Steinbach Regional and Springfield Sabres football teams launch into AAAA playoffs

Both the Steinbach Regional Secondary School and Springfield Sabres managed to clinch top-tier playoff spots in the Winnipeg High School Football League (WHSFL), winning do-or-die final games of the season last weekend.

Steinbach Regional took care of business against the Sturgeon Heights Huskies Oct. 18, dominating in a 51-14 victory.

Braeden Sinclair broke the game open in the waning moments of the first half. Steinbach had looked to be the better team but a strong Huskies run defense was holding the Sabres to just 14 points.

That was before Sinclair’s outstanding play. The grade 10 student took a Toby Plett pass and broke three tackles before hitting the sideline. Instead of stepping out, Sinclair planted his foot before the line and cut back up-field to try and gain a couple more yards.

Instead of getting stopped, he broke through three more would-be tacklers en route to a long touchdown and a 21-7 half-time lead for Steinbach.

Sinclair is one of four grade 10 players who have seen playing time for Steinbach at receiver this year.

“We were hoping to lean on the run a little more than we were able to,” head coach Stephan Fedus said a couple days after the victory.

“(The receivers) have really developed as the season has gone on.”

Sinclair wasn’t done impacting the game, recovering an onside kick to start the third quarter. Steinbach’s special teams were brilliant in the second half, as Nigel Reader converted a fake punt with a 40 yard throw, Joseph Leclair had two successful onside kicks and Juddah Wohlgemuth scored on a kick-off return touchdown when the Sabres executed a perfect reverse.

Josiah Greiner finished one of the best regular seasons from a Steinbach running back in program history with 133 yards and two touchdowns. Greiner has 1,173 rushing yards to lead the AAAA division of the WHSFL.

While Steinbach boasts a young receiving and offensive line, their backfield has two grade 12 players in quarterback Toby Plett and Greiner.

“(They’ve) really helped develop (the receivers) through their leadership and support, and sometimes demanding they give their best effort all the time,” Fedus said.

“That’s been really exciting.”

After two losses to start the season, Steinbach rattled off five wins and finished in a three-way tie for the top wildcard spot. With a loss to Grant Park on their record, they were slotted into the seventh seed and have to play the Dakota Lancers.

“The kids really progressed and improved,” Fedus said, noting the team achieved their pre-season goal of getting into the AAAA playoffs.

“We’re definitely proud of what the kids have accomplished. We’ve got to get them ready to play definitely one of the two best two teams in the province, maybe the best team. We’ve got to go and compete and give it our best and see what happens.”

The Lancers and Oak Park Raiders have been a step ahead of every other team in the WHSFL playoffs, finishing the season with the same 7-0 record, same strength of schedule and same point difference (games are capped at +19). The final placing needed to be determined by a coin flip, with Oak Park winning the number one seed.

The Lancers have dominated the Sabres in the last few years, winning the last three match-ups between the two teams by a combined score of 178-6. That includes a quarterfinal playoff game from last season which finished 69-0.

“There’s an opportunity for us to be much more competitive,” Fedus said, when comparing last year’s team to this year.

“Part of it is going to be how our athletes embrace the challenge. As a coaching staff we’re going to be working on that this week, starting right away… We have to face that challenge and understand it’s our job to compete as hard as we can.”

While the location of last season’s game was at Dakota, this year the AAAA playoffs are moving to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ field, Princess Auto Stadium.

Fedus said that should help the underdog Sabres, noting the team was amped up to reach a stadium after a couple program alumni spoke to the team a couple weeks ago during practice.

“Both of them mentioned playing in that stadium,” Fedus said.

“You could see the kids eyes light up when they were talking to those guys. I’m hoping the kids will be excited for that.”

This is the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic Steinbach Regional has played at the Bombers’ stadium.

Steinbach and Dakota are the final quarterfinal to be played, with kick-off at 7:30 on Oct. 25. While the Lancers are heavy favourites, Fedus hopes his team can shock the Manitoba football world.

“When you’re that big of an underdog, you have nothing to lose,” he said.

The junior varsity Steinbach Regional Sabres play their final regular season game of the 9-player division after press time Oct. 23 in Winnipeg. The Sabres and Vincent Massey Vikings will battle in Winnipeg, with the winner taking second place in the division.

SPRINGFIELD SABRES

The Oakbank-based Springfield Sabres dominated their own division this season, going a perfect 4-0 en route to a North East Conference victory.

That record included a 29-0 shutout over the River East Kodiaks Oct. 18, who were just a game behind Springfield into the standings heading into the weekend’s action.

Springfield ran all over the Kodiaks in the victory, with seven players combining for 343 yards. Five players finished with more than 45 yards in the box score.

Ethan Haarsma was the leading rusher, picking up 103 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns.

As division winners, Springfield earned the fourth seed in the eight-team AAAA playoffs and are set to play the league’s top wildcard team, the St Paul’s Crusaders.

Springfield and St Paul’s will play at 5:15 p.m. at Princess Auto Stadium Oct. 24.