At an afternoon practice at Hamber secondary, Griffins football players had hand-warmers shoved in their gloves, some wore sweatpants over their pads and everyone panted out a breathy cloud through their facemask.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a frozen wasteland,鈥� said starting centre Noah Abramson, as he toed frost on the grass. He loved every minute of being there.
Far from desolate tundra, it was a football field in November 鈥� and not something the Griffins have seen before.
鈥淯sually, unfortunately, the season is over for us by now,鈥� said Abramson, who wore a ski mask that covered his mouth like Batman鈥檚 rival Bane. 鈥淩ight now there is definitely a lot of excitement around the team and practice. Everyone is really excited to go up to the main stage and show people what we鈥檙e worth,鈥� he said.
For the first time in five seasons since launching a football program in 2010, Hamber won a playoff game. The varsity Girffins knocked off Burnaby Central in a 21-6 win at Burnaby Lake Park Nov. 14. They meet Earl Marriott on Friday in the varsity football Tier II B.C. Championship.
The challenge is new and welcome territory for a young program -- and the only public school in 麻豆传媒映画with a team -- that hasn鈥檛 known a lot of success other than safely teaching a complex, physical sport to novices. A love of the game wasn鈥檛 enough for all students, some who turned their back on the team because the Griffins couldn鈥檛 string together many wins. Abramson, a Grade 11 student who will become one of the first five-year Griffins in 2015, said former players are now rethinking their departure and might suit up next fall.
After five seasons, it鈥檚 players鈥� experience that has led the Griffins to the post-season. Abramson, along with quarterback Alex Parrotta and his twin, receiver Zac Parrotta, came to the game in Grade 7 when Hamber seniors introduced a flag football program at neighbourhood elementary schools. Next year, those three will be the first players who've been a Griffin for five straight seasons from Grade 8 through 12
The Griffins play in Tier II, a developmental league outside the AA and AAA leagues. They play a few blocks from 麻豆传媒映画College, perhaps the most legendary high school football program in Canada, and one that helped the Griffins get started by giving them essential equipment.
The team has an expanded coaching staff that includes alumni, and Griffins head coach Bobby Gibson said the team has finally bought in.
鈥淲e are at the point where we can actually be choosy about who goes on the field as opposed to saying, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e here so you鈥檙e going to play.鈥� We dress 25 players each game and we still have a lot of kids going both ways [by playing defence and offence] but we鈥檙e not just playing for participation anymore.鈥�
The difference this season, in addition to a dynamic quarterback and deeper roster, has been the offensive line, said Gibson.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e all undersized, fast guys that just work their faces off. That鈥檚 how we鈥檝e had success. The biggest difference has been the fact our lineman have all bought in and they all realize just because they鈥檙e not the star with the ball, doesn鈥檛 mean they鈥檙e not the difference makers. Those guys have been the reason we get points this year.鈥�
At left guard, Sean Imperial is the smallest on the O line.
鈥淚 definitely have to go against people a lot bigger, all of sudden I find myself going against someone who is 300 pounds,鈥� said the five-foot-four, 155-pound linesman. 鈥淚 just keep pumping my feet and even though they鈥檙e bigger, I could hold them and give my QB enough time.鈥�
Hamber had only two losses this season, a winning record for a team that in past seasons has gone winless. One of those losses came against Marriott, the team to beat for the B.C. Tier II title.
Starting pivot Alex Parrotta said the team has already proven itself this season, but he wants the win on Friday.
鈥淚 want to help the program grow. I want to see this program succeed, move up and do well,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he playoffs are exciting. It feels good, the progress that we鈥檝e made. Our team is just getting better from here.鈥�
The Tier II B.C. Championship begins 8:30 p.m. Nov. 21 on the turf field at Burnaby Lake Park.
