Favourites dominate in Winnipeg High School Football League playoffs

There were no surprises to be found in the Winnipeg High School Football League’s playoffs, with the favoured teams dominating every quarterfinal match-up.

Those games included Dakota defeating Steinbach Regional 72-0 and Springfield falling to St Paul’s 35-3. In the other two games Oak Park defeated Vincent Massey 52-8 and Grand Park beat Elmwood 42-6.

The quarterfinals were all played inside Princess Auto Stadium, the home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. It was the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic a Steinbach Regional team played inside the big stadium.

Dakota and Oak Park appear to be on a collision course this season, with the teams tying for top spot in the regular season. The two teams played in the semi-finals last season, with the Lancers taking a one-point victory.

Grant Park, which upset St Paul’s in last year’s semi-final, will hope to play spoiler for the second consecutive year when they play Dakota.

Oak Park will play St Paul’s in the other semi-final.

Both semi-finals will be played at the East Side Eagles Football Club Oct. 31, before the final returns to the Bombers’ stadium Nov. 7.

In the junior varsity nine-player division, Steinbach played Vincent Massey Oct. 30, in a game completed after press time. The Sabres finished third in the standings after dropping their final two games of the season, including a 41-21 loss to Vincent Massey Oct. 23.