Riverside Rebels heading to playoffs

BY: Evan Mathais

Nov. 16, 2012

The Riverside Rebels football team is back in the Windsor and Essex County Secondary Schools Athletic Association semi-finals for the first time since 2001 when they won the WECSSA championship.

The Rebels finished the regular season with two wins and four losses and qualified for the playoffs. In their quarter-final game they defeated the Forester Spartans 16-6. The Rebels are set to play the Leamington District Secondary School Lion Thursday, Nov. 8 in Leamington.

Rebels coach Matt Sanders pushed the hard in practice preparing for the game and preparing them to play Leamington.

“We worked hard on defending their run, we ran some scouting and we know how they play and we’re looking to stop that,” said Harry Rana, a fifth-year player.

Rebels right guard Cody Davidson said they worked hard in practice preparing specifically for Leamington’s defense. He said Leaminton uses several trick plays and option plays to confuse the other team’s defense. Davidson said they watched game film and have practices stopping those plays.

Against Forester the Reels offense struggled to get going and the game was won by their strong defensive play Rebels quarterback Calwin French, who was shaken up after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit late in last week’s game, said the injury isn’t going to stop him.

“I’m ready, it still hurts, but you have to do what you have to do,” said French.

He said they have to work harder on offense and do everything they can to put points on the board.

“We worked on mental mistakes this weeks,” said French, also a returning fifth year player. “The mindset is, you win or you go home, we win we move on to the championship.”

Rebels wide receiver Gurbir Dhindsa said it was important for them to work on their offense in practice.

“We’re trying to pass the ball more and run it down their throat, block better, just all around be better and come out with intensity,” said Dhindsa, a five-year veteran of the team. “They beat us by one point last game, beat us over the last couple of years, we’re coming out strong. We came out dull last game so we really want to win this one. It would mean a lot of our school and to our team.”

Rebels five year veteran linebacker Denny Broeckel was out with an injury and was unable to play but said he is excited about their rematch with Leamington.

“I always gotta look out for my team and I’m coming out the 100 per cent like I need revenge on them,” said Broechel.

The Rebels have kept calm and collected throughout this week no letting their nerves get to them.

“You just do what you gotta do, go out there and do your job and hopefully you come up with the right outcome,” said Davidson.

 

CUTLINE: Denny Broeckel (left) and Cody Davison (right) after practice preparing for their WECSSAA semi-final game against Leamington District Secondary School Nov. 8. (PHOTO BY: Evan Mathais)