Lancers and Raiders put it all on the line

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This article was published 05/11/2024 (311 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The matchup couldn’t be more fitting for what’s at stake.

The Oak Park Raiders and Dakota Lancers have been the two best programs in the Winnipeg High School Football League this season, and on Thursday they will decide who is crowned the AAAA provincial champion at Princess Auto Stadium (7:30 p.m. kickoff).

Dakota is vying for a repeat after winning its first varsity title last season, while Oak Park is seeking its first championship in the top division since 2014.

“Two heavyweights going at it — pay-per-view match here,” said Raiders head coach Chris Ollson.

The Raiders and Lancers, frankly, were in a class of their own during the regular season.

Oak Park (7-0) rose to No. 6 in the national rankings after finishing with the league’s top offence (346 points for) and not allowing a point on defence. Meanwhile, the Lancers (7-0) climbed to No. 2 in the nation, the highest a Manitoba school has ever been ranked, and were not far behind with 332 points for and just eight points against.

Both have remained hot in the playoffs, with Oak Park defeating Vincent Massey Collegiate and St. Paul’s in the first two rounds, and Dakota handling Springfield and Grant Park.

In the eyes of many, however, this was bound to be the contest that would conclude the season.

“I think that’s what we were looking forward to,” said Ollson. “I think we had this marked down on our calendar. We had to get through St. Paul’s, which is a perennial powerhouse and you can’t ever count them out … but we were definitely hoping it would be Dakota.

“It’s gonna be one of the best high school football games I think in a long time here.”

There is history here.

The Lancers and Raiders played what might’ve been the game of the season in last year’s semifinal, a thrilling 24-23 decision that ended on a rouge in overtime and sent Dakota to the championship where it defeated Grant Park.

“It’s gonna be one of the best high school football games I think in a long time here.”– Raiders head coach Chris Ollson

While the two programs met for a wet exhibition game in the spring, they have yet to rekindle their budding rivalry in a meaningful game.

“I’d love it to be something similar to last year, it was a really fun time,” said Lancers head coach Mitch Harrison. “My heart rate was up but I definitely enjoyed the experience, that was probably the best game that I had ever seen a part of.”

One area that has concerned both head coaches all year is how battle-tested their clubs would be for this moment, given how lopsided their games have been. Both have resorted to amping up the intensity in practice, and while it’s not necessarily a real-game atmosphere, Harrison believes it’s done the trick.

“I would say (battle-tested) enough, yeah,” Harrison said. “Just in comparison to their season, as well. Would I say enough for most seasons? Probably not. But for this circumstance, I would say, yeah, we’re battle-tested enough to get the job done.”

Among the biggest changes for both teams this time around will be who is under centre.

Ollson has conceded that this year’s iteration of the Raiders has been a pleasant surprise after the program lost several key graduating players, including quarterback Ryan Wirtzfeld, who transferred to a prep school in the U.S.

Enter Grade 12 quarterback Kevan Savage, who efficiently set a single-season record in the WHSFL with 26 passing touchdowns. Oak Park has also leaned heavily on receiver Nathan Esch, a big-bodied deep threat, and running back Onan Furst, who has cemented himself as one of the best rushers in the province.

“I didn’t think it would be this successful,” Savage conceded, “but I knew it would go pretty well just because the group of guys around me is just unreal and the team is full of talent, and just good guys in general. It was a bit more than I expected but not out of the ordinary.”

“I do believe we have the best coaches in the city and our success is a reflection of that.”– Dakota Lancers QB Rogan Vergata

On the other side is Grade 12 pivot Rogan Vergata, who played safety for the Lancers last season and has seamlessly gone on to toss for 25 touchdowns and lead the league with 1,653 passing yards. The offence has complimented a stingy Dakota defence led by Grade 12 defensive linemen Carter Kalcsics and Destiny Okedara, and Grade 11 student-athlete Ryan North.

“One, it has to do with coaching,” Vergata said of how the offence has continued to put up big numbers. “I do believe we have the best coaches in the city and our success is a reflection of that. Second, just the athletes we have. Man, we have so many targets at Dak and it’s been great.”

Some described the feeling in their locker room this week as tense, others called it excitement, but the one echoed sentiment was their team is hyper-focused with a championship on the line. Savage and Vergata agreed it would mean a little more to get this win against a familiar foe.

“It would mean everything to me and I know all these guys would love it too. It would just be a crazy ending,” said Savage.

Vergata added: “My time at Dakota hasn’t been easy, it’s been a lot of ups and downs, but this would just be a perfect way to end it off and I’m ready to do whatever I can to make it happen.”

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca

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