By Ryan Medel
It can take years for sports teams to find the right players and chemistry to have a winning combination. On Nov. 13, Immaculata High School’s football team was trying to prove that there are always exceptions.
In their second season of high school football, the Immaculata Saints took the field against Holy Trinity in the Senior Boys Football NCSSAA Final, in the Tier 2 city league.
After a defensive first half for both teams, Holy Trinity exploded for 30 points in the second half. Wide receiver Jordan Singbeil caught two touchdown passes and running back Godwin Addai kept the Saints defenders busy all afternoon as Holy Trinity rolled to a 38-15 victory.
“We only gave up 35 points in the entire regular season. Today, we just had a couple of bad breaks,” Saints defensive co-ordinator Ben Seaman said.
The Saints had trouble matching Holy Trinity’s powerful offence. Head coach John Whyte said the loss of Joey Lukacs in the semi-final game against South Carleton was the main reason. Lukacs, who separated his shoulder on a tackle, plays both wide receiver and quarterback. His injury left the Saints scrambling to make adjustments.
“He’s our best football player and it definitely hurt to lose him,” Whyte said.
The Saints did make the game interesting late in the fourth quarter. Jerome Stevens ran in a touchdown and the Saints’ two-point conversion was successful, making the score 30-15. But with less than two minutes left, quarterback Chris Kabouchi’s pass was intercepted by Holy Trinty.
Despite the disappointment of the loss, players and coaches tried to remain positive after the game.
“They executed and made the plays. It’s disappointing, but making it to the finals is still an accomplishment,” said Saints offensive lineman Corey Mes.
Whyte also tried to see the bigger picture. “This is a pretty hollow feeling right now, but we’re still only a second-year team,” he said.
After the game, the Saints’ coaches held a brief meeting with their players. The message was simple. “We told them that we exceeded expectations and we were leaving with pride,” Seaman said.
Last year was the first time Immaculata fielded a football team. The team did well, reaching the semi-finals. Their play improved this season and earned them a spot in the championship game.
Mes and Saints running back Phil Ogbemudia said the dedication of the coaching staff and the players were a big factor for the team’s success. The team practiced five days a week after school and the training paid off.
Hundreds of Immaculata students also showed their support at the game. Three buses brought students to the game . They were enthusiastic until the last whistle.
“The turnout of fans says a lot about our school. We have school spirit and it pumps up the players,” Immaculata teacher Diane Boisvert said.
The teams appeared to be evenly matched coming into the championship game. Both teams had a 5-1 record and held their opponents to under 50 points during the regular season. The schools also have a similar number of students.
While the jerseys and cleats are hung up for the rest of the year, it is never too early to look ahead. The Saints will experience some big losses. Nearly half the players will be graduating at the end of the school year. But Whyte is optimistic about the team’s future.
“We’ll have the same coaching staff back and some of the grade ten and eleven players can fill those holes. We want to improve from this year,” he said.