Team North celebrates a 23-14 victory over Team South in Football Alberta's Senior Bowl held in Calgary on May 20.

By Sheldon Spackman

Senior Bowl

Local football players celebrate Senior Bowl victory in Calgary

May 21, 2019 | 7:59 AM

Football Alberta held its 30^th Annual Senior Bowl in Calgary over the May long weekend and central Alberta players and coaches were well represented.

Contested under blustery conditions at Hellard Field in Shouldice Athletic Park, the Victoria Day battle saw the North defeat the South 23-14 in front of 1,246 spectators. Officials point-out it’s the first time the North has won the All-Star Game for graduating Grade 12 players since 2014.

Among those on Team North’s roster, linebacker Dolan Hills from Hunting Hills High School in Red Deer. Hills was joined by Hunting Hills teammate and defensive lineman William Farguson and defensive lineman Eric Desilets from Notre Dame.

Other central Alberta players on Team North included defensive back Turner Douglas from Lacombe, receiver Jared Bussiere from Ponoka and linebacker Justin Matchett from William E. Hay in Stettler.

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Jarrett Burzuk from Red Deer’s Hunting Hills was among those on Team North’s coaching staff.

Earlier in the day in the Junior Bowl for U16 players, the South made a comeback capped by an 18 yard field goal with two minutes left to take the game 14-13.

Central Alberta players on Team North in the Junior Bowl included defensive lineman Tayler Weller from Sylvan Lake, a member of the Sylvan Lake Lions in 2018. Weller was joined on the squad by Red Deer Notre Dame coach Adam Donovan and Sylvan Lake Lions coach Geoffrey Rambaut

Team South meanwhile had Red Deer Notre Dame Bantam Cougars coach Ian Rattan among its coaching staff.

As well, in the 6-Man All-Star Game held in Lacombe, the South prevailed over the North 44-20.

Also of note, Lindsay Thurber Raiders coach Aaron Sheppard won the Frank Morris Tier 1 Coach of the Year award.

Sheppard is described as one of the most accomplished players in the history of Lindsay Thurber High School, leading them as a captain and linebacker to their only appearance in the Provincial Tier I Final in 1995.

Over two decades later, Sheppard took over as head coach for the Raiders who had gone winless the previous season. Two years later he has led them to a 7-1 regular season record and a spot in the ASAA Provincials for the first time in a decade where the Raiders advanced to the North Tier I Final.

Aaron is said to work hard at his assignment and has created a level of excitement in the Lindsay Thurber Raiders program that has seen record levels of participation on both the Senior and Junior teams which are expected to continue to be contenders for years to come.

(With files from Football Alberta)