Winnipeg teams held off scoreboard

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Eden Prairie QB Brian Athey passes on the run while being pressured by Oak Park’s Carey Link. (TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

The banner brought by Minnesota's Eden Prairie Eagles' cheer squad read "Your Rules Our Game" and that's exactly how it went down in Friday's Can-Am Challenge.

Despite the advantage of using Canadian rules, the Vincent Massey Trojans and Oak Park Raiders of the Winnipeg High School Football League each failed to score a point in games against the varsity and reserve squads of the Eagles, a team coached by Mike Grant, son of legendary former Winnipeg Blue Bombers coach Bud Grant.

Bud Grant, who coached the Bombers to four Grey Cups (1958, '59, '61, '62) during his 10-year tenure, was on the sidelines with his son for part of the first exhibition game and then joined a large contingent of family members in the stands at Canad Inns Stadium.

Bud Grant and Ken Ploen, who quarterbacked those Bombers' Grey Cup teams during his storied career from 1957-67, performed the coin toss prior to the first game to the delight of the crowd, which grew to about 500 during the second game.

Ploen's grandson, Ryan Hosegood, was quarterback for the Trojans, 49-0 losers in the first game.

Oak Park, 2009 finalists for the WHSFL's ANAVETS Bowl (AAA), was beaten 33-0 by the players that will comprise Eden Prairie's starting lineup when their season starts Sept. 10.

"It was a great experience, the tempo was a lot faster. You get the ball, you had three steps and you had to make a move right away. They were way tougher, had better technique than teams we play against," said Raiders running back Nic Demski.

"This is a big year for us and this will help us. To have a hard opponent like this the first game, it really sets the tone for us."

Mike Grant said it was a special feeling to coach on the same field where his father had so much success.

He lived in Winnipeg from infancy to age 10 and was front row during those glory years.

"It really brings back memories. I remember my mom used to hand me over (the cement wall of the stands) to my dad after the games and I'd get to go into the locker-room.

"It was kind of a flashback when I was standing there," Mike said, looking over toward what is now the visitors locker-room.

"Our players were excited to play, they've worked really hard in the off-season. It was a great competition and a great experience for our kids."

Mike, a teacher for 32 years, has been coaching at Eden Prairie for 18 years and has led the program to six state titles in 12 state tournament appearances.

He said his team approached the games as a cultural experience as well, since many of his players had never been out of the U.S. and needed to get passports to make the trip.

Vincent Massey, which played in the WHSFL's AA Vidruk division last season as a new program, will move up to play in the AAA Potter Division this season.

The Raiders, led by quarterback John Kiesman, trailed 14-0 at the half. In the second quarter the Raiders got the ball on a pair of fumble recoveries but were unable to produce points. Eden Prairie got three touchdowns from running back Andrew Larson on runs of four, one and 91 yards and two touchdowns on catches of 14 and four yards by receiver Ryan Bull, who played quarterback in the first game.

Paul Robson, the former Blue Bombers player and general manager who is now with Canad Inns, sponsor of the Can-Am Challenge, set up the event with WHSFL commissioner Ron Gustafson and Football Manitoba executive director Rob Berkowits.

"What really does my heart good is to see the growth of high school football in Manitoba," said Robson.

"To be able to be able to give them these games and see them compete so hard... they're playing the very best high school football team in the state of Minnesota and one of the top-ranked football teams in the USA."

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 4, 2010 D6