The arrival of another school year brings with it another year of football, and in midtown there are six schools representing three different leagues.
For the Toronto District School Board, Northern SS, Leaside HS and Lawrence Park CI will fight it out in the trenches in Tier 1. North Toronto CI looks to build momentum on an undefeated regular season in Tier 2 and get further into the playoffs, with an eye to dethroning Tier 2 champion Downsview Mustangs.
Lawrence Park kicks off the season at home against Downsview on Sept. 26. Leaside will play host to Central Tech while Northern is home to East York on Sept. 27.
When it comes to the independent schools, St. Michael’s College School, which won three Metro Bowls in a row between 2007 and 2009, will be battling it out with midtown and division rival Upper Canada College. UCC Blues were last year’s CISAA champs, and will have targets on their backs.
Forest Hill Collegiate will not be fielding a football team. Low turnout during registration forced the team to be disbanded.
Without further ado, here is the Town Crier‘s football preview.
Leaside Lancers
League: TDSB (Tier 1)
Coach: Jim Georgiadis
2013 Result: 3-2-1 record, lost 47-0 to Central Tech Blues in TDSB semifinals
Who to watch: Brentyn Hall (WR/DB), as well as the QB tandem of Aidan McFadden and Matthew Georgiadis
First 2014 game: Sept. 26 vs. Central Tech Blues
The buzz: “I think we’ve got some athletes on the team, for sure, and in some key positions. Offensively we should be able to score some points. The issue with us, because of the size of the school, is our size. We’re generally not that big of a team. It’s numbers really.” — Georgiadis
Northern Red Knights
League: TDSB (Tier 1)
Coach: Dan Dominico
2013 Result: 4-1 record, lost 34-14 to Richview Saints in TDSB semifinals
Who to watch: Coulter Woodmansey (OL), Assad Hussain (QB), Jaiden Hyland (RB), Isaiah Ashem-Hibbert (RB), Tramayne Stephen (DL) and Jerrom Ogenraut (LB)
First 2014 game: Sept. 27 vs. East York Goliaths
The buzz: “We’re talented this year, but we’re afflicted with the same disease a lot of senior teams are having in the city: our numbers are not the normal 50. We’ll be in the 35–40. That’s okay, but it’s not what it’s been in the past.” — Dominico
INTRODUCING THE PLAYBOOK: North Toronto CI coach Shawn Hood talks to his charges during a September practice.
North Toronto Norsemen
League: TDSB (Tier 2)
Coach: Shawn Hood
2013 Result: 6-0 record, lost 14-3 to Malvern Black Knights in TDSB Tier 2 semifinals
Who to watch: Justin Shin (SB/TB), Mitch Malinsky (RB) and Trevor Murakami.
The buzz: “We’ve got a lot of new blood here. We’ve had a lot of turnover the last two years and we’re definitely a newer, younger team this year. We’ve got a lot of guys that haven’t played football, so they decided to give it a go.” — Hood
Lawrence Park Panthers
League: TDSB (Tier 1)
Coach: Mark Harrison
2013 Result: 3-3 record, lost 17-7 to Leaside Lancers in TDSB quarter-finals
Who to watch: Luke Babin (LB), Jack Hopkins, Adam VanDeursen (S), Shomari Hutchinson (LB), Connor Labbett (SB), Cole MacFarlane (QB) and Jason Lee (OL/DL)
First 2014 game: Sept. 26 @ Downsview Mustangs
The buzz: “I think when we look at Tier 1 — and I probably sound like a broken record — [but] I’m pretty sure we’ll end up playing the Northerns, the Centrals, the Richviews and the Leasides, who are traditionally strong teams. Our goal is always to make the playoffs at Tier 1. Everybody wants to win the championship, but if you’re realistic that’s the minimum that we want to do.” — Harrison
Upper Canada College Blues
League: CISAA
Coach: David Shaw
2013 Result: 4-1 record, won CISAA title 30-25 vs. St. Andrew’s College; lost 41-7 to W.F. Herman Green Griffins at OFSAA
Who to watch: Philippe Archambault (LB/FB), L.C. Hebert (WR/DB), Jeff Misner (C/DT) and Aidan Power (QB)
First 2014 game: Sept. 20 @ St. Andrew’s College
The buzz: “It’s one of our strongest groups of Grade 11s coming up in years. We’ve got really good talent coming up from the junior program. This is the fastest team I’ve ever coached, bar none. Not the biggest, that’s for sure, but the fastest.” — Shaw
St. Michael’s Kerry Blues
League: CISAA
Coach: Frank Trentadue
2013 Result: 2-3 record, missed playoffs
Who to watch: Pierre Lemieux (LB), Gordon Whyte (LB), Liam Grippo (DB) and Kaion Grant (WR)
First 2014 game: Sept. 20 @ Trinity College School
The buzz: “We always look forward to the Grade 11 class coming up to Grade 12 to step in and make an impact. There’s a bit of a battle going on with the starting quarterbacks. Clarke McCallum was the starting quarterback for the junior team last year, and now he’s coming up to senior. But he’s battling it out with Daniel Pietrangelo, who already has a year of senior under his belt.” — Trentadue