It is current the second week in the Northern Saskatchewan Football League. (submitted photo/Mark Williment)

By Derek Cornet

young athletes

Northern football teams finding success with new two-tier system

Sep 19, 2019 | 12:01 PM

Teams are enjoying the new tiered system adopted this season for the Northern Saskatchewan Football League.

That’s according to Northern Lights School Division Superintendent of Education Mark Williment who stated the change has resulted in the enhancement of competition, as well as the enjoyment of the game by all players. He noted some games haven’t been close in scoring, but there have been no blowouts which tends to discourage teams. The Ahtahkakoop Titans are new to the league this year and they are also benefitting from the new system with two wins and no losses.

“I know it has made a difference in the moral of the players,” Williment said. “I was at the game yesterday and the kids were having a great time and they had good sportsmanship. They are looking forward to the opportunity to play in the playoffs and maybe be champions.”

In the more competitive Tier 1, the first week of play resulted in wins for the Creighton Kodiaks (67-12 against the Pinehouse Lakers) and Cumberland House Islanders (24-12 against the Sandy Bay T-Wolves). In Tier 2, the Titans beat the Beauval Voyageurs by a 32-12 score, while La Loche Lakers edged the Senator Myles Venne Huskies by 38-32.

There have been three games so far this week with the Kodiaks taking their second win of season (43-9 against the T-Wolves). The La Loche Lakers also beat the Voyageurs by a 46-26 score and the Titans beat the Huskies by 49-13. The Islanders will face off in Pinehouse this afternoon.

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“We’re in a league where we can compete and we have been competing, which is great,” said La Loche Lakers Coach Zach Dudman. “That two-tier system allows them to do that, and allows our students and school body to see football can be here and it is obtainable for the northern community of La Loche.”

Last season, Dudman stated it was difficult to keep players on the team due to the heavy losses they sustained. This fall, however, he stated there seemed to be a renewed interested because of the system and more students are willing to play. There are also eight players who travel to La Loche’s Dene High School every day in order to be on the team.

With two wins and no losses so far this season, Dudman credits the athletes involved, adding they’ve shown a lot of hard work and understand the game play systems he has provided.

“I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys,” he said. “They’ve all shown a lot of discipline in pre-season and now with us going into the regular season, they are continuing to work hard and are coming out to practice. That discipline is key to where we are getting our success right now.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno

by Derek Cornet

Northern football teams finding success with new two-tier system

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