HS gridiron Rebels run the table

Two weeks of hard work for the W.R. Myers football team paid off with plenty of positives shown at a jamboree earlier this month in Medicine Hat.

The Rebels earned wins over Strathmore, McCoy and Medicine Hat High for the senior-controlled scrimmages.

“We took that as a real plus from the weekend,” said Adam Hughes, head coach of the W.R. Myers Rebels football team. “What stood out for us that is our defence is still strong. Last year that was our strength and this year we have a senior-heavy team with lots of talented defensive players.”

The Rebels will feature double-digit Grade 12s for the 2014 fall season, many of which will play prominent starting roles like Tom Platt, Nathan Bennett, Dylan Tams and Ryan Harkness.

What was an eye opener for Hughes during the jamboree was on the offensive side of the ball where maybe W.R. Myers will be able to go to an aerial attack more than it has in the past to widen out its playbook options.

“Passing wise, we were really able to open it up which we haven’t been able to do in the past. Blake Bullock and Wyatt Fiedler connected on a few long passing plays,” said Hughes. “Blake is in Grade 11 and is our quarterback and looked fantastic. If you can pass the ball consistently it opens everything up. It’s a whole new ball game really.”

That ball game looks like it will also have a healthy number of players on the sideline for the Rebels as Hughes added there were over 30 players at the jamboree. Factor in some extra stragglers that come in the fall and support will be on the way for the football program through sheer numbers.

“It opens up tons of things including things you can do in practice. Last year we were competitive in all our games through two or three quarters and then the games we did lose, it was always in the fourth quarter because we had too many guys going both ways,” said Hughes. “Come the fall, it will be nice to have that type of depth when we can rely on more players and we’ll last longer in games.”