Experience, size helps Canmore's gridiron gang in home opener

CANMORE –  The Canmore Wolverines flexed some muscle in the season home opener.

The new high school football season kicked-off Saturday (Sept. 7) at Millennium Field in Canmore, with the hometown boys chasing the Carstairs Kodiaks out of town in a dominant 42-0 victory.

Scoring touchdowns were Yoshi Dreger, Matt Kragt, Felix Dansereau and Jackson Summerhays.

With more seniors and veterans, and, in all fairness, a bigger and bulkier bunch on the gridiron this year, optimism is high that the Canmore team is poised for its strongest season in years.

“Our [head] coach Randy Fabi is a former CFL player so he knows what’s up,” said Grade 12 quarterback Dreger. 

“[We] probably just [want to] come out with a winning season because we haven’t had one in so long now and we need a comeback season for the Wolverines so we’re hoping for one.” 

In recent years, the program’s development was hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic and student athletes choosing to play other fall sports. Numbers are still not huge, but game experience has not been necessary when adding new players this season. 

“There are quite a lot of [Grade] 12s and 11s, [and] a number of those are new to the program, new to football, but they are in that older category and we got a strong veteran core as well,” said defensive coordinator Spencer Rose.

“Not only are they bigger and a little more disciplined, [but] hopefully we can push a few more people around this season compared to say the last four to five.”

Perhaps showing some nerves or inexperience in the first game, the Wolverines had three touchdowns called back due to various penalties. However, a “fantastic” game by the defensive line and a dynamic offence placed the Wolverines in the driver’s seat through four quarters.

#Canmore Wolverines QB Yoshi Dreger runs in the first TD of the 2024 football season. The Wolverines defeated the Carstairs Kodiaks 42-0. pic.twitter.com/zZjYoQL0Hc

— Jordan Small (@jordiesmall) September 7, 2024

The quarterback got things rolling for the Wolverines in the first half, rushing in the team’s first score of the 2024 campaign and connecting with Kragt on an 18-yard pass in the end zone.

The Wolverines blew the game open in the third quarter, with Kragt, Summerhays and Dansereau all marching into the end zone.

Two touchdowns that were called back were rushed in by Grade 12 runnerback Dansereau, who looked like a pinball bouncing off Kodiaks and accelerating to the end zone all game long.

“It’s exciting [to win our] first game of the season,” said Dansereau. “To get a win is pretty nice and gives us good momentum for the rest of the season.”

In the fourth quarter, Dreger rushed for his second touchdown of the day. The fourth year player added the season-opening victory was big for the morale of the boys.

“They’re all great players and it’s just great to … be able to throw to all these guys I’ve grown up with all my life,” said Dreger.

“You grow up in Canmore and you grow up around the mountains and you get to play football and it’s like a whole different experience. Going to Drumheller and all that stuff, it’s cool, but playing in the mountains is just unrivaled, right?”

The Wolverines next game is on the road against the Highwood Mustangs, Friday (Sept. 13).

The team’s next home game is Sept. 19 at 4 p.m. against the Drumheller Titans.