number 2 in the league this year for passing yardage. This one should be a good game but you can probably figure on Ainlay winning over Lazerte. I have no idea what the point spread should be - what am I, Jimmy the Greek?

The other 5:00pm game today features our Senior Predators against the Scona Lords at Clarke Park. If you can find a rabid Scona fan willing to bet with you on the outcome of this one, I think you could probably go down to the bank and they'd advance you a reasonable sum to place on Parkland's chances. Let's just say "Predators - by a bunch!"

At 7:30pm we have the other two first round match ups. Over at Foote Field it's Ross Shep vs. McNally. I think you've got to favor the Thunderbirds in this one - Shep's defense has given up just 45 points in the entire regular season. Besides, Ex-Predator Pierce McAllister should be suiting up for the ThunderBirds and I happen to think he's going to be a factor in all their playoff games this year.

The only other game in the first round is Jasper Place and Eastglen. The Old Blogger has watched both of these teams play against our Predators, and this is the one game that's almost too close to call. I'll probably have to go with Eastglen - when they played our guys it was one of the hardest hitting games of the entire season, and they virtually shut down our running game. I hate to go against Dallas Wright (QB of the JP Rebels and an Ex-Spruce Grove Cougar) but I'll pick Eastglen in what will probably be a squeaker.

That's it! Those are your first round match ups, and the winners already identified. Only thing is - we have to go out and play the games. One of the things I like about football is that weird things happen. Weird things like the Old Blogger being wrong.

Game On!

The Comets Are Coming! The Comets Are Coming!

It took a lot of work to finalize the arrangements but it is now official - the Raymond Comets are coming to Spruce Grove this week to play an exhibition match against our Senior Predators. Comets and Predators! This is going to be awesome!

As many Parkland Football fans already know, the Raymond Comets have been the #1 ranked team in Alberta High School Football for several years. The Predators have a "Bye" this week in high school league play and the playoffs are coming soon. This promises to be a GREAT football game. The weather should be terrific. You do not want to miss this game! Invite all your friends, relatives, co-workers - this is going to be a party!

PREDATORS vs. COMETS
Where: Football Field at Spruce Grove Composite High School
When: Friday, October 5th at 4:00 pm
Admission: FREE!

Still Kickin' (And Check Out the Stats and Standings!)

No Blog posts since September 5th! You all must have been worried SICK about the Old Blogger! Is he dead? Has he lost interest in Parkland Football? Alien abduction? Well, I'm happy to report it's "none of the above". Just haven't had much time for blogging lately.

Meanwhile the Senior Predators have played two more games (still un-defeated) and the Junior Predators have played their first game of the 2007 season. (Way to go Junior Preds! Heard you won big!)

And - the real reason for this post - check out the standings and stats for Senior Football in the Edmonton Public League. Parkland Senior Predators are sitting in first place! Offensive and Defensive stats give a pretty good insight into why we're number one. (Individual stats only tell part of the story of course. Just had to point that out - the Old Blogger has a son on the Predators O-Line. )

Find all the stats and league standings here! (http://consultingservices.epsb.net/physicaleducation/athletics/fb_stand_sr_0708.pdf)

Scheduling Change For This Week's Senior Predator Game

This is important! Don't go to the wrong field tomorrow to watch our Senior Predators!

We just learned last night of a recent scheduling change at the Edmonton Public High School Football League. It looks like the location for the Senior Predators game this Thursday against J. Percy Page is not at Coronation field, it's at Johnny Bright Park. (Johnny Bright Park is also known as "JP Bowl" and it's located beside Jasper Place High School, 8950 - 163 St., in West Edmonton.)

For future reference, you can always check the EPHSFL schedule information at their web site. Go here for the Senior Predators schedule and here for the Junior Predators. Poke around the site and you'll also find league standings and stats.

We'll probably do a phone out tonight, but if you happen to see this blog post prior to game time, please help us out by passing the word to other Parkland Football fans!

Game One: Parkland Senior Predators and Ross Shep Thunderbirds

Holy Cats! What a way to start the 2007 season!

First of all, congratulations to the Senior Predators. It seems that the hard work during a short pre-season and training camp had our guys well prepared for this opening game. To come out of the gates like that, against a team that gave us all kinds of problems last year, must have been very satisfying for the Predators coaches and players. I know the Parkland fans enjoyed every minute of our first game in the 2007 season!

It's not like the Thunderbirds didn't put up a struggle though. When the Old Blogger finally rolled in and took his seat in the stands, after fighting through the %#&@! rush hour traffic on the Yellowhead, it was the end of the first quarter and Shep had just scored to tie the game 7 - 7. In the second quarter the Predators were facing a fairly stiff breeze and it looked like it was going to have an effect on our passing game. A couple of Gleissner passes seemed to hang up in the air a bit. And all through that first half, yards on the ground against Shep's D were not easy to come by.

But the Predators defense played such a strong game. We didn't get a lot of QB sacks, but I'm pretty sure the Ross Shep quarterback never felt real comfortable in the pocket, or when he was rolling out to throw a pass. He's a great athlete, but on a lot of plays it looked like he was scrambling for his life. The Shep offense was able to complete some passes, but they gained very little on the ground, they had a few passes picked off by Predators' defenders, and they weren't able to find the end zone again in the first half. And even though the Predators offense struggled at times, they just have so many weapons. Dylan Niwa had a breakout game - caught a pass for what I am told was his first touchdown ever in high school football, and then scored another one after that. It's great to see Dylan playing healthy this year. And Garrett wasn't limited to one receiver in this game - at the risk of sounding repetitive, the Predators have a lot of weapons. A LOT of weapons. An AWFUL LOT of weapons. In the first half though, it wasn't just a talented offense and a stingy defense that gave Parkland the edge. I actually think the Predators can sometimes wear down opposing teams just by playing disciplined football. In that first half, Shep was constantly in bad field position because they kept taking penalties. The Predators managed to avoid costly penalties, and they capitalized on Shep mistakes.
Half time score: 21-7 Predators.

In the second half the Predators pretty much picked up where they had left off. Ryley Richardson capped a drive with a ridiculous touchdown catch, early in the third quarter. I mean - he stretched out and hauled in a ball that maybe he had no business catching.
28 - 7 Predators.
Shortly after Ryley's touchdown the Predators defense snuffed a fairly promising Shep drive, when the Thunderbirds tried a third-and-ten gamble at the Predators 20 yard line. The play went nowhere, and the Predators first offensive play after that was Jacobson, up the middle, on a trap. Jacobson, from our own twenty (which would make it 90 yards) for the touchdown, shaking off at least two Ross Shep tacklers along the way! Real nice job of blocking by our O Line.
35 - 7 Predators.

Mixed in amongst those plays were a bunch more for the highlight reel. Josh Solowan doing a pretty good pit-bull impression, with a shirt-tail tackle to prevent Shep's quarterback from gaining major yards on the ground. Neil Parker with a really nice interception, only to have the ball punched out by a Shep player. Parkland recovered that fumble though, so after all that, Shep still turned over the ball to our guys. Garrett very alertly recovered one of his own third down punts, after Shep thought they had the Predators stopped. That drive didn't result in any Predators points, but it helped to keep Shep pinned deep in their own end at a time when they desperately needed to score. The Thunderbirds did manage to add a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, but that was it. Callan Feser made a great interception on a Shep pass with seconds left in the game, and it was over.

Final Score in Game One: Parkland 35 - Ross Shep 14.

Game On!

OK, it's not really "Game On" yet, but it's "Camp On". Predators camp starts today. Away camp for Senior Predators is next weekend. Minor football is already in full swing. CFL season has been wicked good - especially for us Rider fans. NFL regular season is about to start.

The Old Blogger LOVES this time of year!

Hanson Steps Up - BIG TIME!

My son is one of the Parkland football players who have spent time at Wabamun this summer, throwing dead ducks for the Labrador Retreiver field trials. It's an important fund-rasier activity for the Parkland Predators football program.

This was the first time that Brad has been involved in throwing dead ducks. It is a fairly un-pleasant way to spend a weekend, but many of the kids have stepped up and some (my kid included) have gone back more than once because in the end, it helps the team.

After a few trips to Wabamun, dropping off and picking up kids, I noticed that most of the players out there throwing ducks were rookies and kids who have just completed their first year of Predators ball. I mentioned this to my son, saying also that the one veteran player who I had seen was Kevin Hanson. Brad reminded me of something I had forgotten - Hanson graduated this year, so he's out there doing fund-raising for a team that he won't even be playing for next year.

Hanson! We've all admired your incredible football skills - you're a gifted athlete for sure. Nobody should ever question your commitment to the Predators program or your work ethic. If we could all support the team to the same level - think where we'd be!

Note: I hope nobody feels offended or slighted by this blog post. There probably have been other veteran players out there throwing ducks this year - I wasn't there every day. And maybe it's reasonable to have rookies "pay their dues" by throwing the ducks - something like that would be pretty common on all sorts of sports teams. Even if they weren't throwing ducks, many of our veteran players support the team in other ways - including lots of fundraising. I just thought that Kevin should be acknowledged - he was the only veteran player that I actually saw out there. He's one of those elite players who also demonstrates "commitment and effort".

One More Rumour - McAllister to Suit Up For Thunderbirds This Year?

I'd say this is more than just rumour - Pierce was at Clarke Park last month, lining up as a tailback with the Ross Shepherd Thunderbirds at the High School Football Tournament! It will be kind of strange playing against Pierce next year - he had a huge part in the Jr. Predators 2006 league championship team. (I'm like you Scotty - never get tired of sayin' that! League Champion Junior Predators! )

Anyone who saw the 2006 semi-final game against Jasper Place will remember - two awesome punts in the last two minutes of the game, kicking the CRAP out of a frozen football. First kick tied the game. Second kick - last play of the game - won it. Pierce also had a great year at tailback - breaking some huge gains with his running speed and catching passes out of the backfield. Apparently he also has a talent for inspiring his team mates with motivational pre-game messages. Would we have won the final without "I Am Cow..." ?

All the best Pierce! Thanks for the memories. Hope you enjoy your grade 12 year at Shep.

Under 17 Tournament - Rumour Mill!

Game scores would indicate that Team Alberta North may have had a tough week in Quebec on the football field. Maybe they'll be able to turn it around in the playoff game today, against Western Ontario.

The Old Blogger heard a rumour though, that Kris Godreau was selected "Defensive Player of the Game" in Team Alberta North's loss to Team Alberta South. Don't know for sure if that's true. Anybody have more information? It would be great to hear about it if if you do - post a comment here in the blog.

It would also be nice if anyone has more information - any web sites that have coverage of the Tournaments? Maybe somebody that has travelled to Quebec and watched the games? Any good threads on the "All Canada Gridiron" forums? Post a comment (Please include URL's if you know of any interesting web coverage.) The Old Blogger is getting tired of doing all the yakkin' here!

National Tournament in Quebec

Most of our Parkland Football players have the summer off, but three of them are suited up this week - playing football in the heat of Sherbrooke/Lennoxville in Quebec. Ryley Richardson and Kris Godreau were selected for "Team Alberta North" to play in the Under 17 tournament, and Jarod Scheideman is in Quebec with the Under 19 "Team Alberta" squad. Congratulations to all three for being selected from a very large pool of talented football players in Alberta. (See this previous Blog Post on the "Under 17" selection camp.) The Old Blogger is pretty sure that all three of these young men will be repazentin' and that they'll be terrific ambassadors for our programs here in Parkland. (The Old Blogger speaks from first hand knowledge in the case of Ryley. Watched him play since Atoms and he's one classy kid with a ton of athletic talent.)

Game Results
The two national tournaments began on July 7th for U-17 teams and July 8th for U-19, so some of the game results are in. There's information on the Football Alberta site, as well as on All Canada Gridiron. (See links here and here.) For those who just want the facts, here's how it shook out for our guys this week...

UNDER 17 TOUNEY
Game One: North Alberta 6 - East Ontario 17
Game Two: North Alberta 6 - South Alberta 51

North Alberta will meet Western Ontario today (Friday the 13th!) in a playoff game. There is also a Gold Medal game between Manitoba and Quebec.

UNDER 19 TOURNEY
Game One: Alberta 40 Saskatchewan 7
Game Two: Alberta 55 Manitoba 13

There is a Gold Medal game on Saturday, July 14th between Ontario and Alberta.

Once again, congratulations to all the athletes and especially our Parkland guys! Hope you are having a great experience in Quebec. Be very very proud!

What? Karhut Again?

More from the "Where Are They Now File".

I'm thinking of renaming this thing the KarhutBlog. Seems he's always finding new ways to get his name mentioned in my blog.

So where is Ryan now? I'd been wondering why he didn't show up on the Roughriders training camp roster. Turns out he got traded last week from my favorite professional football team to one of my LEAST favorite professional football teams! Read all about it here.

If you don't know about Ryan and his connections with Parkland Football (obviously you'd be a newcomer to this Blog) then check out the trail of previous posts, starting here.

Parkland Football Events

Wow - that last post was a wicked long one. Here's a nice "shortie".

We've got Parkland Predators Spring Camp this week, June 5th, 6th and 7th from 6 - 8 pm at the SGCHS Practice Field.

There's supposed to be a "Mini Jamboree" on June 9th. Details haven't been worked out yet as far as I know, but stay tuned here or check with the Team Managers, Karen and Olenka.

You can still register for the Parkland Predators High School Football Texas Scramble Golf Tournament. Should be a fun event and it runs June 23rd at Cougar Creek Golf Course. I don't know how many spots are still open - check this previous Blog Post for more details.

More on the Spruce Grove West District Sports Park

Parkland football fans - if you happen to meet up with Coach Kaplan in your travels about town, the Old Blogger suggests that you might want to give him a slap on the back and a big "THANKS DOUG!" The West District Park is going to be a huge benefit for the City of Spruce Grove in general, but it's a REALLY HUGE DEAL for Parkland Football fans. For too many years we've had to play and practice on Spruce Grove fields that are totally inadequate for tackle football at any level, or we've had to travel to Edmonton or other communities to watch our kids play the game. All that is about to change.

I know that there have been a lot of people over the years who have worked for and supported the idea of this premiere sports facility in Spruce Grove. Executive, parents and volunteers from minor football, minor soccer, and other sports organizations worked hard to keep the project "on the radar". Gord Montgomery wrote about this issue extensively in the Reporter/Examiner. (Gord has been a great supporter of minor sports and our local athletes.) But ever since I've known about this issue, Coach Doug has been the one constant - rallying support, making phone calls, contacting aldermen, attending council meetings, asking others to attend council meetings... and doing it all over and over again each time the issue resurfaced. Doug refused to quit on the idea. And when the sports fields came right down to the CRUNCH last month - with some fairly influential people campaigning to stop or delay the project - Doug refused to roll over or give up. In fact, when the going got tough, Doug seemed to step up his game to another level!

The Tailgate Party was fun, and the vote in Council Chambers was very dramatic. There were many eloquent appeals to City Council for a "Yes" vote on building the fields. Ryan Karhut - Parkland Football alumnus (and Saskatchewan Roughrider draft pick) - was one of the people who attended and spoke in support of the fields. Spruce Grove City Administration made a terrific presentation outlining the many benefits of building these fields and showing how it really is in the best interests of the community. (Did you know that Spruce Grove was one of only two Alberta Communities that managed to qualify for the maximum in CAMRIF grants? What an EXCELLENT job by the City government and administration.) City Councillors had their say before the vote - showing how the Park fits in with the documented planning strategies and stated goals of the community.

In the end, City Council made a bold decision and the Old Blogger thinks they made the right decision. I think they deserve a lot of credit. But, the Old Blogger wanted to put this out there - Thanks Doug!

A Historic Week For Parkland Football

Wow! This has been a HUGE week for Parkland Football! It actually started the week before, with both our midget teams earning the privilege of playing in the league finals. As a result we had quite a large contingent of Parkland Football fans in attendance this Sunday, to cheer on our teams in back-to-back championship games.
In the first game, the Bandits came up a bit short against the West Edmonton Raiders in the Tier II Championship. It looks like there is still some work ahead for the Bandit players - many of them just preparing to start high school football. But let's not forget how far the Bandits have come in just one year. Last year it was a moral victory when we managed to score points against our opposition. This year we went all the way to the finals and were competing for the league championship! The Old Blogger is so proud of the Bandit players and their coaches. Well done guys! (And Sierra too!) Let me say it again - we've taken a huge step forward this year.
The second game on Sunday was the Tier I championship and it turned out to be a THRILLA. The Parkland Outlaws completed their undefeated 2007 season, winning their game against the Rams in overtime, to claim the trophy for the first time ever! (More on this very exciting game in a later Blog post.)
After the events of the weekend things just continued to get better. Our "Tailgate Party" in support of the West District sports fields in Spruce Grove was a huge success. I think we had well over 100 people there - may have been closer to 200. There will be more on this in a separate Blog post, but I'll tell you right now if you haven't heard - City Council has voted unanimously to PROCEED WITH CONSTRUCTION ASAP! That's right - Spruce Grove is getting the premiere sports fields!
What a week! The Old Blogger is "grinnin' like a pig eating strawberries"!

Vote For Ryan! Spamocracy in Action!

On the subject of "Votes" (see my previous post about West District Sports Park - VERY IMPORTANT!!!) - here's another vote that we can actually have some fun with. Over on the official "Rider Nation" web site they are conducting an online poll to see which Riders draft pick the fans are most excited about. This is a great opportunity for Parkland Football fans to participate in the "Spam-Ocratic" process. Get on over to Riderville and vote for Ryan Karhut. Right now the top ranked guy in their poll has 143 votes. Ryan has 18 votes. Let's all make sure Ryan gets some respect in Riderville! Click on the Rider Nation link above and vote today!

For Parkland Football fans who don't know Ryan - check my two previous posts here and here.

MONDAY, MAY14th VOTE in SPRUCE GROVE!

A TAILGATE PARTY TO SUPPORT WESTPARK/ JUBILEE PARK WILL BE HELD MONDAY MAY 14TH AT 6:00PM OUTSIDE THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. (THAT'S ACROSS FROM THE RCMP BLDG)

THE VOTE ON THE PARK IS TO TAKE PLACE AT 7:00PM!

I know you are all busy but this is THE day! Cancel practice, reschedule the game, skip your meeting, empty the TLC, bring your family, friends, grandparents, bring your grown up kids and their kids. IF we allow a plebiscite to delay the construction, then there must be a vote (which we will win handily), then the contractors re-tender, (the lowest bidder was over a MILLION dollars under the next lowest bid, so the 12 million - well that number is going up) and then it will be fall, the 5.7 million in grants expires in 2007....

DON'T ALLOW APPROVAL TO BE DELAYED!!

THIS IS OUR CHANCE TO ACTUALLY BE HEARD,

IF YOU MISS THIS YOU LET DOWN EVERYONE!

As you already know a petition has been circulated to try and delay the approval of the new sports field. They may have the signatures needed to try and force a vote. Let's prove it's a waste of time by getting out MONDAY NIGHT at 6:00PM and make this vote the one that counts!

PUT SIGNS ON YOUR LAWN/ FORWARD THIS TO YOUR EMAIL CONTACTS/ POST LETTERS/ TELL FRIENDS/ BRING YOUR FAMILIES!

KIDS - MAKE THIS HAPPEN, GET SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THEY HAVE TO CLOSE THE STREET! MAKE THIS THE BIGGEST THING IN SPRUCE GROVE HISTORY!

(Submitted to the Parkland Football Blog by Doug K. Thanks Doug!)

Tier I Semi Final: Outlaws vs. Ravens

Entertaining? Yes, I'd say that game was entertaining!

The Ft. McMurray Ravens are big, and strong, and - considering their size - surprisingly fast. And trick plays? They ran some stuff that the Old Blogger has never seen before - some of those plays probably don't even have names! In the end, the Parkland Outlaws came out on top, and our guys never really did look like they were in serious trouble, although the Ravens kept it close until the last few minutes. We definitely needed our "A Game" against this team.

There were a lot of amazing plays, and one of my favorites didn't even count for anything, but it was a jaw dropper. It was a play where Garrett was being chased down by a swarm of McMurray players. It looked like a jail break as four of the big defenders broke through, just as Garrett was dropping back and looking for a receiver. He escaped the rush by outrunning the first of the Ravens, then he made a sick juke move, and another one missed. Another Raven defender appeared to have him wrapped up for a big loss but he spun away and escaped toward the sidelines. And then he spotted Colton 25 yards down the field, and fired the ball to one of his favorite receivers. The ref seemed to blow the whistle just as the ball was arriving, probably because it was angling out of bounds, and I mean it was waaaaaaay out of bounds. No way anyone was going to catch that pass. Except, from where I sat, it really looked like Colton kept his feet in-bounds and he definitely did catch the ball. I don't know how he did it, but I swear he did! Of course it was waved off - incomplete. And that's when it got a bit weird. Nobody bitched at the refs about the call! Colton just sat there on the sideline for a few seconds, with his feet still in the field of play and the ball in his hands. I heard a couple of parents in the stands who said that it should have been ruled a catch - they too thought the ref had blown the call. But I didn't hear anybody screaming abuse at the officials and it was absolutely beautiful. Colton got up and flipped the ball to the ref. Garrett ran up and congratulated Colton on a great catch. And the Outlaws went back to the huddle.

And there were other plays, and these ones did count...

There was the run that Kevin made off tackle - 80 yards for our first touchdown, on the Outlaws second offensive series of the game.

There was the TD that Devo scored near the end of the first half. He took a pass from Garrett and then turned on the afterburners - even Parkland fans were a little shocked at the speed. I'm sure the Ravens were asking themselves "What just happened there?".

Of course, there was the play that is sort of becoming a favorite - at least with Parkland Football fans. Our offense ran it on the last play of the first half. Brayden was involved even though he didn't touch the ball. If you were there, you know the play I mean. ;-)

Joey had a huge game on defense and on special teams - he was all over the field making those bone rattling tackles.

Kirk also stepped up huge for the Outlaws defence.

And really, the entire Outlaws defence had a solid game. They pretty well iced the win when, late in the fourth quarter, they stripped the ball and forced a turnover on the Ravens four yard line. That led to the Outlaws third touchdown.

Outstanding effort Outlaws. Great win. And kudos to the Parkland players, coaches and fans. In the Old Blogger's opinion, you guys showed a ton of class.

Midget Tier I Semi Final Result: Parkland Outlaws 20 - Ft. McMurray Ravens 7.

Playoff Game Schedule: May 5th and 6th

There may be some confusion about game schedules for this weekend, due to a change that happened on Monday.

First of all - the monthly schedule for May that your son or daughter brought home last week was printed just before the CDMFA made their last minute change to the playoff schedule. That's nobody's fault really. The CDMFA had to change the schedule, but nobody knew that until the very last day of the regular season when the Fort McMurray Ravens finished in fourth place. It just didn't make sense for the Ravens to play an 8:00pm game on Sunday, then drive all night to get back to McMurray on Monday morning. All players who attended one of the practices this week would have been told of this change.

And here's one final reminder - just to try and clarify things...

The official playoff schedule has been posted on the CDMFA web site (click here to see it).

Since the Outlaws are playing today, Saturday May 5th at 6:00 pm, all Outlaws players and coaches should meet at the SGCHS Predators Shack at 2:00pm SATURDAY! (We're meeting a bit early on Saturday so that the coaches and players can run through some plays at the practice field.)

Bandits are playing Sunday, May 6th, at 8:00pm. Bandits players and coaches will want to be at the shack NO LATER THAN 6:00 pm SUNDAY!

All games are at Clarke Park. (That's Clarke Park in Edmonton, not the one in Montgomery Alabama.)

Let's all get out there and cheer on our teams. It's gonna be great!

Parkland Football Maps

Received a comment to one of my earlier posts. One of our Blog Readers had a problem with the Parkland Football Maps. Apparently, if you click on the Maps link and search for Clarke Park, Google will jump to Clarke Park in Montgomery Alabama! Do not drive to Montgomery Alabama if you want to watch Parkland Football!

To avoid the problem, use the predefined links in the Parkland Football Maps, rather than a search. Links are located along the left hand side of the "maps" window.

Of course, this problem will be 50% solved when Spruce Grove builds the new fields and all our Home Games will be at HOME!

From the "Where Are They Now?" File... Ryan Karhut

The CFL held their 2007 college draft today. I just got the news that Ryan Karhut was drafted. (Check my previous post for a quick review of Ryan's connections to Parkland Football.)

And guess what! Ryan is going to the old Blawg Dawg's favourite team in the whole wide world, that's what! (Favourite PROFESSIONAL team, that is.)
http://www.riderville.com/modules.php?name=News&file=news_dispatches&f_subcat=press_releases&archive=1&sid1=8380

This is a very good day for Parkland Football and for the Old Blawger. Way to go Ryan!

Rally at Spruce Grove City Hall May 14th

Don't forget! This is VERY IMPORTANT for our city and in particular for all Parkland Football fans and football players. (Present and future!)

Folks were at the Spruce Grove IGA on Saturday collecting signatures on a petition to STOP the construction on our new sports fields. City Council will be voting on May 14th, whether or not to proceed with construction.

If you are reading this, then I'm guessing you would care about this issue and you NEED TO BE THERE on the 14th, to Rally In Support Of The Sports Fields. Bring your whole family if possible and get your friends and neighbors to come. There are not enough people reading the Parkland Football Blog to make an impact at the rally - we need to be there in force!

Once again, we are at a critical point here. This city has an opportunity that may not come again for a long time. Our city councillors need to see that there is support for the new fields.

Schedule For May

The Parkland Football Calendar has been updated with events for May. Note that the schedules which were handed out to players last week have already changed. (I've heard that CDMFA has switched some of the Tier I playoff games to Saturday.)

Players will be notified of the changes at practice this week. You can also check the Parkland Football Calendar at any time to see current scheduling information.

Game Five: Predators vs. Storm

The final weekend of the 2007 midget football regular season, and the Outlaws are at a very windy Clarke Park with their undefeated streak on the line. Their opposition, the 3-and-1 St. Albert Storm, have a lot of talent and pride and they'd like nothing better than to spoil the Outlaws party. If the Storm can do that it could cause a log jam in league standings, where all four of the Tier 1 teams entering the playoffs might have identical four-and-one records. Sitting here in the big easy chair the day after the game, it almost seems that it was destiny - Parkland completes their sweep of the CDMFA regular season in midget Tier I. But yesterday afternoon, sitting in the bleachers at Clarke, it was a very different feeling through most of the game. St. Albert had team toughness, and they also had a lot of weapons - they didn't look the least bit intimidated by the undefeated Outlaws. For most of the game, the Outlaws defense had trouble getting to the St. Albert quarterback, and the Storm had several players on offense who could run the ball effectively. They also weren't afraid to go to the air when they had the opportunity. Meanwhile, the Outlaws offense and special teams had their work cut out for them too. St. Albert forced a couple of turnovers early in the game, and helped themselves to a quick 3 - 0 lead before some of the fans had even settled in their seats. The Outlaws soon settled down though. While both teams were able to engineer long drives on offense, the Outlaws may have had the edge in combining raw power with speed and finesse. Neil came in several times as a fullback with some of the other husky fellows when we needed to "move the pile" in short yardage situations. Pierce and Kevin reeled off some sick gains as tailbacks. Garrett was able to distribute the ball around to all his receivers, finding Colton, Vance, Brayden and Dylan for a few yards when we really needed them, or for the home run shot when it was available. Back on the Outlaws defense, we got a great team performance (as usual) with everybody chipping in and Joey and Josh dishing out a couple of the more memorable hits. This was a game that had everything - two evenly matched teams, tricky weather (boy I'm glad we don't play in a domed stadium!), big plays, goal line stands, and for the Outlaws - a happy ending. Final score: Outlaws 23 - Storm 17.

Upcoming Events

Lots of Stuff!

We've got playoffs, we've got registration coming up soon for Parkland Predators, we've got the three day "Predators Spring Football Camp", and we've got the BIG RALLY at City Hall on May 14th. I'll post more details on all these events later - right now I don't have the sheet that my son brought home from football last night. (And besides, the Old Blogger is supposed to be working.)

Ciao!

(Mayor Scott - We're expecting a YES vote on May 14th and we'll be there, RESPECTFULLY and POLITELY showing our support for the Sports Fields at West District Park!)

Practice on Wednesday, April 24th

We've added one additional practice this week, so the teams will be practicing on Tuesday, April 23rd, Wednesday, April 24th and Thursday, April 25th. Bandits have a game on Friday and Outlaws play on Saturday.

This is the final week of regular season play in the 2007 Midget season, and it looks like a busy one! The weather is looking much better (finally!). Go get 'em guys!

Football Alberta Selection Camp

We had a great time this weekend at Foote Field where some of our Parkland Football players and coaches participated in an incredible event. This was a selection camp for two teams; "Team Alberta North" for the U-17 tournament to be held this year in Quebec, and "Team North" for the annual Bantam Bowl provincial championship to be held in May, this year in Edmonton. There were more than 250 elite football players at the camp from all over northern Alberta. There was an incredible spirit of competition and camaraderie - fans cheered for all the great plays we saw during scrimmage, no matter who made them. Players encouraged each other in the drills and "one on one" competitions. Coaches and scouts helped each player give their best effort and "show their stuff".

Our Parkland guys looked good. They looked very, very good. The coaches for both Football Alberta teams now have the tough job of selecting their rosters. With so many elite players to choose from they won't have any problem finding the talent. But the decisions will be extremely tough.

Congratulations to all the Parkland Football players and coaches who participated and made us all so proud! Rosters should be posted to the Football Alberta web site by noon on Monday, April 23rd. There's a link to the Football Alberta page over there - to the right.

The Old Blogger Was Pretty Grumpy on Saturday

It was lack of sleep, mostly. The Old Blogger usually doesn't have trouble sleeping, and we can't remember any occasion in the past where he's been kept awake by something he read in the local paper. But on Friday night he read a rather disturbing article in the Stony Plain Reporter, on page three. It seems Jason Acker is circulating a petition in Spruce Grove, to try and force a plebiscite on the West District Park sports fields. Mr. Acker thinks that this park will be too expensive and that it will only benefit "a small, select group of athletes". He says that the City of Spruce Grove hasn't communicated effectively on this issue and there needs to be more discussion involving Spruce Grove residents.
Mr. Ackers' claims and opinions, as reported in this newspaper article, are just plain loony. If he thinks these sports fields aren't needed - he's wrong. If he thinks that these fields are going to be cheaper to build some time in the future - he's wrong about that too. If he thinks that $5.4 million in CAMRIF grants from the federal and provincial governments can be spent on some other project, or that we can say "not right now, hang on to that grant money because we might need it in a few years" - well, we all know that hound won't hunt. If Mr. Acker thinks that there hasn't been discussion or communication between the City of Spruce Grove and the citizens of Spruce Grove - where the heck has he been these past two years?
The fact is that the citizens of Spruce Grove have been involved in the planning of this sports park and have waited for it to become reality for many many years. And more recently, as plans to build it next to the TLC have developed and taken shape, it is the citizens of Spruce Grove and the minor sports organizations who have dared to dream of a premiere facility, a lighted field, artificial turf - a facility that can withstand constant usage in all kinds of weather from early spring until late fall.
You see Mr. Acker, many, many citizens of Spruce Grove have driven to Edmonton to watch our Spruce Grove teams play their "home games" at Clarke Park and other facilities in the city. We've watched our kids trying to practice football in shin-deep mud - try to prepare for playoff games in the feeble and inadequate light provided by donated portable generators. We've watched our athletes, our children, risking injury on worn out sports fields that just can't stand up to the heavy use of our ever expanding programs. We parents have lined up at half time to use the porta-potties! And now that we have this absolute jewel, this dream - with the TLC on one hand and right next door a first class outdoor sport facility - now that this is finally nearing reality, Mr. Acker wants a discussion? Sorry Mr. Acker - sorry if you've missed out somehow. Not our fault if you weren't there, but the discussion has already happened and it has borne fruit. Take your petition and peddle it somewhere else.
Oh yes - and as for Mr Ackers' claim that a sports facility "caters to a small, select group of athletes..."? Pick up that same copy of the Stony Plain Reporter and turn from page three back to the front page. "Stony Plain Catches Cup Fever" ! Congratulations Stony Plain. Great job hosting a very successful Allan Cup tournament. It was nice to read of all the visiting athletes and supporters of teams from across Canada, who came to your town and apparently had a great time. It's good that so many local people came out to cheer on the home town boys as they competed on home ice for a national championship. Sounds like it drew lots of positive attention to the town. Local businesses, restaurants and hotels seemed happy to be "crazy busy" during the Allan Cup event. Sounds like the whole Tri Municipal region will benefit from your hard work and vision.
I think the Old Blogger will be able to sleep just fine tonight.

Parkland Predators High School Football "Texas Scramble" Golf Tournament

It's time once again to sign up for the Parkland Predators annual fund raiser golf tournament. This event is always a blast, the golfing and the "socializing" will be awesome, and it's a great way to support our high school football teams. (And a great way to fulfill one of your fund raising commitments if you have a kid playing high school ball!) The tournament will be held at Cougar Creek on Saturday June 23, with a 9:00 A.M. "shotgun start". Cost is $150 per person and includes 18 holes of golf, cart, continental breakfast, supper and valet service! There will also be some terrific prizes and give aways. No offense to the fine folks who run our bingo halls, but let's be realistic - does this sound like it might be more fun than working a bingo? ;-P

Contact one of the Predators team managers, Karen or Olenka, for information or tickets. (If you are involved in midget ball this spring you might not have the contact information for our two wonderful high school team managers. In that case, ask one of the midget team managers, who are also wonderful, to hook you up.)

Get your registrations in right away!

(Note, there is also an opportunity for hole sponsorship with a minimum contribution of $150.)

Game 4: Outlaws 36 - Chargers 0

After the games that were played this week, all our midget football teams should probably get some kind of award or medal. Getting knocked down on this field must have seemed like being tossed into a big tub filled with ice water. Before tonight's game was half over, most of the players on both teams were soaked through and chilled to the bone, and it must have taken every bit of heart that they could muster for those guys to go out and give the effort that they did. You've gotta love this game!

Despite the filthy weather the Outlaws managed to come up with what might be one of their best games up to this point in the season. It wasn't a night for fancy plays or for the type of aerial attack that the Outlaws have relied on in previous games this year. Instead, it was mostly up to Parkland's twin "giants" Pierce and Kevin, and the Outlaws O-Line, to try and keep the chains moving on offense. By the end of the first quarter each of the Outlaws backs had scored a touchdown. Meanwhile, the Parkland defense just keeps getting better with every game they play. For the most part on this night they managed to shut down the Chargers attack, although they often needed more than one tackler to bring down the Edmonton ball carriers. In the second quarter Parkland's offense added one more touchdown and the Chargers gave up a safety touch, so at the half time break the Outlaws had a 21 - 0 lead.

In the second half the Outlaws seemed to pick up pretty much where they had left off. Again, the passing game didn't generate a lot of offense (for either team), but the Chargers defense managed on several occasions to intercept the Outlaws and turn-overs made the game interesting with the Outlaws pinned deep in their own end for much of the third quarter, and the Chargers threatening to score. The Outlaws weren't in a mood to let that happen though, and in the fourth quarter when Pierce broke through for a 70 yard carry from deep in his own end, it was clear that this game was going to end up as another Parkland win.

This was another one of those games where team discipline made a huge difference. The Outlaws had very few mental mistakes and a bare minimum of penalties assessed against them. This is a style of play and a trait that has been evident in most of the Outlaws games this year.

Congratulations Outlaws on another impressive win! And to both teams; a purple heart - or perhaps more appropriately - a "purple hands" award, for battling hard under very adverse conditions.

Attention Outlaws - Practice on Wednesday

We've added one additional practice this week for Outlaws. Players need to show up tomorrow (Wednesday, April 18) at the usual time, usual place. (That's 5:30 pm at the SGCHS practice field.) This is official - not an unfortunate rumour like some of my ealier postings.

For this practice, you'll just need your helmets and sweats. And cleats I suppose, or possibly rubber boots if the weather forecast is accurate. :-P

Parkland Bandits Players, Coaches and Bandit Fans - Take Particular Notice!

Bandits (and anyone interested in things "Bandit related") - you may have found this site is of limited appeal.

Well... don't give up on us! The old Blawg Dawg has some exciting news - which will be announced shortly. Bookmark this page and check back with us because in the next couple of days we should have somethin' good for you.

Game 3: Ravens and Outlaws

A meeting of two undefeated teams in Midget Tier I football.
The minutes...
The meeting was called to order by Nik - returning the Ravens opening kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown. "Wooooooooooooooooo" indeed! The Outlaws offense added another seven points late in the first half, after our defence had stopped a couple of very determined drives by the Ravens offense. (No signs of malnutrition on that Ravens team! No ninety-eight pound weaklings in sight. Where did they get those huge kids?)
Half time score; Outlaws 14 - Ravens 0
In the third quarter it was the Ravens who came out with guns blazing - pinning our Outlaws behind their own 40 for much of the quarter and capping one of their drives with a touchdown. Outlaws special teams really seemed to impress the on-field officials throughout the game - the referees were so impressed that after each punt and convert they allowed our guys to line up and try it again from five yards back! This heavy weight slugging match was punctuated by several explosive plays from the Outlaws offense. Kevin J. demonstrated what can happen when you hit a gap really really quick and then start shaking off tackles. And if the Ravens defence paid too much attention to our running backs, they sometimes found our quarterback hooking up with a receiver for a big play through the air. An eighty yard touchdown to Colton got the fans on their feet. Oh yes - we also saw a couple more of Brayden's devastating "snot-wobbler" blocks. No worries Garrett - the guys have your back!
Late in the fourth quarter Devo moved the meeting adjourned - taking a shotgun snap as quarterback and running it in something like 50 yards for the Outlaws last touchdown. (Several of the Ravens players thought they had Devo lined up on that play - but he just kept finding another gear and blew by them all.)
Final Score; Outlaws 27 - Ravens 7

Outlaws Team Bus Leaving Early!

Saturday, April 14th. Game Day!

Just thought I'd post - although our players probably know already. Apparently the Outlaws bus will be leaving a little earlier than usual for the 2:30 game. Players should try to be at the SGCHS shack by 11:30 - 11:45 am.

New Feature: Parkland Football Maps!

I've added a new item to the "Links" section (over there on the right) - Parkland Football Maps. I know what you're saying. "But Jayson, I don't need no stinkin' map! I already know where Clarke Park is. Haven't I froze my @!*# off three times already this spring, watching football at Clarke?"

And I would answer - these maps aren't for existing Parkland Football fans. They are meant for the legions of new fans who will be coming out to our games. Anyway, check out the links if you're interested. If I've done it right, you'll have a map of Edmonton that is zoom-able, scrollable, and with Parkland Football placemarkers such as Clarke Park, Foote Field, etc. You can even ask Google Maps to generate driving directions and you can turn on the satellite photo layer to see if I've placed the markers accurately.

Scheduling Update - Practice Added For Friday, April 13th

We've added one additional practice session this week for both Outlaws and Bandits. This means we have practice on Thursday April 12th and Friday April 13th. The usual time - players should be at the field by 5:30 pm, practice is from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. At least we should have good weather for these ones!

Check the Parkland Football Calendar for these and other scheduled events. (See the link at the right or scroll down to the calendar summary at the bottom of this page.)

U-17 and Bantam Bowl Try Outs

Some of our Parkland Football players (and at least one coach I think) are already registered and will be involved this year in the Football Alberta "Under 17 Team Alberta North" and the "Alberta Bantam Bowl" tryouts. The selection camps are a little more than one week away, with registration and physical testing on Friday April 20th for U-17 players, and training camp on the following Saturday and Sunday at Foote Field (University of Alberta) for both U-17 and Bantam Bowl players.

For more info on the U-17 tryouts check the Football Alberta web site here: http://www.footballalberta.ab.ca/programs/teamAB.htm

For information on the Bantam Bowl tryouts check this page:
http://www.footballalberta.ab.ca/programs/bantam.htm

Best of luck to all the Parkland Football players! Give it your very best shot, enjoy the experience, and represent the Parkland Football programs well. (I'm sure you will do that - didn't even need to be said!)

Correction - Correction - Correction

Oops! I did it again! In a previous post I stated that in Game One of this season the Parkland Outlaws handed the Sherwood Park Rams their first loss ever in Midget Football. I found out today that's not necessarily true. Anybody know which midget team beat the Rams previously, and when it happened? I'll be watching the "Comments" to see if somebody can post the correct answer. (Midget Football Trivia!)

Scheduling Update! Stay Tuned to This Blog!

I haven't heard anything officially yet. (Nothing is official until I hear it from Bobbie - see previous posts!) However, never let it be said that Jayson is afraid to post unofficial "facts" and scheduling changes.

Anyway, it looks like our guys might be off for a bit of an Easter break. Check back on the Parkland Football blog for the official scheduling changes.

Game 2: Outlaws 35 - Raiders 8

There is no joy in Raider-ville tonight.

Parkland came out to play, and they played hard! Both offence and defense executed their game plans pretty near to perfection - that's how it looked to me anyway. Once again, team discipline was a huge factor tonight, with our guys taking very few penalties and keeping mental errors to an absolute minimum. Our D-Line looked very quick and very strong - giving the Raiders offence all kinds of trouble. Meanwhile, on Outlaws offence Garrett had another great game at QB, and Colton made some key catches and ran extremely hard - breaking tackles all over the field. I have to give the Raiders credit though - on a night when things definitely didn't go their way they did not roll over.

Another great performance guys! Let's keep it going!

Check Your Sources Jayson. Check Your Sources!

I'm tempted to take that last post off the web site, but I think I'll leave it there as a reminder to myself. Nothing is official until Bobbie says it's official!
:-)

Practice is on. The weather is horrible, but after all - we're not a bunch of "panty waist"s. We're a football club!

Important Update! Practice Cancelled Today!!!

I've just heard (unofficially) that practice is cancelled today. (Monday, April 2nd.) Our online calendar will be updated as soon as I get a chance to talk with Bobbie and confirm.

Season Opener: Outlaws 14 - Rams 12

"Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds,
In ranks and squadrons and right form of war,
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol;
The noise of battle hurtled in the air,
Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan,
And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.
O Caesar! these things are beyond all use,
And I do fear them."

I'm pretty sure Shakespeare knew that he was laying it on a little bit thick, when he had Calpurnia say all that stuff in Act II Scene II of Julius Ceasar. But the point is, there are some things that just don't happen every day, and some people get a little freaked out when they do.

After building up a 14 - 3 lead in the first half last night, the Outlaws held off a hard-charging Rams team in the second half to win their first game of the season. In the process, they handed the Sherwood Park Rams their first loss ever in Midget football league play. The victory did not come easily - a critical timeout by Parkland helped our guys regroup after the Rams scored their only touchdown in the fourth quarter. (It also may have taken some wind out of the Rams' sails at a time when they seemed to be building momentum.) After that, Brayden's huge "911" block helped to keep Parkland's final offensive drive going, so that we could eventually run out the clock.

Other game highlights (for me) - electrifying passing plays from our offense that seemed to catch the Rams by surprise at times. Awesome defense (not a surprise for Parkland fans!), with our guys shutting down the Rams several times inside the Red Zone, and disciplined play with Parkland taking very few penalties.

To sum up - what a great start to the season!

The Boys On the Bus

I had the chance yesterday to ride on the team bus, to and from the tournament at Clarke. It's the first time I've done that. And you know what? This is a pretty impressive group! The talk was fairly "spirited" at times - the language a little bit salty, the humour very much in evidence. But I think that Parkland Football parents can be proud of the conduct and behavior of our guys. Maybe some of you aren't surprised to read this - you might have more faith in our kids than I did.

:-)

Anyway, well done. Kudos to the Parkland players and coaches.

Tournament at Clarke Park

We got back fairly late from the tournament at Clarke Park last night. (Well... late for an old guy that has to get up for work the next morning and hasn't had his supper yet!) The Outlaws played four "mini-games" and I thought they looked good in all of them! This should be a great year for the Outlaws and for the Bandits. All Parkland Football fans should make it a point to come out to Clarke on Friday night to see the Outlaws take on the Rams and on Saturday when our Bandits play against the Leduc Chill. Click on the calendar link at the right for game times and other scheduling information.

Another One From the "Where Are They Now" File...

A lot of Parkland football fans know about Keith Shologan - they know he's playing for the University of Central Florida Golden Knights. The UCF web site has a pretty cool bio of Keith, with his stats and accomplishments, as well as a summary of his high school football at Spruce Grove Composite. Check it out!
http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/shologan_keith00.html

New! Online Calendar for Parkland Football!

Parkland Football has a new Online Calendar for practices, games and special events. Click on the link to the right to view the calendar and to subscribe. (Subscribing allows you to set up automatic reminders and alerts to your email, cel phone, etc)

From the "Where Are They Now?" File...

So what is Ryan Karhut up to these days? (Ryan played minor football with the Cougars, high school ball with the Predators, coached the Cougars, and coached the Parkland Outlaws in their first year of Midget Football competition.) Check out this posting (http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=roster&func=display&ros_id=1049) on the official CFL web site. Looks like Ryan had a tryout at the CFL selection camp! We'll have to watch the draft and see if he gets picked. (I'm not sure when the draft actually happens. Anybody know?) Whether or not he is selected in the draft this year, I think Ryan is still eligible for at least one more year with the University of Manitoba Bisons where he has been twice selected as a conference all-star.

Parkland Football Is On Line!

Hey! Guess what? Parkland Football has a BLAWG, that's what!

I'm a football parent, and I thought that a web site to keep track of schedules, special events, stats, rumours and complaints would be really useful. But I'm way too lazy to actually bother with learning how to build web sites - this seems a lot easier. Besides, everybody is BLAWGING and I want to do what everybody is doing. (Hey gang. Let's all try this new thing!)

Now, I just click Publish and this thing should post, and we're away to the races.

Jayson