A season of growth and development has come to a close for the Falcons.
The Foothills Falcons saw their playoff hopes dashed by the high-octane Raymond Comets who earned a 44-7 result in the Football Alberta Tier I provincial quarterfinal Nov. 13 at Falcons field.
“I never want to go into something not working hard and not expecting big things, but you have to be a little realistic about where we’re at,” said Falcons head coach Nathan St. Dennis. “The progress that we had was unreal. I know it’s hard when you’re a teenage kid when you’re in it to see it, but expressing that and saying I don’t think there’s a Tier I school in the province that had Grade 10s play as much as they did.
“That pays off huge for the future and I’m excited about the future.”
Raymond, the No. 5 ranked Tier I squad, took a 37-0 lead into the half with the third and fourth quarters proving to be much tighter with both teams exchanging a touchdown in the second-half.
Slotback Jonah Waldner notched the Falcons major on a 7-yard catch and run before diving into the end-zone early in the fourth-quarter.
Foothills and Raymond were well-acquainted entering the playoff tilt having squared off two weeks prior during the season with the Comets soaring to a 54-7 triumph in front of their home supporters.
“It was a better result than we had than the previous game with them which was a great improvement,” St. Dennis said. “That second-half was much better offensively, we were moving the ball and controlling the game a bit more and that’s what we talked about — there was the potential there, but little mistakes were holding us back.”
Foothills had over half of its team as Grade 10 players along with 13 Grade 11 athletes who didn’t get a chance to see any action last season.
Quarterback Thanasi Antonopoulos and linebackers Jaysen Young and Derek Boisvert were among those that rose to prominent roles as freshmen, the coach added.
“The (Grade 10s) played a ton out there, at a couple points based off substitutions there would be times where we had a full Grade 10 crew, out defensively or offensively,” St. Dennis said. “Our offence doesn’t change a whole lot, we got Thanasi that we put in a situation where he’s never really played before and is starting Tier I football against Raymond who has the potential to win Tier I provincials, that’s a big deal.
“I’m really impressed with what they did.”
The Falcons also received terrific contributions from its smaller crop of a half-dozen senior players.
“They dealt with a lot, I feel bad for our Grade 12s, we were the only team that didn’t play any football last year out of all the teams we played,” St. Dennis added. “It was an entire year of nothing which is a huge advantage for other teams, every one we played they had some sort of football and we didn’t have the opportunity to do that.
“Going through everything they did, I was just really impressed with how they responded.”
St. Dennis called his captains, seniors Waldner, Trey Peacock, Abe Wallace, Cam Wallace as well as Grade 11 Keighan Liepert, some of the best he’s ever coached.
“They’ve been put through so much, they already have so much character dealing with COVID stuff and no season last year and everything,” he added. “They’ve been phenomenal, even outside of the football on the field, it’s that leadership and some of the best stuff I’ve seen this year is from that group.”
