Local players suit up for Rifles

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This article was published 09/09/2019 (2233 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three local players are part of this year’s Winnipeg Rifles team in the Prairie Football Conference.

Eric McCutchin. 18, and Shawn McMillan, 19, of Portage la Prairie, and Barrett Mueller, 20, from La Salle, are on the team’s roster.

McCutchin is a linebacker who started playing peewee football in Dauphin, Man. before moving to Portage. He credits the coaching he received during the three years he spent as a Portage Collegiate Institute Trojan with helping him to develop his skills.

“I definitely learned a lot from Donald Burrell and the other coaches,” McCutchin said.

This is his first year with the Rifles as he played for the Niagara Raiders in the Ontario Conference of the Canadian Junior Football League last season.

He said he decided to return to Manitoba as the PFL is more competitive. He believes that playing on the Rifles is paying off in terms of further expanding his game.

“I definitely feel that I’m improving,” McCutchin said, adding that he hopes to be scouted by a university.

Rifles head coach Geordie Wilson said McCutchin is performing well on the special teams now.
“He is doing a good job as a long snapper and covering kicks for us.  He is going to develop into a good linebacker for us.”

McMillan is an offensive lineman who is also a former Trojan. He and McCutchin were also teammates in Niagara last season, thanks in part to a contact made with the Raiders’ coach by PCI coach Burrell.

Wilson said, at six-feet, six-inches, McMillan has height on his side.  

“He’s getting better each and every week and we expect him to be a big part of our future.”
Another Rifles linebacker, Mueller is playing for a third year with the Rifles. He played midget football with the Fort Garry Lions and said he wanted to stay with a local team.

“I knew the Rifles are a good junior team,” he said. “This season is looking good. I’m getting more time on the field.”

Mueller, who is studying biological sciences at the University of Manitoba, plans to stick with the Rifles for another year or two, but aims to be invited to a Blue Bombers training camp.

Wilson said Mueller’s versatility makes him an asset for the Rifles.

“We call him the ‘Swiss Army Knife’ because he can literally do it all. He can kick field goals, long snap, play all the linebacker spots, or for that matter, most positions on the field. He is an extremely valuable player that we are happy to have on our team,” Wilson said.

The Rifles’ next game is against the Edmonton Huskies on Sept. 15 in Edmonton.