submitted by Chad Hill. Sturgeon Composite High School Social Studies Teacher – Head Football Coach
It was a cold and snowy Friday night at Emerald Hills in Sherwood Park. It was the kind of late October evening that defines playoff football in Canada. With minus temperatures and snowflakes in the air, the Sturgeon Spirits sought revenge for their week four defeat at the hands of the Arch Bishop Jordan Scots. With everything on the line in the Miles (Division 2) semi-final game, the Spirits delivered their best performance of the 2023 season. The Scots were sent to the off-season while the Spirits punched their ticket to the division championship game against the Bellerose Bulldogs.
After a scoreless first quarter, Sturgeon opened up the scoring as QB, Dusty Campbell, plunged one yard over the goal line for his league-leading, tenth rushing touchdown. The scoring drive was highlighted by a nifty 40-yard run by grade eleven rookie phenom, Tanner McBride. The extra point attempt failed but the major score put Sturgeon up 6-0. The Scots would answer back after a controversial helmet to helmet foul was called against a Sturgeon tackler. The infraction put ABJ inside Sturgeon territory and three plays later, the Scots tied the score and pulled ahead 7-6 with a successful convert. The Scots would take the one point lead into the locker-room.
The second half opened with a highlight reel interception and return by safety, Steele Dornoski. The converted linebacker juked and danced thirty yards into ABJ territory. Once again, the defense stood strong and ABJ clung to the one point lead after three quarters.
The determined Spirits would not be deterred in the fourth quarter. A relentless defensive effort saw the Sturgeon defense accumulate six quarterback sacks. McBride and grade eleven linebacker, James Morrison, both notched multiple sacks and grade twelve middle linebacker, Kolten Stepanick made numerous tackles and was a force all over the field. The Spirits would eventually take the lead when Campbell found grade eleven receiver, Julien Ouellette for a 14 yard strike at the touchdown marker. Gavin Evans converted the kick and Sturgeon took a 13-6 lead. On the ensuing kick off, Evans, a grade twelve rookie, was forced to make a touchdown saving tackle as the ABJ returner found a crease in the Sturgeon coverage and appeared headed to paydirt. The athletic kicker made a tackle befitting a of an all-star linebacker to preserve the six point lead. The Spirit defense would hold and the offense would put the game away with a 50 yard Dusty Campbell touchdown run which was highlighted by key blocks from receivers Kaleb Hunting and Spencer Demerais. The 20-7 score would stand.
Campbell ended the game with 180 yards through the air and 75 along the ground and was in on all three touchdowns. Tanner McBride was an absolute standout on both sides of the ball as he has two pass knock-downs and three sacks from his outside linebacker position and accounted for over 200 yards of offense on ten touches.
After moving up from division three, the Sturgeon Spirits will play in their first ever division two (Miles) championship in Metro Edmonton Athletics. The Spirits capped off an undefeated 2022 season with a division 3 (Gilfillan) banner and since their inception in 2018, have played in a championship game in all but one season. Before 2018, Sturgeon students who wished to play football would suit up for the Bellerose Bulldogs as part of Bulldogs Football. Bellerose boasts a 7-1 record after dropping down from division one (Carr) following a winless 2022 season. The Bulldogs have competed in the Carr conference since 2010. Their last Miles championship was in 2007 when they had several prominent Sturgeon players on the roster. Kick-off for the Miles Crown will be at 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 4th at Clarke Park in Edmonton.
