High school football fans get a main-event matchup this Friday (Oct. 28).
B.C.’s two winningest AA varsity high school football programs of all time, the Windsor Dukes and the Barsby Bulldogs, meet at John Barsby Community Secondary School’s Canem Field.
The Dukes and ’Dawgs are the only two programs in the province with more than one AA varsity championship to their credit. Green-and-gold Windsor has won six AA championships and the red-and-black Bulldogs have won two.
The Dukes (1-2) might not be the powerhouse team they've been most years, but the Bulldogs (2-0) won't take the game lightly.
"They're always dangerous," said Rob Stevenson, Barsby coach. "They're not going to make a whole lot of mistakes and they do what they do very well."
Windsor spreads the ball around with an accurate, fast-paced passing attack, and defensively the Dukes pursue to the ball effectively.
Barsby, meanwhile, favours a balanced offence and is known for its physicality on both sides of the ball.
"We think we have a pretty good football team so when we get out on the field we like to let'er rip, so to speak…" Stevenson said. "Windsor will feel the full weight of the John Barsby football program."
One other storyline in the game is the fact that it's the last action at Canem Field for all the graduating Bulldogs. Their final regular-season game will be on the road, and if they host playoffs, that game will be at Merle Logan Field. So Stevenson will ask his seniors to rattle the Cage one more time for their school.
"It's kind of a bittersweet thing," said the coach. "A lot of these guys put on their first pads as 10 year olds in that dirt."
GAME ON … The Bulldogs and Dukes kick off Friday at 1:45 p.m. … A few blocks away, the Nanaimo District Islanders will also be in action for their final home game of the regular season. NDSS (3-0) hosts Howe Sound (3-0) in Tier 2 varsity action at NDSS field. Kickoff is also at 1:45 p.m.
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