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It was a tough game Saturday versus a very strong Rutland Secondary School Voodoo football team. Each year The Rutland Voodoo seem to match the Varsity Highlanders blow for blow and this year was no exception.
The Highlanders started out of the gate with a strong performance stopping the Rutland Voodoo’s first drive, but exceptional punting by the Rutland Voodoo kicker left the Highlanders pinned back at their 1-yard lane. The offensive holding the end-zone resulted in a two-point safety. The Highlanders from that point were always fighting back to take the lead from the Voodoo but couldn’t. This game was about resiliency. The Highlanders fought from the start of the game to the end, but mistakes and miss opportunities were once again the story of this game. Missed tackles, dropped passes, poor run blocking and poor tackling all ended up hurting the Varsity Highlanders chances for a win. The Rutland Voodoo quarterback Jhavoun Blake was an offensive juggernaut. He easily scampered for three plus touchdowns and split the defense easily at times on the quarterback sneak. The Rutland Voodoo have a special player in Jhavoun Blake and they seized every opportunity to use him effectively. Offensively for the Highlanders quarterback Ben Welsh was facing heavy pressure from the Voodoo defensive line all game. Even with a sore throwing elbow, Ben Welsh was able to go 13 for 34 for 234 yards passing with three touchdowns and one interception. Ben Welsh was able to connect with Matt Lane and impressive eight times for an incredible 208 yards and two touchdowns. On defense there were some shining moments for the Highlanders. The Rutland Voodoo had their passing attack stymied by the Highlander defense. Unfortunately, the Highlanders could not stop the Voodoo on the ground effectively and that is where most of their offence and scoring came from all afternoon. Matt Lane not only shined on offence but was also a terror for the Voodoo on defense recording six tackles. First Year linebacker Harry Waddell stunned the crown with an amazing interception for a touchdown when the Highlanders had the Voodoo pinned deep in their own end. This is a long season and the commitment level of the team is still not where the coaches need it to be. In past years other Varsity Highlander teams might squabble with each other or not gel as a team, but they were always committed to being at practice and giving 100% effort. This year’s Highlanders are a bit challenged when it comes to commitment and fitness and it shows of the field with sloppy play at the wrong times and getting tired and losing stream when they need it the most. Next up for the Varsity Highlanders is another very strong run-based team in the Nanaimo District Islanders. Pride ~ Respect ~ United
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This week’s game was a hard-fought in ugly conditions. Sometimes with grit and effort we still come up a bit short. The JV highlanders lost 20-0 the the Earl Marriot Mariners in a soggy slugfest.
The JV Highlanders and the JV Earl Marriot Mariners were very evenly matched. Th JV Highlanders and the coaches game planned to shut down the Earl Marriot offence. The JV Highlanders held true to the plan and posted a first half shutout, with a big interception to end the half by Denzel Octaviano. Earl Marriot showed up well prepared for the JV Highlanders run heavy offense and the Mariner defensive line and linebackers were up to the task of stymying the JV Highlanders offense. With a score tied at 0-0 at half time, the JV Highlanders knew they were in a defensive battle. A mistake either way could be the difference in this game and it was. The JV highlanders decided to game on a short kick-off to begin the second half to use the sloppy field conditions to their advantage and get the ball back, unfortunately the plan backfired. The Earl Marriot Mariners took the kick for a touchdown and the momentum began to shift to the Mariners. From that point, the JV Highlanders were playing catch up football and began throwing the ball a little more than the game planned. In this type of weather, a slippery ball and playing from behind is a tough ask for any team never mind a young junior team playing this early in the season. The JV Highlanders never gave up and showed some true heart out there. The JV highlanders was able to hold the Mariners on a 4th down attempt late in the game and come up big in their own red zone with a forced fumble by Evan Lock, recovered by MC Hamelin. The defensive line who also play on the offensive line played a great of a game, putting the pressure on and making tackles in the backfield. Evan Lock, Beaudry Lehman, Sean Hansed and MC Hamelin are to be applauded for the effort levels they displayed today on both offensive and defensive line. In addition, linebacker Phillip Ho and defensive back Denzel Octaviano stood out on defense. The coaches were in praise of the team even in the loss. Junior football is about learning positions, roles, offence, defence and how to work as a team. Today’s game was a great representation of how this all comes together. Yes, the loss stings, but we must watch the film and learn from our mistakes. We had great opportunities and fought hard on offence and defence. When a team plays this hard as a unit and leaves everything on the field you cannot ask for more. On a sad note. Head Coach Cam Currie is leaving the team for a new job. The program is very happy for him and wishes cam the best. Coaching the junior team is never easy, but Coach Currie was always eager to cheer on our athletes and push then to achieve as much potential as they were willing to work for. Coach Declan McGovern and the other coaches will pick up and carry on for the program. Pride ~ Respect ~ United  Saturday, September 22nd at West Vancouver Secondary School main field the WVSS Varsity Highlander football team take on The Rutland VooDoo. Kick-off is estimated to be around 1:30 PM.
The Varsity Highlanders (1-0) look to bounce back after a tough exhibition game last week against the Ballenas Whalers and continue their regular season unbeaten streak as they take on a very good Rutland Voodoo team. The Rutland Voodoo (2-0) are coming off last weeks regular season 28-17 win over Nanaimo District (NDSS) in Nanaimo. The Voodoo beat Spectrum 50-0 on the Voodoo home for the week before. This game will be an early season test for the varsity Highlanders! Please make sure you come out this Saturday at 1:30 PM and cheer the team on. Pride ~ Respect ~ United  Thursday, September 20th at West Vancouver Secondary School main field the WVSS Junior Varsity Highlander football team takes on The JV Earl Marriot Mariners. Kick-ff is estimated to be around 3:30 PM.
The JV Highlanders look to bounce back after a tough exhibition game last week against the Ballenas Whalers. The Junior Varsity Earl Marriot Mariners are also looking for a bounce back game after losing to Notre Dame 41-0 last week. Please make sure you come out this Thursday at 3:30 PM and cheer the team on. Pride ~ Respect ~ United Friday’s exhibition game between the WVSS Junior Varsity Highlanders and the Junior Varsity Ballenas Whalers was a tough physical game and the score was not indicative of the battle by the JV Highlanders. Although outscored 34-0 for Ballenas the lopsided score that didn’t really tell the picture accurately. The coaches and the Highlander players knew it was going to be a physical battle as the Ballenas Whalers run a strong ground and pound attack. The coaches asked our athletes to come out and be physical and maintain that intensity for a solid four (4) quarters as the Ballenas physical attack does not let up.
The Highlanders did miss some opportunities early on offence with key dropped passes and mental mistakes that could have led to an early lead for the JV Highlanders. Three (3) key plays by Ballenas including a couple play action passes led to the two (2) first half touchdowns the JV Whalers. Outside of those three (3) plays, the JV Highlander defense played very hard and forced the JV Whalers to play error free and grind their way downfield. As the second half wore on, the JV Highlanders lack of numbers on the bench began to turn into a deciding factor as the team tired out and started making some mental errors. Unfortunately, The JV Whalers seized the opportunity when these miscues occurred and began piling on the score ending the second half with three (3) unanswered touchdowns. On a positive note, Head Coach Currie notes that the JV Highlander offensive line played a heck of a game. The offensive line was able to open large running lanes for running back Lucas Haldane to gash through the line for good yardage and keeping Quarterback Tomo Hursthouse upright in the backfield. On defense, the defensive line was able to gain penetration into the JV Whalers at times creating disruption, including a very good 4th down stop forcing the turnover. Our linebackers were flying around making plays as well. The linebacking core of Lucas Haldane, Joey Craddock, Phillip Ho, and Bruce Jones were asked to play fast, smart and make tackles from start to finish vs a strong run attack. The linebacking core played as asked all game and fought hard to attack the JV Whaler ground game. In retrospect sporadic practice attendance led to some errors that cost the JV Highlanders the game. The team will need to have everyone out at all three (3) practices this week. The Team needs to eliminate these mental mistakes. Next week marks the team’s first regular season game against Earl Marriott Mariner squad. Pride ~ Respect ~ United Pictures
Friday's game against the #3 ranked Ballenas Whalers was a tough battle against a very strong team this week. It was a clash of two different styles with the West Vancouver Varsity Highlanders passing attack going up against the Ballenas Whaler ground and pound running attack. It was a tough to lose this game, Head Coach Dourandish is very proud of our team for grinding it out until the final whistle. The WVSS Varsity Highlanders showed grit and determination with guys battling through injuries and giving full effort until the end. Offensively, QB Ben Welsh made play after play with his arm and legs extending plays and finding open receivers. Ben Welsh ended the day passing for 14 of 25 for a touchdown and rushing for 56 yards for two (2) touchdowns on the ground. Defensively, the team struggled against their running attack with their size and power. The team battled every down but the Ballenas Whalers continual pounding of the ball up the middle and off the edge wore down the defensive line and linebackers and forces the defensive backs into run stop mode. Safeties Matt Lane (#2) and Alex Jones (#21) was all over the place making tackles in the box and sideline to sideline. For the next game the defense will need to execute and get penetration while keeping their focus on the ball carrier. Most good teams have strong running attacks, so this was a good challenge to see where the team has a to improve on defense at all levels. Running back/Linebacker Connor Chapman wins the gladiator award after playing through a bad lip laceration and not missing a beat. Connor Chapman eventually finished the game at Left Tackle showing is dedication and grit that makes him one of the leaders on this team. Coach Dourandish, Coach Anderson and the other coaches are very proud of the team for the fight they showed. When a team must take on a top ranked team, on their field while playing with just 18 players isn’t ideal but it’s not impossible. For the WVSS Highlander Varsity football program attendance and registration are always a challenge and this year it is our reality. Thankfully the athletes we have continue to buy in to the challenge and play with heart. Next up on September 21st the WVSS Varsity Highlanders taake on Kelowna based Rutland Secondary School Voodoo at WVSS (Kick-off at 3:15 PM). The Rutland Voodoo have come out of the gate strong so far this year and seem to be one of the top teams to beat in the AAA PAcific Division. Please come out and show your support. Pride ~ Respect ~ United This Friday, September 14th the WVSS Highlander Junior Varsity and Varsity football teams venture to Vancouver Island to take on The Ballenas Whalers football program.
The program will supply transportation to and from Vancouver Island. You will just need to drop your athlete off at the back of WVSS at the "Pit" early Friday morning. The team will take a bus and ferry to and from Vancouver Island. You will need to plan to pick up your athlete that same night. You will need to pack your athlete enough food or money for food for the day. Itinerary: 7:30 AM - Meet at West Vancouver Secondary School Field (The Pit) 7:45 AM - Bus leaves school for the ferry 8:45 AM - Ferry to Vancouver Island 11:45 AM - JV game 2:00 PM - Varsity game 5:45 PM - Ferry and Bus to West Vancouver 7:30 PM - Player up at West Vancouver Secondary School Field (The Pit) Again please make sure your athlete has a food packed or money for food and perhaps a change of clothes or proper outerwear for the weather. The Junior Varsity team will play first and then wait for the Varsity game to finish so they will need to be prepared. The same applies to the Varsity team that won't play until after the Junior Varsity game. Pride ~ Respect ~ United Pictures
Great to get the win after a very rocky fall camp and a challenging first week of practice. Attendance, attitude and registrations were always forefront for the team and coaches. The WVSS Varsity Highlander players and coaches rose up to earn their first regular season win against last years Tier 2 Provincial Champions. Amazingly with 17 players dressed and some having to play in new positions or roles the team put on an impressive show on offence, defence and especially special teams. Offensively first year quarterback Ben Welsh was locked in all game completing 13 of 16 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown while adding another 48 yards on the ground and his second touchdown of the game. Running Back Connor Chapman rushed for a solid 58 yards and a touchdown and catching the ball consistently out of the backfield. Defensively Linebacker Connor Chapman led the Varsity Highlander defence with 2 sacks and 2 tackles for a loss. The defence was able to shutout the Eric Hamber Griffin offence and keep the Highlander offence on the field On special teams the Varsity Highlander have found a new weapon they haven’t had in years. First year Kicker Kristen Chan was impressive going 5 of 5 on point after attempts (PAT). Over the years the kicking game has always been a challenge, but Kristen Chan’s kicking ability now adds a new dimension to the offensive strategy with the ability to kick field goals kick and PATs. Next week's game is an away exhibition game against a very good #3 provincially ranked AAA Ballenas Whalers team. The Ballenas Whalers beat a respectable Centennial Centaurs team 51 to 6 this weekend. The team will need every player at practice with a strong showing of attitude and effort. Pride ~ Respect ~ United  The WVSS Junior Varsity Highlander football team certainly had their had their ups and downs versus the Argyle Pipers football team in a controlled scrimmage last Thursday.
JV Head Coach Cam Currie noted that out of the gate the JV Highlander were very tentative and seemingly playing half speed. As we know, every successful team needs to play with confidence, purpose and at full speed. Playing tentative and slow can and did result in a couple early injuries and scores against us as Argyle were physical from the first snap of the ball. The JV Highlander offence produced a nice drive by pounding the ball on the ground while mixing it up offensively and throwing the high percentage short passes. The long drive was capped by the JV Highlander QB running it in for a well-deserved touchdown. As the JV Highlanders celebrated the touchdown and settled into their next defensive possession, the team and the defence finally started to pick-up up the intensity. The defence forced fumbles and got into the Piper backfield on multiple occasions. Our defensive line and linebackers began getting pressure and forcing the Piper quarterback into mistakes. Coach Currie was impressed to see the team hold Pipers to zero points since they Pipers had come out so strong at the beginning of the game. In the JV Highlanders last offensive series, Coach Currie was able to get a lot of the newer players time on the field to learn and experience game play. It is hard for the newer players to learn a new sport and some had only had a couple of practices under their belt. The team was able to cap the last offensive series with a nice deep completed pass to send the offence out on a solid note The coaches cannot stress enough that we need everyone at practice everyday ready to learn. Attendance is critical to player safety and learning a team game. The coaches have committed their time, energy and passion to our program and the players, parents and supports need to do the same and ensure that the players are ready everyday for practice ran or shine or whether they feel like it or not. As parents, we need to encourage and prioritize practices and make sure we attend the games and support our athletes and the program. Pride ~ Respect ~ United |
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August 2019
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