"Ramsay eager to showcase talents in International Bowl"

The article below is copied from insidehalton.com and written Steve Leblanc. The photography was listed from Ramsey's Twitter page.

...More than a little eager to return to the Dallas Cowboy’s hollowed grounds of AT&T Stadium next Friday (Feb. 5), Thomas Ramsay is set to help Ontario’s U18 squad battle the U.S. in the International Bowl. 

For one looking to raise his profile and get on college coaches’ radar, opportunities don’t get much bigger than this. 

“I’m really excited for the chance to showcase my talents and get some more film for recruiters,” said the 17-year-old defensive tackle, who stamped his ticket to the Lone Star State with a successful qualifying bid for the provincial team last month in Hamilton. 

This marks his second time at the International Bowl, having been part of the Ontario U17 team last year — suffering the lone defeat in a 3-1 showing for the provincial program. “I’m ready to represent Milton and Ontario (again).” 

As comfortable as he looks delivering a big hit or muscling his way through high-traffic situations, football wasn’t always Ramsay’s sport of choice. 

A solid contributor on the rep basketball scene for several years, the now 6-foot-1, 265-pounder made the switch from the court to gridiron shortly after joining the Milton District Mustangs junior football team in Grade 9. 

The reason was quite simple. 

“I like the aggression… the hitting. It was instant love,” recalled Ramsay, who’s spent time on both the offensive and defensive line. “At first I just used my natural strength, and once I got the (tackle) technique down I was flying.” 

 

The International Bowl isn’t the only opportunity the local lineman has had to take his football prowess south of the border. 

Landing a spot at Welland-based Canada Prep Academy this past fall, Ramsay was part of the country’s only all-US schedule — testing himself against many of America’s high-ranked schools. 

The move from MD — where he’d helped the Mustangs to the Halton Tier 3 title the previous season — also saw him come under the tutelage of former NFL/CFL lineman Kevin Huntley. 

“I thought I had my pass rushing moves down, but he (coach Huntley) has taught me so many things,” noted Ramsay, who was also part of the Burlington Stampeders provincial championship drive last summer. “I’ve been very fortunate to have him as my coach and to play a lot of big schools. There’s been great competition.” 

While set to play for another d-line coach he’s already worked with — Carleton University’s Darrell Adams — Ramsay and his Team Ontario mates haven’t practiced together yet and will have just a few days in Texas to gel before taking on their U.S. counterparts. 

That’s where one of the harder to measure but no less valuable upgrades to his game over the past year should serve him well. 

“I’d say team work may be my biggest improvement recently. I think I’ve gotten better at working with different surroundings and am getting along better with different players,” said Ramsay, who’s played with just two members of Team Ontario before, both of them on offence. “I want to fly around out there, make some plays and hopefully we can pull out the win.”

"UBC’s Katsantonis a game-changer for defence, earns his new nickname: The Bakersfield Bandit"

The article below is by Howard Tsumara and was included among the university sports blogs attached to The Province's website. It dates back to November and while not specific to tomorrow's International Bowl, I post it because Katsantonis was recently added to the U19 roster.

VANCOUVER — Stavros Katsantonis knows his name can be a mouthful, especially on first glance. 

So when the topic of nicknames is broached with the freshman defensive halfback with the UBC Thunderbirds, the personable Katsantonis is more than happy to oblige. 

“My teammates, they just call me Stahvee,” he begins. “But back home in Bakersfield (Cal.), I got called Greece Lightning.” 

An obvious homage to both his family heritage and to his dynamic physical qualities on the gridiron, the nickname has been apropos... 

As a first-year player with no previous three-down football experience on his resume put plenty of it in his DNA, Katsantonis has gone from keeping pace with a steep learning curve over the first half of the Canada West campaign, to scaling it with ever-growing confidence during the second half. 

 

“Here’s an 18-year-old kid who is playing way above where he should be playing for his age,” gushed UBC’s first-year head coach Blake Nill following the team’s Hardy Cup conference championship win over No. 1-ranked Calgary last weekend. “He may have been the best defensive back on both teams for the third straight week.” 

...

Against Calgary, Katsantonis not only made a season-high six tackles, he had two big pass break-ups, including one with the game on the line in the fourth quarter where he batted the ball out of the hands of Dinos’ receiver Denzell Radford just inside the goal line. 

Katsantonis, a depth player for the first half of the season, has come on so strong of late that he heads into the Uteck Bowl with 25 tackles and a team-high five interceptions. 

So the big question is, how did a kid from Bakersfield, who played in a district so small that his high school all-star showcase was actually an arena-bowl game, wind up in Vancouver with the Thunderbirds? 

“My dad grew up in Edmonton and he played for the Wildcats junior football team there,” begins Katsantonis. “He got recruited out to Bakersfield Junior College and that’s how my parents met. From there he got recruited back to the University of Calgary and he won the 1988 Vanier Cup with them.” 

Jim Katsantonis, like his son a defensive halfback, made a fumble recovery in that 1988 Vanier Cup game, and as an alum, knew full well the kind of impact Nill had as the Dinos’ head coach over a span of nine seasons. 

“When the dad found out that I had left Calgary and was headed to UBC, he asked me if I was interested in taking a look at his son,” Nill adds. “Immediately, I thought this was the kind of kid that can make some plays.” 

At the highest levels of Canadian university football, however, it’s happened faster than anyone would have thought. 

In fact his breakthrough game, a 54-10 home-field shellacking of Alberta back on Oct. 17 is the game that turned UBC’s entire season around, transforming it from a scuffling 2-2 squad into an 8-2 force which has won six straight heading into play Saturday. 

Katsantonis finished that game with two interceptions, one which led directly to a UBC touchdown, and he recovered a fumble that he returned 61 yards for a touchdown en route to being named the CIS’ Defensive Player of the Week. 

“He’s taken over that boundary halfback position,” acknowledges UBC defensive coordinator James Colzie III. “He’s made more plays probably than anyone in the back end. The biggest thing is that he asks questions, maybe too many. But he brings energy, he’s a heck of a hitter he has done everything we’ve asked him to do. At the end of the day, you can’t ask for anything more than that.” 

Which brings us back to the topic of his nickname. 

Greece Lightning? It’s good. But not nearly as fitting as the one stuck on him by UBC’s young sports information intern Aaron Martin. 

“He’s the Bakersfield Bandit,” Martin chimed in the press box after the second of Katsantonis’ two interceptions against Alberta earlier this season. 

Sounds like a nickname worthy of a country song, and Katsantonis says he’s come to appreciate the genre, growing up in a town where classic stars of the genre like Buck Owens and Merle Haggard plied their trade. 

But what does Katsantonis think of his new handle? 

“Bakersfield Bandit,” he says, letting it roll off the tongue. “Yeah. Yeah. I like it.”

The picture included in the article above was lifted from the CentralValleyFootball website, which is dedicated to football in that area of California. They picked up on Katsantonis' success last month.

And I prefer Greece Lightning.

"UW freshman set for American gridiron duel"

WATERLOO (Christine Rivet, Waterloo Region Record) — As a converted hockey player, Jesse Gibbon brings all the athleticism and ferocity of a rampaging defenceman to the gridiron. 

The University of Waterloo's hulking offensive lineman dropped jaws and opposing running backs with equal aplomb in his freshman campaign for the Warriors. 

 

To go with his conference all-rookie selection this past season, Gibbon becomes the first Warrior chosen to play football in an international event since current Saskatchewan Roughrider Chris Best appeared at the East-West Shrine Game in 2007 in Houston. 

Gibbon is destined for Sunday's International Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex., home of the Dallas Cowboys. 

He, along with 29 of Canada's top under-19 football players, will face the United States in the game with national pride on the line. 

"Jesse finishes. He plays to the whistle and sometimes beyond," said UW's head coach Chris Bertoia. "I think he developed that from his hockey days." 

The six-foot-five, 290-pound behemoth from Hamilton eventually abandoned his competitive hockey career in high school. 

... 

"Jesse's got a big ceiling. We think he's just scratching the surface. He's a guy with pro potential," said Bertoia.

Winnipeg's Zach Williams selected for U-19 national football team

On Wednesday, Football Canada announced some 30 players who would participate in the U19 game at the International Bowl next month.

Among those named was Manitoba Bison offensive lineman Zack Williams. I dug up the following article about him from The Manitoban, the school's student newspaper. It was written by Mike Still last August The photograph was found on Twitter, so not sure who credit goes to for that.

Zack Williams is one of the most humble, polite individuals you will meet.

Once he hits the gridiron, however, the six-foot-six, 285-pound offensive lineman turns a switch on, and if you’re in his way, you’ll find yourself on the turf in a hurry. 

Williams’s football journey is an interesting one. He played the game from age seven until 12, but then stopped in order to pursue hockey. Football caught his attention again in high school, though, and he chose to take it up in grade 10 at Murdoch MacKay Collegiate. 

Things didn’t go as planned in his sophomore season, unfortunately, as he saw little to no game action. Instead of getting down, Williams took his lack of playing time as motivation – working hard and getting serious with his training in the off-season, putting on an extra 30 pounds. That’s when things changed for the better. 

Williams ended up starting every game at left tackle the following season for Murdoch, and also earned a spot on Team Manitoba for the 2013 Football Canada Cup, where he played in every game at his more natural position of right tackle. 

He would earn the nod for Team Manitoba again in 2014, and was also selected to Team Canada later that summer. To cap things off, he chose to forgo his grade 12 season at Murdoch and instead played for the CJFL’s Winnipeg Rifles, where he was named PFC Rookie of the year. 

With all the accolades Williams was gaining, it’s no surprise that he was highly recruited. He talked to every single CIS football team heading into his senior year, except those in the RSEQ conference. Ultimately, he decided to commit to the University of North Dakota, a Division 1 American school. 

Things looked great going forward, but Williams knew that his decision to commit to UND wasn’t wholehearted. 

“Deep down, I wanted to go to the [University of Manitoba] Bisons, but the pressure I guess you could say, sucked me down,” Williams said. 

“Even before the [recruiting] process, I thought that I wanted to stay home.” 

Because Williams committed before grade 12, he had a whole year to ponder his choice. Just under a month ago, he opted to de-commit, for a variety of personal reasons. Not too long after that, he became a Bison.

"Three Nova Scotia footballers on Canadian squads taking on Americans"

Good article below from Halifax's Chronicle Herald about three Nova Scotia players representing Canada at the International Bowl. The picture is from a recruiting article from April of last year as both Robinson and Rostek were preparing to join Mount Allison's football program.

Nova Scotia’s Nate Rostek, Shaun Robinson and Greg Hutchins are headed into hostile territory to take on the rival U.S.

...

Rostek, a defensive back, played on under-19 team last year, which lost 43-7. He is one of six returning players.

Robinson, a defensive lineman, played on the under-18 team last year and will making his third international appearance for Canada overall.

Rostek said he didn’t play as well as he wanted to last year and neither did the team. He is happy to get another chance.

“It is an absolute honour to be chosen to represent your country,” said Rostek, who played in high school at Sir John A. Macdonald. “I’m very excited as I see this year as redemption.”

He said it is a bit of adjustment for the Canadians since the game is played under American rules. But he believes the returning group can help overcome those obstacles.

“I expect myself and the other returners to push the new players to work hard in practice and to learn the play book, as we know how the end of the week can go if the opponent is underestimated.

“Overall we come in as equals as both us and the Americans were chosen as the best in our country, so I expect nothing less than a tough-fought and competitive game.”

Robinson, a Citadel grad, was part of Canada’s team that lost 40-17 to the Americans for the gold medal at last year’s world championship in Kuwait.

However, he was part of the Canadian under-18 team to beat the Americans 53-9 in Texas last winter.

“It means a lot to go back down to Texas, the experience of representing your country is like none other,” he said. “To test your ability against some of the best players in the U.S. is surreal and I’m excited to show what Canada can do.

“Playing the U.S. is always a tough task but I think we have a lot of talent. The advantage we have is a lot of us played together from previous national teams, so that’s a big up for us.”

...

Hutchins, a kicker from Bedford, will be part of the Canadian under-18 to play the U.S. this Friday night at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.

Hutchins, set to enter university this fall, is one of four players back from last year’s team.

“It was great to be part of Team Canada’s big victory over Team USA last year, but to have that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity given to me twice is unbelievable,” said Hutchins.

“I’m very proud. It’s funny that when I tell people we beat the U.S. 53-9, they can’t believe it. They know how competitive we are in hockey, but most have no idea that we can hold our own in football too.”

International Bowl, U18 game: Canada 25, USA 09

I'm not finding a great deal of coverage of last night's Team Canada victory (yet) but I did find the brief recap below from Bleacher Report.

(Canada Head Coach Glenn) Mills and his staff certainly made the most of this chance with a convincing win and showing off some talented players, none more than star running back Jevante Stanley.

Neither offense had a lot of sustained success in this battle, though Canada was able to find the end zone twice in the first three quarters, thanks to touchdowns runs from quarterback Sawyer Buettner and running back Stanley in the second quarter.

Just to put the cherry on top of the sundae for Canada, Stanley scored his second touchdown of the game early in the fourth quarter to give his team a 20-3 lead after the extra point was missed.

After being shut down for three quarters, limited to just a field goal, the United States found the end zone on the next drive, thanks to a Robert Washington touchdown, but celebrating was short-lived as Canada got two points for returning a blocked extra point to the end zone making it a 22-9 game.

From there, Canada basically tried to run out the clock by burning four minutes on its next drive before punting and pinning the U.S. inside its own 30-yard line. Canada would get the ball back around that area after holding the American team to a turnover on downs and hitting a field goal to end the scoring.

Per USA Football on Twitter, Stanley and Trevon Diggs were named the MVPs for their respective teams.

Regardless of the postgame accolades, there was no doubt Canada was the better team on Friday night. The Canadians moved the ball with more efficiency, played smarter and were able to take advantage of their opportunities.

I recall that past coverage of such games often seemed to express a certain amount of surprise that Canada was even remotely competitive against a team of Americans. While the full version of the article does refer to American players far more, at least they acknowledge that the Canadians simply played better overall without making excuses for the American loss. Credit to writer Adam Wells on that level.

I wasn't able to watch much of the game, but in terms of the talent level that Canada was playing, consider this: There was a mention about an American player (I forget his name now) having already received 38 scholarship offers as a high school junior. That may have been an isolated event, but nonetheless.

And of course, if Stanley was able to be so successful, let's assume that the big guys in front of him deserve a big assist.

More to come over the weekend.

"Clayton Named to Team Canada"

And now back to the U18 club, with a nod to the U16 team. Shane Jones introduces us to receiver Sam Clayton by way of Sherwood Park News.  I'm not entirely certain about credit for the photography, but it's from this Canada Football Chat story by Ammeta Vohra.

Add another Sherwood standout to the list of locals set to tackle Texas. 

Bev Facey Falcons receiver Sam Clayton is the latest athlete from the school to make the grade and receive an invite to participate in the International Bowl series, pitting Canada’s best football players against some of the top prospects in the Unites States at AT&T (Cowboy) Stadium in Arlington, Texas at the end of January. 

Preceded by the announcement of four Falcons teammates who will play for Team Alberta’s U-16 entry in the event, Clayton actually went one step further by being named to the 40-man U-18 Canadian National Team. 

 

Facey head coach Curtis Martin said he was glad to see one of his graduating players receive another shot to shine at an event of this magnitude. 

“It finishes off his high school career in a memorable way and also kicks off his CIS career in an exciting way as well as he decides on what school he wants to attend,” he said. “I know there was a couple of teams that were very interested in him that he was deciding between. Sam can be a real game-changer when he is on his game. He can absolutely take over games.” 

... 

It is just the latest in a series of sporting success stories for Clayton, who played lacrosse for Hill Academy in Toronto in his second semester last year after Facey football had wrapped up, and played in four major tournaments last summer in the sport, making the tournament all-star team at the East Coast Lacrosse Classic in Washington, D.C. 

Clayton returned to Facey this past fall where he helped the Falcons in a bounce back season that saw them win the Metro League’s top Carr Conference championship and go all the way to the Tier I provincial championships game before losing to Calgary’s Notre Dame Pride, a team that has not lost a game in three seasons. 

There will also be four members of that championship Falcons team competing for a Team Alberta entry at the U-16 level at the international bowl, playing on Jan. 31 in the NFL stadium in Arlington. 

Cracking the Alberta roster were running back Chuba Hubbard, receiver Kyle Turner and defensive backs Josiah Schakel and Dillon Stor. 

Also making the team were Salisbury Sabres defensive lineman Justin Pearson and Ardrossan Bisons linebacker Cole Lindberg.

"Stadnyk Named to Team Canada"

I've posted portions of a few articles articles about the U18 club going to Texas to play in the International Bowl, but there are some coming out now about selections to the U19 team. I'm going to be posting those over the course of the next couple of days. The one below is from Peter Ruicci for the Sault Star.  I'm not certain who gets credit for the picture, but it is lifted from another Ruicci article about Stadnyk from mid 2013.

It was something he'd hoped for, but never really expected would happen. 

The Sault's Mitchell Stadnyk has been chosen to play for the Canadian Junior National (under-19) Team that will compete in the 2015 International Bowl Series. 

... 

“I'm very excited for the opportunity to represent not only Sault Ste. Marie and Ontario, but Canada,” said Stadnyk, an 18-year-old who plays both defensive end and defensive tackle. 

... 

A year ago, the six-foot-two, 255-pounder played for the Team Ontario Selects under-17 squad, which also competed in Arlington, Texas. 

Stadnyk started at defensive end and helped Team Ontario beat Team USA 28-21 at Maverick Stadium. 

... 

Going up against players of that calibre “will be the biggest challenge I've faced,” said Stadnyk, who's starred for both the St. Mary's Knights senior team and the Sault Sabercats of the Ontario Varsity Football League. “I just plan to prepare well and do my best to represent Canada.” 

... 

Stadnyk, who chose to return to St. Mary's for a fifth year of high school in order to better prepare himself to play at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) level next fall, brings an impressive resume to the Canadian squad. 

Playing a number of positions, he was named most valuable player of the local High School Senior Football League last fall. 

He was the city's junior football MVP as a Grade 10 student. 

A three-time, senior all-star, Stadnyk was named the city's high school lineman of the year in 2013. 

He's also played three seasons with the Sabercats. In 2014, he was named to the Adams Conference all-star team and was chosen the conference's top defensive lineman. 

He was also named Sabercats defensive lineman of the year. 

“I'm proud to say I'm a graduate of Soo Minor Football, the local high school football leagues and I'm a member of the Sault Sabercats organization,” Stadnyk said. “The coaching I've received locally has prepared me for this challenge.” 

“His development has been unbelievable,” said Sabercats head coach Steve Nott. “He's shown how much development you can have when you possess that much talent and you work hard.” 

... 

Stadnyk's head coach with the Knights last year, Dave Sguigna, spoke of how the player is well-deserving of this honour. 

“He has all of the technical merits of a sound defensive lineman,” Sguigna said. “And obviously, the Team Canada coaches see the same things we do in the Sault. We're proud to have someone from Sault Ste. Marie playing for Canada.”

"Trojan to play on Team Canada in International Bowl"

Before we get to an article from the Winnipeg Free Press about International Bowl Team Canada U18 selection Mason Bennett, I want to take a moment to point out that the IFAF's World Championship may run after all.

American Football International reports that USA Football's application to replace Sweden as tournament host has been accepted but that participation from the various countries involved has to be confirmed before anything is made official.  This is still great news because the possibility of the event taking place at all seemed quite small for a while there.

On to Mason Bennett.  Much of the information below has been shared with us by Football Manitoba (and copied in an earlier post) but the article below adds to his list of accomplishments and displays why this young man seems easy to like and cheer for. Credit to Danielle Da Silva for the article (unsure as to who phot credit goes to, but it's certainly not me). Complete version available here.

...The 17-year-old defensive end recently participated in the 2014 Football Canada Cup representing Manitoba, where he was recognized as a standout player and was one of 40 athletes selected for Team Canada.

"I was very surprised and very happy and very honoured to be chosen, especially from all the guys who made the provincial team, and for me to be selected from Manitoba was pretty big," Bennett said.

...

The selection to Team Canada rounds off 2014 on a high note for Bennett. At 6-3 and 230 pounds Bennett leads the Winnipeg High School Football League (WHSFL) in sacks at 14 and has 41.5 tackles to his name.

...

The Grade 12 student at Vincent Massey Collegiate (VMC) has also accepted a scholarship offer to play at the University of North Dakota, and is finishing off 2014 with an academic average of 85 per cent.

Bennett credits some of his success to playing against talented athletes on the teams he’s been a part of and working with coaching staff at Vincent Massey, especially head coach Kelsey McKay.

"He’s the one that made me try out for Team Manitoba two years ago and without that I probably wouldn’t have gained the confidence to be the player I am today," Bennett said.

McKay said Bennett has embraced his speed, strength and intelligence in picking plays since he started with the Trojans three years ago.

"From the moment that I met him… he’s always had a tremendous work ethic," McKay said, adding that Bennett has spent a great deal of time in the gym building on his strengths and maturing his body.

"It’s allowed him to have a lot of success," McKay said.

...

While at UND, Bennett plans to study psychology and become a life coach for students who don’t have the money or mindset to play sports. He hopes to help young athletes develop through sport the same way he did.

"I think it motivates me to be a better person, a better person in the community, better student, a better everything pretty much," Bennett said.

McKay expects more success for Bennett in the future based on what he’s seen from the young athlete so far.

"He’s been the most successful in terms of reaching his goals and that’s because he keeps his eye on the ball."

"We can’t wait to see, when the story is finished being told, what it looks like."

Football Manitoba spotlights its International Bowl selections

Nice job, Football Manitoba. While some of the provincial bodies have taken the time to point out which players from their jurisdiction have made the International Bowl U18 team, Manitoba takes the time to provide us with brief bios on their four guys.

Mason Bennett – Bennett is a defensive lineman who most recently played for Vincent Massey High School. Bennett recently won the Kas Vidruk Memorial Award in the Winnipeg High School Football League. The Kas Virduk is awarded annually to a player who is considered a “down lineman” and displays a high standard in playing ability, school citizenship and scholastic standing. Bennett has also accepted a scholarship offer from the University of North Dakota.

Tristan Bredin (right) – Bredin is a defensive lineman who recently starred at Murdoch Mackay High School. He was among the leading tacklers in the John Potter Division (AAA) with 26.

Randall Sanderson – Sanderson is an offensive lineman who most recently played for Sisler High School. He was a standout lineman for the Spartans, who also competed in the John Potter Division (AAA).

Zackary Williams – Williams is an offensive lineman who suited up for the Winnipeg Rifles from the Canadian Junior Football League in 2014. Williams has accepted a scholarship offer from the University of North Dakota.

"Buettner invited to International Bowl"

The following article actually refers to two Saskatchewan players who made the cut and will be attending the International Bowl in Arlington starting on January 30th.  The complete version of the article can be found on the Moose Jaw Time Herald website.

The picture of Sawyer Buettner playing for Team Saskatchewan Green during Football Canada Cup is by Michelle Berg of The Vancouver Sun.  Buettner was the MVP in his team's 40-32 win against Team Alberta in the tournament this past July.

The one further down of Payton Hall (apparently playing QB, though he's on the Team Canada roster as a DB) is by Troy Fleece of the Regina Leader-Post.

...Having helped lead the Peacock Tornados to two straight SHSAA 3A provincial football championships, (Sawyer) Buettner is hoping to be the offensive catalyst for Team Canada when they take on a group of American all-stars.

"The other quarterback there will be Alex Basilis of Calgary. I've met him before and he's a really good guy and I'm sure we will both be pushing each other," Buettner said. "We will see what happens when we get down there as to who will be starting, but we both want to help the team win in whatever way we can.

"The main goal is to just win and to get used to competing at a higher level against the guys from the United States. Everyone's level of play will be raised up."

While Buettner will be facing the top players from the United States for the first time, Caronport's Payton Hall will be making a return trip to the Lone Star state.

The Grade 12 defensive back for the Campbell Tartans in Regina took part in last year's game in Arlington, which Canada won by a score of 53-9.

"It's alway fun to play a different style of football and getting to play at a NFL stadium is always cool," Hall said.

"When I want there last year I got to learn how seriously high school football is treated down there in Texas. It was a real eye-opener for me and it motivated me to work hard this year."

Hall helped lead the Tartans to the Regina city final this season, where they lost to the LeBoldus Golden Suns.

"Our team accomplished a lot of the things that we wanted to going into the season," Hall said. "But we lost a tough final to LeBoldus and it wasn't close to how we planned on finishing things off.

"It was really hard for me as I ended up spraining my right ankle two days before the final. It was really tough to be on the sidelines and watching things happen."

Hall is hoping to help Canada repeat their dominant performance from a year ago, as he works on finalizing his plans for the 2015 season.

"I've narrowed it down to a few schools and I'm now I'm trying to decide what school is the right one for me," Hall said.

"I'm not stressing out too much about it though and I plan on just enjoying the experience of going down to Texas and working things out when I come back."

2015 International Bowl U18 Roster

On to more positive news, Football Canada released its U18 roster for next month's International Bowl in Arlington, Texas.

QB Alex Basilis, Calgary (St.Mary’s), AB
QB Sawyer Buettner, Moose Jaw (A.E. Peacock), SK
RB Myles Browne, Calgary (Notre Dame), AB
RB Samuel Makwanda, Québec (Loups Curé-Antoine-Labelle), QC
RB Marquis Richards, Brampton (Bulldogs), ON
RB Jevante Stanley, Brampton (Bulldogs), ON
RB Samuel St-Maurice, Montréal (Cégep Vieux-Montréal), QC
REC Kade Belyk, Regina (LeBoldus), SK
REC Sam Clayton, Sherwood Park (Bev Facey), AB
REC Jamal Hooker, Regina (LeBoldus), SK
REC Jacob Janke, Edmonton (Harry Ainlay), AB
REC François Rocheleau, Saint-Basile-le-Grand (Cactus Collège Notre-Dame), QC
OL Brendan Barnes, Calgary (Centennial), AB
OL Dylan Giffen, Strahroy (London JR Mustangs), ON
OL Ramey Kharfan, Edmonton (Ross Sheppard), AB
OL Peter Kozushka, Yorkton (Yorkton Regional), SK
OL Samuel Lefebvre, Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon (Cégep Lévis-Lauzon), QC
OL Drew Mairleitner, London (Medway), ON
OL Randall Sanderson, Winnipeg (Sisler Spartans), MB
OL Zackary Williams, Winnipeg (Winnipeg Rifles [CJFL]), MB

DL Mason Bennett, Winnipeg (Vincent Massey Trojans), MB    
DL Tristan Bredin, Anola (Murdoch Mackay Clansmen), MB    
DL Spencer Hood, Ilderton (London JR Mustangs), ON    
DL Cheikhe Sidy Sow, Bromont (Incroyables JH Leclerc), QC    
DL Bobby Sugai, Raymond (Raymond), AB    
DL Carter Wilson, Arnprior (Ottawa Sooners), ON    
LB Tchad Ayotte, Trois-Rivières (Campus Notre-Dame-de-Foy [Collégial]), QC    
LB Ivan Boychuk, Cold Lake (Cold Lake Royals), AB    
LB Kean Harelimana, Laval (Cégep Vanier College), QC    
LB Enock Makonzo, Montréal (Cégep Vieux-Montréal), QC    
LB Deshawn Stevens, Toronto (Metro Toronto Wildcats / Kent School [CT]), ON    
LB Eric Thakurdeen, Saskatoon (Notre Dame), SK    
DB Alonzo Addae, Pickering (Ajax-Pickering Dolphins), ON    
DB Jérémie Dominique, Rosemère (Cégep Vieux Montréal), QC    
DB Payton Hall, Caronport (Campbell [Regina]), SK    
DB Tyris Lebeau, Saint-Hubert (Cégep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu), QC    
DB Joshua Quarles, Calgary (Henry Wise Wood), AB    
DB Elijah Walker, Brampton (Brampton), ON    
DB Benjamin Whiting, Saskatoon (Marion Graham), SK    

K Gregory Hutchins, Bedford (CP Allan HS), NS / N.-É.

Interesting...The Maritimes are represented by the kicker, Hutchins, by there isn't a single player from British Columbia.

A couple of things jump out at me, such as the fact that the Brampton Bulldogs appear to have killer backfield talent, but of course I plan on using the time between now and the tournament to find out more about these young men. As this may be the only international tournament of 2015, I may as well get right into it!

International Bowl 2014 scores

I'll be back with more information later, but for now I want to at least list the scores from the various games played in Texas this Friday and Saturday.  As you'll see, at the final game's final gun, Canada emerged with a 3-3 record.

Friday, February 7th:
U15:  USA Football 48, Canada 00
U16:  Canada 10, USA Football 07
U19:  USA Football 43, Canada 07

Now before I go on here, I want to share a comment from Bleacher Report.

Canada stood tall as a whole with an impressive U-16 win, but its performance at the highest age level indicates just how large the talent gap between these two sides is. 

Let's bear that in mind for a moment as we look at the day two scores:

Saturday, February 8th:
U17:  USA Football 34, Canada 06
U17:  Canada 28, USA Football 21
U18:  Canada 53, USA Football 09

Bleacher Report concluded its recaps of the games with this comment:

After this display from Canada's young football players, there is no doubt at least one part of the world is beginning to close the gap between themselves and the United States on the gridiron. 

The difference an evening makes, eh?  Now Canada is beginning to close the gap by winning three out of six games.

I should point out that the two articles were written by different writers.  So I wonder if the guy that wrote the first reconsidered his position after the performance by the second highest age bracket?  He may also want to take a glance at head to head results at the junior level.

Along those lines, the next event on tap is the IFAF U19 World Championship in July.  I'll look for International Bowl post-game articles for the next few days, then direct attention to that event.  Looking forward to it already!

"(Brampton) footballers to suit up for Canada at International Bowl"

As International Bowl 2014 edges closer, a few more articles about participants begin to emerge, such as the one below from the Brampton Guardian.  It provides a couple of quick profiles about two of the defensive backs from that region that will be attending.

BRAMPTON- Two Brampton football players are getting set to represent Canada. 

Jadon Johnson and Royce Metchie have been named to Team Canada’s Junior Team 60-man roster to take on the United States under-19 team as part of the 2014 International Bowl Series at Maverick Stadium from Feb. 7 to 9 at the University of Texas at Arlington.
 

Both Brampton players are defensive backs. Johnson, a graduate of St. Marguerite d’Youville, attends the University of Guelph where he played his first season in 2013 for the Gryphons football team. Metchie played high school football this past season for the St. Edmund Campion Bears. 

...

Johnson, who besides playing for d’Youville has been with the Brampton Bulldogs program. He is a 5-foot-10, 175-pound cornerback. After helping d’Youville win the Region of Peel Secondary School Athletic Association (ROPSSAA) Tier 1 title two years ago he enrolled at Guelph and this past season helped the Gryphons reach the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) semifinals where they loss to Queen’s. 

Metchie, who also played for the Brampton Bulldogs, is listed at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, and is one of the few players still in high school to crack the Team Canada roster. He helped Campion reach the ROPSSAA Tier 1 semifinals where the Bears lost to eventual champion Lorne Park. 

Both players have also played on Team Ontario...

"Ferraro joins Team Canada for International Bowl"

MISSISSAUGA — It took a little while to sink in, but when St. Marcellinus Secondary School kicker/punter Gabriel Ferraro realized he had just met a seven-time Grey Cup champion kicker, he was understandably starstruck.

It was a few years ago and Ferraro had just finished playing a high school football game when he was approached by former Edmonton Eskimo and Toronto Argonaut star Hank Ilesic, a Mississauga resident who just happened to be in the area watching the game.

"At first I didn't realize who he was," said Ferraro, who now trains with Ilesic at St. Marcellinus and Olympia Muscle and Fitness at Rockwood Mall. "Then it clicked in, I did some research and I thought 'Oh my God, this is Hank Illesic.' It was very unexpected, but I'm very grateful I got to meet him and train with him."

Since they began training together, Ferraro has evolved into one of the top high school kickers in Canada.

Next month, he'll join Canada's under-19 junior team in Texas for the 2014 International Bowl, a series of training camps and scrimmages with the U.S. juniors that concludes with a game at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, on Feb. 8.

"It's exciting before you go there, but once you're there, you have to keep your emotions in check," Ferraro said of the thought of playing in such a popular stadium. "You can get excited before and after, but when you're playing, it's all business. No matter what field you're on, you're still on a field. It doesn't matter where you are, you still have a job to do whether it's at (AT&T) Stadium or a grass field."

Ferraro was selected for Canada's 60-man team from a field of 500 players who tried out across the country last month.

In Texas, the players will be competing for the right to represent Canada at the 2014 World U19 Championships in Kuwait in July.

Ferraro, who was named team MVP for the Burlington Stampeders after a great Ontario Football Conference season last year, is one of two kickers on the team.

Canada is likely to only take one kicker to Kuwait, meaning Ferraro will have to focus on what he can do and not worry about his competition in order to earn his spot.

He says training with Ilesic has helped in that regard.

"It's a lot about your mental side when it comes to kicking," Ferraro said. "Even the workouts you do not only make you physically stronger, but also mentally stronger. That's a big thing for whenever you have to rebound from a bad kick or a bad game."

In September, Ferraro will begin his first year at the University of Guelph, where he'll learn more from Ilesic, Guelph's kicking coach. Ferraro will be the backup to his older brother, Daniel, who's in his third year at the university.

2014 International Bowl roster selection coverage

The roster selection for the 2014 International Bowl has gathered some interest, at least in Alberta.  It is mentioned in two recent articles in reference to a couple of local players.

The photography of Ed Ilnicky below is by Greg Southam for the Edmonton Journal.

Edmonton Sun - A pair of young U of A Golden Bears football prospects will play on the Canadian junior team in next month’s 2014 International Bowl series.

Rookie running back Ed Ilnicki and recently recruited offensive lineman Joel McQuay are part of the 60-player roster that will take on USA Football’s U-19 team Feb. 7-8 at Maverick Stadium at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Ilnicki, a freshman out of Spruce Grove, and McQuay, who is graduating from Red Deer’s Notre Dame high school, were chosen from a pool of 500 athletes in attendance at regional identification camps across Canada.

The main goal will be moving on to represent their country once again at the 2014 U-19 World Championship in Kuwait.

In his Bears debut, Ilnicki led the team in rushing yards in 2013, finishing fourth among running backs in the Canada West Conference with 518 yards, to go along with 5.1-yard average and two touchdowns, while catching 16 passes for 166 yards and another TD.

...

McQuay, a six-foot-five, 270-pound O-liner, signed a letter of intent to join the Bears next season, meaning the entire starting offensive line off of Team Alberta will be at training camp under Bears head coach Chris Morris in the summer.

St. Albert Gazette - The Football Canada national junior team roster for the 2014 International Bowl includes a pair of St. Albert players.

Defensive lineman Garret Meek, a St. Albert minor football product with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, and running back Jackson Ryan of the Bellerose Bulldogs were named to the 60-player roster for the Feb. 7 and 8 series at Maverick Stadium at the University of Texas at Arlington.

...

The six-foot-three, 290-pound Meek completed his first Canada West season with the Huskies after a stellar high school career with the Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds.

The bantam graduate of the 2009 Tier II provincial finalist St. Albert Fury played three seasons with St. Albert Storm midget team in the Capital District Minor Football Association.

The six-foot, 250-pound Ryan is considered the first Bellerose player to compete internationally. He joined the Bulldogs in his Grade 12 season after playing for the Sexsmith Sabres in the Mighty Peace League.

The co-recipient of the team’s outstanding offensive player award rushed for 278 yards on 46 carries and scored three touchdowns while battling injuries with the Carr conference division one semifinalists in the metro Edmonton league.

"Football Canada announces Junior National Team International Bowl roster"

Football Canada made the below announcement a little earlier today.  Between now and the International Bowl, I'll look for articles about members of the team so that we can get to know them a little better going into the tournament.  Congratulations to all the young men who made it.

Football Canada is proud to announce its Junior National Team roster which will take on USA Football’s U19 National Team as part of the 2014 International Bowl series, to be played February 7-8 at Maverick Stadium at the University of Texas at Arlington.

The 60 player roster was selected from close to 500 players who took part in regional identification camps across Canada. These top prospects will take on USA Football’s U19 squad in Texas, competing for one of 45 spots to represent Canada at the 2014 U19 (19-and-under) World Championship in Kuwait.

Canada’s 2014 Junior National Team is led by head coach and defensive coordinator Warren Craney. Craney is a veteran of international competition having served as defensive coordinator at the two previous World Championships under Noel Thorpe (2012) and Glen Constantin (2009) respectively in addition to four generations of the IFAF World Team.

Canada and Team USA have met in the first two IFAF U19 (19-and-under) World Championship gold medal games with Canada avenging a 2009 loss in 2012 to capture gold. With the record split, the 2014 International Bowl series will re-ignite the Canada-USA rivalry as it builds towards the summer.

Name / Nom	Pos.	Team / Équipe	Hometown / Ville natale
Jonathan Arseneault	DL/LD	CEGEP St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu	St-Constan, QC
William Aziz	DL/LD	CEGEP Vanier College	St. Thomas, ON
Lance Bashutsky	DB/DD	U. Saskatchewan	Wynyard, SK
Mathieu Betts	DL/LD	CEGEP Vieux-Montréal	Montréal, QC
David Blain	REC	CEGEP Montmorency	Montréal, QC
Christophe Bouchard	DB/DD	Académie St-Louis	Quebec, QC
Mathieu Boutin	DB/DD	CEGEP Notre-Dame-de-Foy	QC
Quinton Bowles	DL/LD	VI Raiders (CJFL)	Winnipeg, MB
Chris Brown-Fillion	LB/SEC	Winnipeg Rifles (CJFL)	Steinbach, MB
Jozua Côté	RB/DO	Peru (NY)	Longueil, QC
Wade Leeroy Cyr	OL/LO	CEGEP Vanier College	Montréal, QC
Josh Dahl	DB/DD	Saskatoon Hilltops (CJFL)	Saskatoon, SK
Vincent Desjardins	DL/LD	CEGEP Notre-Dame-de-Foy	QC
Mason Dick	OL/LO	U. Saskatchewan	Winnipeg, MB
Dante Djan	QB/QA	St. Francis Xavier U.	Calgary, AB
Frédérik-Xavier Duhamel	OL/LO	CEGEP Vieux-Montréal	Montréal, QC
Trysten Dyce	REC	Regina Thunder (CJFL)	Winnipeg, MB
Gabriel Ferraro	K/B	Burlington Stampeders	Mississauga, ON
Logan Fisher	RB/DO	Saskatoon Hilltops	Saskatoon, SK
Troy Hanson	LB/SEC	Kent (CT)	Edmonton, AB
Mitch Hillis	REC	U. Saskatchewan	Saskatoon, SK
Brett Hunchak	QB/QA	Calgary Colts (CJFL)	Calgary, AB
Ed Ilnicki	RB/DO	U. Alberta	Spruce Grove, AB
Jadon Johnson	DB/DD	U. Guelph	Brampton, ON
Cédric Joseph	RB/DO	CEGEP Champlain-Lennoxville	Montréal, QC
William Jouan-Ladouceur	DB/DD	CEGEP St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu	Greenville Park, QC
Karym Kartsonis	REC	CEGEP Notre-Dame-de-Foy	Saint-Augustin de Desmaures, QC
Reyd Kessler	RB/DO	Calgary Colts	Calgary, AB
Cole Klughart	OL/LO	St. Joseph	Saskatoon, SK
Tristian Koronkiewicz	DL/LD	VI Raiders (CJFL)	Regina, SK
Pierre-Karl Lanctôt	OL/LO	CEGEP St-Jean-sur-Richelieu	Dorval, QC
Jesse Lawson	OL/LO	Langley Rams (CJFL)	Surrey, BC
Dominic Lévesque	K/B	CEGEP Champlain-Lennoxville	QC
Cédric Lussier-Roy	LB/SEC	CEGEP Champlain-Lennoxville	Sherbrooke, QC
Evan Machibroda	DL/LD	Holy Cross	Saskatoon, SK
Ethan Makonzo	LB/SEC	CEGEP Vieux-Montréal	Montréal, QC
Hergy Mayala	REC	Trinity Pawling (NY)	Montréal, QC
Jayden McCoy	DB/DD	U. Manitoba	Winnipeg, MB
Joe McQuay	OL/LO	Notre Dame	Red Deer, AB
Garrett Meek	DL/LD	U. Saskatchewan	St. Albert, AB
Royce Metchie	DB/DD		Brampton, ON
Edouard Montemiglio	RB/DO	CEGEP Vieux-Montréal	QC
Louis-Mathieu Normandin	REC	CEGEP Vieux-Montréal	Montréal, QC
Nick Parisotto	DB/DD	Guelph Bears	Guelph, ON
Félix Pelletier	DL/LD	St. Leonard Cougars (CJFL)	QC
Trivel Pinto	REC	Metro Toronto Wildcats	Toronto, ON
Shane Richards	OL/LO	Calgary Colts (CJFL)	Calgary, AB
Nate Rostek	LB/SEC	Sir John A. MacDonald	NS/N.-É.
Jackson Ryan	RB/DO	Bellerose	St. Albert, AB
Rossini Sandjong-Djabome	DL/LD	CEGEP Édouard-Montpetit	Longueuil, QC
Ryan Sceviour	OL/LO	U. Calgary	Calgary, AB
Tom Schnitzler	LB/SEC	Saskatoon Hilltops (CJFL)	Saskatoon, SK
David Sévigny	OL/LO	CEGEP Notre-Dame-de-Foy	QC
Louis-Philippe St. Amant	DB/DD	CEGEP Notre-Dame-de-Foy	QC
Logan Thacker	LB/SEC	Winnipeg Rifles	Ochre River, MB
Samuel Thomassin	OL/LO	CEGEP de l’Outaouais	Gatineau, QC
Alex Thompson	REC	VI Raiders (CJFL)	Regina, SK
Brayden Twarynski	DL/LD	U. Saskatchewan	Saskatoon, SK
Kyle Van Wynsberghe	REC	Carleton U.	Delhi, ON
Eric Verity	DB/DD	U. Saskatchewan	Saskatoon, SK