High school football divisions realigned
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This article was published 27/09/2023 (1061 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The season may only be a few weeks old, but things are already looking a little different this year in the Winnipeg High School Football League.
That’s because the league adopted a new format in July. Teams are now split into three categories: AAAA, AAA, and junior varsity (JV), based on school size and age of players.
“These new alignments through our league will bring us closer to the comparison and compete levels of the other major MHSAA sports while allowing for some friendly rivalries to be built and create lasting friendships on and off the field,” league commissioner Jeffrey Bannon said in a statement.
Brook Jones / Winnipeg Free Press
Daniel McIntyre Maroons quarterback Samuel Merkley runs with the football as Iulian Axenti of the Collège St. Norbert Celtics tries to tackle him during a AAA Winnipeg High School Football League game on Sept. 7.
In the AAAA category, teams have been split into four conferences, based roughly on where the high schools are located. Elmwood, Springfield, Kildonan-East, Murdoch MacKay, Miles Macdonell and River East are competing in the North East. Sturgeon Creek, Sisler, West Kildonan, Garden City, John Taylor and Maples play in the North West. St. Paul’s, Oak Park, Portage, Vincent Massey (Brandon) and Crocus Plains (Brandon) are in the South West. Dakota, Kelvin, Vincent Massey (Winnipeg), Grant Park, and Steinbach compete in the South East.
In the regular season, each team will play its conference rivals at least once per season, plus two or three conference crossover games, for a total of seven regular season games. Crossover games will be based on the previous year’s standings.
Playoffs will be determined by the best records within each conference. In a wild-card format, the top eight ranked teams will play in a bracket for the AAAA championship — the Anavets Bowl. Teams ranked from 9 to 12 will play in a two-game playoff for the Vidruk Bowl. Teams ranked from 13 to 16 will play in a two-game playoff for the Bramwell Bowl while teams ranked 17th to 20th will play in a two-game playoff for the Gustafson Bowl.
Schools playing in the AAA category are: St. John’s, St. Norbert, Dryden (Ont.), Fort Frances (Ont.), Daniel McIntyre, Beaver Brae (Ont.), Churchill and Tec Voc.
The JV conference has been split into two divisions, playing 12- or nine-player football. Miles Macdonell, St. Paul’s, Dakota, and Oak Park are in the 12-player division, while Vincent Massey (Brandon), Vincent Massey (Winnipeg), Steinbach and Grant Park will play the nine-player version of the game.
— Staff