Lancers build on football tradition with repeat Tier 2 title

By Dan Plouffe, published in EMC

Sir Wil football is back. The Lancers left no lingering doubt about their re-emergence as one of the top high school football programs in the city as they downed the Franco-Cité Faucons 21-13 on Saturday, Nov. 10 to win their second consecutive national capital Tier 2 senior championship at Nepean Sportsplex’s Minto Field.

“I remember the year before (the first title win) getting destroyed by every single team,” recalls Grade 12 Sir Wilfrid Laurier fullback/runningback Samuel Jean, who scored two touchdowns in the city final. “Now I hope they keep the dynasty going.”

Backed by current University of Ottawa Gee-Gees veterans Aaron Colbon, Brendan Gillanders and Trevor Seal, the Lancers had been a force half-a-decade ago, but then fell on hard times after that, exiting in the first round of the playoffs following respective 2-4 and 3-3 seasons in Tier 1 and Tier 2, prior to winning the back-to-back crowns.

“Everything goes in waves,” explains coach Eric Kukkonen. “And we hope that wave keeps on going for another few years. It’s a great feeling.”

Colbon was on the Sir Wil sidelines during the championship game, and Kukkonen called a few plays based on what his former quarterback saw happening on the field.

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“It shows a lot to have the kids who played before still connected to the program,” highlights Kukkonen, who also had Gillanders and Seal visit at practice the day before the final. “I feel real good about that because I know they had a good experience.”

The Lancers trailed only momentarily in the championship game, although the Faucons were never far away, always staying within a single score throughout.

Franco-Cité opened with a field goal, but the Lancers responded immediately with a drive finished by a Jean TD run. The Faucons added another field goal before each team traded touchdown passes – Stephan Kukkonen to Jimmily Sandaire for Sir Wil, and Justin St-Laurent to Hadi Besmar for Franco-Cité.

The Faucons stayed within one point until a Trevor Desjardins interception setup his Lancers with a short field, culminating in Jean’s second short plunge to earn some breathing space with only a few minutes left to play.

“Yes! Thank God!” was Jean’s reaction to crossing the goal line, he recounts. “It was too close of a game.”

In a reverse on the norm of younger players wanting to send the seniors off with a final championship memory, Jean explains that he and his fellow Grade 12s were driven to win so the younger players – who’d lost in the junior final to St. Peter last season – could experience a title.

“It was our motivation at the end of the season,” he notes. “This year was their year to win. Our seniors wanted to win them the championship.”

Also treasuring the moment was coach Kukkonen as he got to pose for a photo with the trophy and his son, the victorious quarterback, at his side.

“He’s a great team player and does whatever it takes,” smiles Kukkonen, who was proud to see Stephan’s progression and maturity as a football player, throwing the ball and running the offence. “It’s real nice to have your son playing, and this is something we’ll hopefully remember for the rest of our lives.

“It doesn’t get better than that.”

The Lancers were anything but a one-man show, however, Kukkonen emphasizes. The triumph was especially sweet considering numerous skilled players had graduated from last season’s championship-winning team, and because they had a relatively small squad of around two dozen, he adds.

“It’s hard being in the mid-20s because you know you’re going to lose guys to injury as you go along,” says Kukkonen, who believes his squad continued improving throughout the year. “That’s our motto – we play better each game, and hopefully winning takes care of itself.”

It was a similar story for the Faucons, who began the season with 25 new players, including their quarterback. Franco-Cité lost two of its first three games, but the tough start acted as a turning point for the squad that went on to win its next four matches to reach the final.

“Every week the guys grew,” Franco-Cité coach Serge Boisvert highlights. “After the second loss, they became a team. It changed then, they played much better, and we had a nice finish to the season.”

The appearance in the final was satisfying for the Faucons, who didn’t dominate anyone en route to the championship game, earning victories by no more than a touchdown against opponents who were usually much bigger physically.

“Every game was close. Guys had to work every quarter. They had to sacrifice themselves,” adds Boisvert, whose team appeared in the Tier 2 final for the second time in three seasons. “They made a great effort. I’m very satisfied as a coach, and I can’t wait for next year.”