It’s a twin bill for the Seaquam side
Philpot brothers bring family business to triple-A game versus Terry Fox Ravens
The Seaquam Seahawks are looking to win the Subway Bowl triple-A provincial title this season after capturing the double-A football crown last December.
Their coach knows that it is indeed possible.
Seaquam bench boss Navin Chand was still in university when he started working as an assistant coach under Walter Becker and Ron Uyeyama with the North Delta Huskies. They won the two tiers of high school football in dominant fashion in 1994-95, going 21-1 with 11 shutouts.
The Huskies trounced the Windsor Dukes 41-6 in what was then known as the single-A final the first year, and then thumped the W.J. Mouat Hawks for what was then the double-A title by a 39-21 count the second.
Running back and linebacker Mike Lavallee was most valuable player in both finals. He’s now part of the coaching staff with Seaquam’s junior varsity side.
You like good omens? We have some good omens for you if you’re a Seahawks fan.
Seaquam (5-2 in league) takes on the Terry Fox Ravens (5-2) in the triple-A quarter-finals on Saturday at B.C. Place. It doubles as a meeting between the reigning double-A and triple-A champions, considering the Ravens beat the Notre Dame Jugglers 17-14 in overtime for the top-level crown last season.
“I do mention those North Delta stories to our boys. It makes me feel a little bit like Al Bundy doing that,” Chand said, pulling off a Married With Children reference that many of his players wouldn’t get either.
“It does show them that it can be done.”
Those Huskies teams featured the likes of Lavallee and bruising lineman Tom Montes. This Seaquam squad is led by Jalen and Tyson Philpot, the Grade 12 twin sons of former B.C. Lions running back Cory Philpot.
They’re really special players. You can usually have one guy like that, but to have two is something else. It’s like having the Sedins.
Tyson was named the most valuable defensive player in the Western Conference for his play at defensive back. Jalen landed a spot on the Western all-star team at running back.
The Philpots were key players in last year’s double-A finale, which saw Seaquam upend the Vernon Panthers 35-13.
“They both pretty amazing,” Chand said. “They helped with our transition to triple-A, let’s put it that way.
“They’re really special players. You can usually have one guy like that, but to have two is something else. It’s like having the Sedins in their prime.”
Chand said the biggest difference between double-A and triple-A is the “depth of players.”
“There are more guys to key on per game,” Chand said.
He moved with Uyeyama to work with another north Delta program, the Sands Scorpions, before signing on with Seaquam. He’s also been involved in north Delta community football, and said through that he got a chance to see many of the current Ravens for several years.
“I know a lot of those guys,” he said. “They have a very good team. We’re going to have to be prepared.”
Last week, the Seahawks were the No. 5 team in Howard Tsumura’s rankings at varsityletters.ca, while Terry Fox was an honourable mention. The New Westminster Hyacks and St. Thomas More Knights held down the top two spots, respectively.