Clansmen prove they're here to stay despite loss

Considering they were the new kids on the block, it was a pretty good year for the Murdoch MacKay Clansmen.

Wrapping up their inaugural season in the Winnipeg High School Football League’s Currie Division, the Clansmen made it all the way to the Centennial Bowl after a 6-1 regular season and served notice to the rest of the league that they’re here to stay.

Entering Monday’s game at Canad Inns Stadium as significant underdogs to undefeated Sisler 2, the Clansmen fell behind early but showed a lot of fight in the second half before falling 23-7.

Head coach Ron Bresch was proud of the tenacity his team showed after trailing 17-0 at halftime.

“There’s no regrets. The boys left it on the field today. We weren’t dominated, we just made a bunch of mistakes,” said Bresch.

“It’s a first-year team, and I think a little bit of nerves got in because the guys see the big house here and they get pretty excited.”

The Clansmen were looking for the big play in the first half, trying to throw the ball down the field against the undersized Sisler secondary. But it wasn’t until the coaching staff made an adjustment and gave the bulk of the second-half work to bruising running back Kirk Kantyluk that Murdoch MacKay started to move the ball.

“The passing game wasn’t really working so we went to the running game,” said Kantyluk, a Grade 12 student, moments after his final high-school game.

His coach, however, doesn’t think it was his last time on the gridiron.

“He’s got pro potential written all over him. Mark my words,” said Bresch. “It takes a brick wall to bring him down. It’s just too bad we didn’t have a couple other tricks up our sleeve. We could only go to the well so often with Kirk, but the man’s unbelievable.”

Kildonan East falls

Meanwhile, the Kildonan East Reivers were hoping to author a storybook ending to their second season in the WHSFL as they took on the Kelvin Clippers in the Vidruk Division’s Free Press Bowl.

The move up in divisions after only one season was a bold move by the Reivers, but it also spelled disaster under the Monday night lights, as Kelvin cruised to a 49-10 trouncing.

Evan Cleem powered his way into the end zone from one yard out for the Reivers’ only touchdown of the game to tie the score early, but the Clippers poured it on with a dynamic rushing attack.