Four local athletes are headed to Football Alberta’s Junior Bowl after making the north team.
Ben Waters, 15, Logan Karenko, 14, Duncan Critch, 14, and Connor Critch, 13, were announced as part of the roster on Wednesday, March 20.
They will head to Calgary from May 17 to 30, where they will play in the inaugural Junior Bowl against the south team.
From those groups, athletes will be selected to be part of Team Alberta who will play in Kamloops, BC in the U16 Western Challenge from July 15 to 21.
For running back Duncan, this will be his third time playing on the U16 team.
“I was just as happy as last year (to make it), but I was more excited my younger brother made it because he’s only 13,” he explained.
Since he knew what to expect, he was nervous to see if his brother was successful.
“I went in there knowing what I needed to do, and what I needed to showcase. But, for Connor, he was really nervous. This was his first tryout ever, so it was nerve-wracking.”
Connor, an offensive guard, noted the experience was exciting.
“I felt like I was really doing something with the work that I’ve put in,” he said.
While it’s a different level than what they’re used to playing at, Connor believes they’ll do well.
“They’re all going to be bantam-level kids, so I don’t think it’s going to be too hard. I hope it gives me a challenge.”
Karenko plays on the offensive line.
He said, “there were about 150 kids that tried out,” which made making the team that much more rewarding.
All four of the athletes were eagerly waiting to hear if they’d made the cut on March 20.
“I was in the middle of class, and I kind of broke down,” Karenko recalled.
While he’s confident in his skills, Waters was apprehensive before seeing the roster.
“I thought I had a decent shot of making it, but at the same time, there’s a lot of really good athletes out there that are tough, and I was just a bit nervous because it was a big deal if I made it or not.”
Making the team confirmed for Waters that he’s one of the top wide receivers in the province in his age group.
“An advantage I have is I’ve played high school football as opposed to bantam, which most of the kids played. I was used to being covered by Grade 11 or Grade 12 quarterbacks... So the quarterbacks seemed almost a little easier just because I was used to higher age, speed, and strength,” he detailed.
Going into the Junior Bowl, they agreed they want to get the victory.
Connor said, “Coach kept repeating that it’s been 12 years in the making that we’ve lost. The north team has lost to the south team 12 times in a row, so he wants to win.”
