Rams’ depth to be tested early by speedy Hyacks
GAME DAY: NEW WEST AT MOUNT DOUGLAS, 3 P.M.
Perennial powerhouse Mount Douglas will be tested early in B.C. Secondary Schools Football Association play when the No. 4-ranked Rams entertain the No. 2 New Westminster Hyacks on their home field today at 3 p.m.
And the biggest test of all will come on offence as the Rams have to get by without a pair of key pieces.
Gideone Kremler will not be behind centre as the talented Grade 11 quarterback — who led the Rams to a provincial championship in his Grade 9 campaign — still rehabs from his torn ACL injury from last Oct. 21.
Also absent will be Phil Grohovac, a key piece to the dominating Rams’ offensive and defensive lines, as he came up with a minor injury last week in an preseason loss to Terry Fox that could keep him out for a few weeks.
Isaiah Cardilicchia and Dante Carbone have been splitting the quarterbacking duties in Kremler’s absence and coach Mark Townsend’s team will have to make do while injuries heal.
“Coach Mark does a real good job making us work hard in practice every day and push us to our limits to make sure players are on top of their game,” said Grade 12 returnee Soren Hallschmid, who is expected to have a big year on the offensive line and at middle linebacker.
He will be a leader, along with Cardilicchia, Jake Ounsted, Hayden Naylor and Kremler and Grohovac when they return.
“We’re expecting a big year out of a lot our varsity players, Grade 12s,” added Hallschmid. “We think we have the talent to do some damage. We may not have the numbers of some of the other teams, but I think with the talent we have we can surprise some teams in our conference.”
A win today would go a long way toward that.
“We should be a top-five team in the province and I can see us competing with a lot of the best teams out there. I think we can do some damage,” said Hallschmid, who stands six-foot-three and 235 pounds and has had interest expressed from the University of Alberta and University of Ottawa, among other U Sports schools.
In the Hyacks, the Rams will face a quick team, both offensively and defensively.
“New West looks like a very impressive team on film. They have great team speed, probably one of the fastest teams I’ve seen in years,” said Townsend, who admits his Rams have some challenges with the injuries.
He’ll have to rely on some junior varsity call-ups early in the season.
“We do miss him, he’s a great football player and he knows the offence well,” Townsend said of Kremler. “However, we are working with a couple quarterbacks right now who we believe in. They’re very capable and they’re doing a good job of running our offence.
“Our goal is to work hard every week, get better and be as competitive every week as possible in a very tough Western Conference.”
With New West challenging for the top.
“We’ve really had to game plan for them,” Hallschmid said of the visiting Hyacks, who are led by coach Farhan Lalji. “They have a wicked offence and seem to put up points against everybody. We have to do our jobs on defence.
“The strength of our team should be run defence,” he added. “Our offensive line is also stellar. We had a minor injury to one of our linemen, but he should be back in the next couple of weeks. I think our O line is one of the best in the province and we should be able to push any front seven in the province.”
Kremler, for one, can’t wait to get behind that line.
“I’m preparing to come back this year, but I still need final word from my doctors. I’m hoping to come back in a few weeks time. I’m not sure exactly when,” he said.
“I think it’s safe to say we have one of the best offensive and defensive lines in the province. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have all of the tools we need at receiver and running back, too,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Belmont Bulldogs will play host to the always tough Vancouver College Fighting Irish today at 4 p.m. at Goudy Field. In double-A play, the Spectrum Thunder face John Barsby at 2:30 p.m. at Merle Logan field in Nanaimo prior to Ballenas tackling Nanaimo District on the same pitch at 6 p.m.