St. Mike’s hoping changes brings title return

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Last year ended in disappointment for the St. Michael’s Kerry Blues football team, losing to the Trinity College School Bears in the Independent Schools of Ontario’s Athletic Association (CISAA) championship game.

That was the first year since 2005 that St. Mike’s had not won the CISAA championship, and the school is looking to make sure that won’t happen again this year by exacting some payback.

“We’re always looking for revenge, always looking for a second chance,” Kerry Blues starting quarterback Mike Harvey told the Toronto Observer after a team practice on Tuesday.

It has been an interesting training camp thus far for Harvey, who has had to fight for his starter position despite being the head pivot last year.

Harvey secured spot is just about the only thing that will remain the same from last year.

This season, St. Michael’s implemented a new offensive scheme and the team has been going through a few growing pains trying to learn it. However, running back Frank Trentadue is excited about the possibilities that the change could bring to the team.

“We’re running spread offence this year, which is kind of different, we all got to learn it, but I think it should be good,” he said.

Defence is another aspect in transition for St. Mike’s.

A lot of the players from last year graduated, leaving head coach Paul Forbes to depend on a number of Grade 11 students to anchor the team’s defence.

“We’re relying on our juniors coming up to make us stronger than we were last year,” Forbes said. “We’re looking towards our juniors moving up to make us a little stronger … The defense is pretty much all turned over [from last year.]”

As for special team’s, Forbes is hoping for someone to step up because, at the moment, he has not seen anyone with the capability of changing a game dramatically on kick returns.

“I’d like to say we have a game breaker, but we don’t have a game breaker,” the St. Mike’s head coach said. “Well, we don’t have a game breaker that I am aware of right now, but maybe someone will come out of the woodwork.”

Whether a game-busting player emerges or not, the Kerry Blues have set their goals high, but they are certainly not underestimating their opponents.

“We’re hoping to be in the championship [game], but it’s going to be a tough assignment just like it was last year,” Forbes said.

St. Michael’s begin its season on Saturday at De La Salle College School at 2:30 p.m. ET.

About this article

By: Steve Loung
Posted: Sep 14 2010 11:03 pm
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Filed under: Football High School Sports