Maritime Football League
2009 Game Summaries

Preseason

By Sean Hatchard

The Moncton Marshals are hoping some hard work during some tough times will pay off in the future.

The Marshals, who have struggled both on and off the field for the last several years, will open the Maritime Football League regular season today when they visit the Dartmouth Knights at 4 p.m.

The Moncton club was considering folding, but will give it a go in its eighth season in the league. The Marshals expect to have about 25 players for today's road trip. About half of the roster is made up of returnees from last year's team, which went 1-7 in the regular season and lost to the Saint John Longhorns in a Mariner Bowl AA consolation semifinal.

"We'd love to have 35 players, but we have around 25 this year and we have a lot of new faces," said Moncton general manager Dan Fougere.

"We're going to go out there and compete and do the best we can. We're looking at this as a rebuilding year. We're planning for the future and hopefully looking at two or three years down the road we'll be competing with the top teams in the league."

The Marshals play their first two games on the road before hosting the Prince Edward Island Privateers in their home opener for June 13 at Rocky Stone Memorial Field.

Key returnees for Moncton include Shane Mosher and Matt Theriault, who both see time at quarterback and linebacker, defensive backs DJ Carmichael and Brennan Thorne, halfback Mike Dunfield, offensive lineman Bob Prosser and Caleb Jordan, who can also play quarterback.

Among the newcomers are defensive back Patrick Basque, who played with the Acadia Axemen in the Atlantic University Sport football conference, running backs Rob Murray and Ryan Larsen and defensive back Joel Ricard.

There's a $300 registration fee to play for the Marshals. However, players will get $100 back if they get involved in team fundraising, attend games and practices, and take part in team functions.

"We've had a hard time getting enough guys and getting them to commit to the team. This seems like a better group, but the season is young and we'll see what happens. They say they're committed and I have to take them at their word," said Fougere, who joined the club in 2007.

"I would like to see our team improve and play close games. We want to see our guys give their 100 per cent and see no injuries on the field. We're hoping for a positive season, see that the guys are happy and they'll come back next year, so we can build for the future."

The Marshals are still looking for players for this season. Further information is available by contacting Fougere at 866-7094 or fouge@rogers.com.

The Maritime league features eight teams. Moncton plays in the Western Conference, along with the Saint John Wanderers, Saint John Longhorns and Capital Area Gladiators of Fredericton. The Eastern Conference is made up of the defending Maritime Bowl champion Riverview Mustangs, Dartmouth, P.E.I. and Halifax Shockers.

By Jon MacNeill

The circuit, which opened its 2009 season with games Friday and today, is down to eight teams after losing the Saint John Wolves and Halifax-based Super City Mean Green.

Barker said the loss doesn't signal hard times for the league, now in its eighth year.

"Both teams intended to come into the league, but (the Wolves) lost numbers and Mean Green had internal problems," Barker said.

Meanwhile, the on-field product will be beefed up from 10-man football to 12-man, something the MFL has wanted to do for years but couldn't because of roster sizes.

"Every year teams were more stable and we were growing in numbers, so we decided to make the move," Barker said. "It's Canadian football now. You can run a lot more line plays and try different things."

The Saint John Wanderers have been in the league since its inception in 2002. Wanderers coach Dave Grandy, said the team is changing but isn't going anywhere.

"We're in a turnover period right now, where a lot of the older guys have decided not to play anymore so we're getting younger each year we go," Grandy said.

The Wanderers are the most successful team in the league, with three Maritime Bowl titles. They last won the championship in 2006, right around the time the club began losing seasoned veterans.

"It's been steady the last three years," Grandy said, adding that around 35 players have retired in that period.

The club started recruiting players fresh out of high school to fill out the ranks. Grandy said the younger guys can still draw from the experience of veterans such as Ty Sparks, Jon Haines, Josh Brown and Doug McPhee.

"Those guys understand the team philosophy. They know what it's like to play in the big games and their leadership helps the young guys adjust," Grandy said.

He isn't worried that most of his players are in their early 20s. Grandy thinks it will benefit the Wanderers more than anything.

"It's the young talent that's going to be the future of this program. It's their time to shine," he said.

Grandy said the Wanderers will have a different offensive style this season, under the direction of offensive coordinator Derek Bury.

"We're going for more balanced attacks. We've picked up a couple of new quarterbacks so we'll be passing a little more and relying less on our running backs," Grandy said.

The Wanderers are in the West division, along with the Saint John Longhorns, Capital Area Gladiators and Moncton Marshals. The East division is comprised of the defending champion Riverview Mustangs, Dartmouth Knights, Halifax Shockers and P.E.I Privateers.

Barker said he expects the league to jump back to ten teams next year, with Truro interested in forming a club and Halifax and Fredericton eyeing the addition of another team.

"The main obstacle is finding someone who will do the work of running the team without playing themselves," he said.

"I think moving to a 12-man league will attract more coaches and more qualified coaches because it shows the league is developing."

Friday was the kickoff match for the Maritime Football League, with the Capital Area Gladiators visiting the Riverview Mustangs.

Today, The Longhorns host the Privateers while The Wanderers entertain the Halifax Shockers for a 6 p.m. start at Millidgeville field.

"There's a great rivalry between us (and Halifax)," Grandy said.

"I expect a tough match, it's always a battle."

By Neil Hodge

The Riverview Mustangs have been all about excellence ever since they joined the Maritime Football League in 2005.

They boast a 31-5 lifetime record in the regular season and playoffs combined and they've captured the Maritime Bowl the past two seasons. They're the team to beat as they prepare to begin a new season against the Capital Area Gladiators of Fredericton tonight at 8 p.m. at Rocky Stone Memorial Field.

Riverview is 19-1 in the regular season and playoffs combined the past two seasons, but life isn't always easy at the top.

"It's never boring to win championships, but there are struggles associated with winning,'' said Mustangs head coach Rob Weir. "The more you win, the more commonplace it is. All dynasties end unless you work very, very hard year after year to focus on what it is that allows you to win.

"We have to make sure we don't get complacent. We have a lot of veteran players with good leadership skills and they make sure we stay focused. We've always worked hard and I think that's led to our success. We've got a coaching staff that works hard and players that work hard. We drift now and then (into complacency), but we always re-focus and pull ourselves back together.''

The remainder of the senior men's tackle league will open the seven-game regular season tomorrow. The Moncton Marshals will visit the Dartmouth Knights, the Saint John Longhorns will host the Prince Edward Island Privateers and the Saint John Wanderers will host the Halifax Shockers.

New Brunswick teams have captured the Maritime Bowl six times in the league's seven-year history. The two dominant franchises are the Wanderers with three championships and the Mustangs with two championships.

Riverview is entering its fifth season with just five lifetime losses and all those setbacks were against the Wanderers. The Mustangs are 29-0 against the rest of the league.

Riverview outscored opponents 286-78 during the regular schedule last season. It was No. 1 in the league defensively and No. 3 offensively.

"We've lost more players on offence than defence (from last season's team),'' said Weir. "We have our work cut out for us offensively, but we still have our core players. We've lost some experience on offence, but as the season progresses I think our offence will be just as strong as it ever was.''

Riverview has a 40-man roster, including 31 returnees. Key losses from last season's club are slotbacks Jordan Beyea and Mike Cochrane, defensive back Ben Miller and offensive lineman Mark Teed.

Some key returnees on offence are running back Steve Cormier, slotback A.J. Gallant, offensive linemen Bob Giffard and Nick Sleeper, Donovan Boucher and Kelly Nicholls. Boucher and Nicholls both double as a quarterback and wide receiver.

Some key returnees on defence are cornerback Matt Kenny, linebackers John Jamieson and Ryan Eadie, and defensive linemen Jason Terris and Dwayne Ells.

The Mustangs have added offensive linemen Corey Lirette and Dan Lutz and field goal kicker Matt Archibald, all rookies from the local high school ranks. They've also picked up slotback Jordan Kenny, who played last season for the Marshals.

A couple other noteworthy newcomers for the Mustangs are receiver Dan Lazzari and defensive lineman Darren Burns. Lazzari is a former university and European pro player. Burns played in the Canadian Football League.

"Our veterans haven't lost any interest,'' said Weir. "They have fun playing together, they come back year after year and it's part of the reason we have success. I expect Dartmouth, Halifax, Fredericton and the Wanderers to be our main competition this season.''

By Neil Hodge

The Maritime Football League has gone from 10 to eight teams with the loss of the Saint John Wolves and the Halifax-based Super City Mean Green.

The Moncton Marshals were also considering folding, but they've decided to operate this season. General manager Dan Fougere confirmed that the club lost money the past couple of seasons, but he wouldn't say how much.

"You're looking at anywhere from $13,000 to $20,000 per season for an operating budget depending on whether you have to buy equipment,'' he said. "We're in the process of trying to get ourselves out of debt.

"We have some new ideas for fundraising that we're looking to explore. We're hoping to be out of debt this year. It's expensive to operate a football team. Our players realize now that if they want to keep this team going they have to do some work.''

Moncton is still looking for players in the senior mens tackle league. For information on the club's practice times and location, contact Fougere at 866-7094.

"I would say we have 25-30 players committed,'' said Fougere. "I'm okay with that number, but we're still looking for more players. Our biggest problem is not getting enough offensive linemen.

"We have five offensive linemen now. Between offensive and defensive linemen, if I had seven or eight that would be great. Those are really the key positions where we're looking to add more numbers.''

There's a $300 registration fee to play for Moncton. However, players will get $100 back if they get involved in team fundraising, attend games and practices, and take part in team functions.

"We would hate to lose a team out of Moncton, but the reality is we need to have enough players with the proper commitment and we need to get our bills paid,'' said Fougere. "Everybody knows what's going on and they want to work together to try to get this thing back on track.''

Moncton plays in the Western Conference along with the Saint John Wanderers, Saint John Longhorns and Capital Area Gladiators of Fredericton.

The defending Maritime Bowl champion Riverview Molson Mustangs are in the Eastern Conference along with the Dartmouth Knights, Halifax Shockers and Prince Edward Island Privateers.

The league will hold its pre-season jamboree tournament on Saturday at Rocky Stone Memorial Field. There will be a series of mini games throughout the day beginning at 10 a.m.

As part of the jamboree, players will compete in contests for fastest man, strongest man, longest field goal and tire flipping. There's no admission charge for fans.

The league's regular season will kick off with one game on May 29. Riverview will host Capital Area at 8 p.m. at Rocky Stone Memorial Field.

By Bill Hunt

Like the Jeffersons in the 1970's vintage television show, the Capital Area Gladiators are Movin' On Up.

The Gladiators, the local entry in the Maritime Football League, kick off their ninth season Saturday with their participation in the league's jamboree at Rocky Stone Field in Moncton as a prelude to a seven-game regular season schedule which begins the following Friday night in Moncton against the Riverview Mustangs.

The first of three home games comes up the following Friday night, June 5 at their new home address, UNB's Chapman Field when they host the Moncton Marshals.

"It's a beautiful venue," said defensive coach/lineman Jamie Edwards. "We're hoping to draw more of a local crowd where we're right in town," he said. "If we could turn it into a place to go, that would be nice."

He believes the Gladiators will be a team to watch in the eight-team circuit, which includes the Saint John Wanderers, Saint John Longhorns and Moncton Marshals in the Western Conference and the Riverview Mustangs, Dartmouth Knights, Halifax Shockers and PEI Privateers in the East.

The Gladiators have had as many as 35 players out to workouts, which have been going since April. Edwards is one of six defensive linemen with Canadian Interuniversity Sport experience, giving the Gladiators solid depth. He played two years in the CEGEP system in Quebec before moving on to Bishops' University and playing for the Gaiters for five more.

Trevor O'Leary and John Hayward of St. Francis University, Tyler Doak of Mount Allison and Ben Thompson of McGill University Redmen of Montreal are the others. Thompson is a stalwart for the Redmen, so Edwards is wary of the potential for injury.

"He's one I'm kind of on the bubble with," said Edwards. "He could rotate in every once in a while just to keep his skills and his football edge. That's the biggest thing about the summer ball...you don't go into camp with any rust on."

That's proven beneficial to Thompson, who was McGill's rookie of the year in 2007 and Elliot Hicks, who was the Mount Allison Mounties' rookie of the year last season. And for high school grads A.J. Durling, a receiver who will be heading to Acadia, and Cody Stewart, graduating from Leo Hayes and heading to Saint Mary's University in Halifax in the fall. Jay Thomas is a truck in the backfield as a running back.

They'll add to a deep and experienced roster.

"We probably have 15 or 20 players with CIS experience or in CIS ball," said Edwards, mentioning the quarterbacking tandem of Andrew Hickey of the Waterloo Warriors and former Mount A signal caller Allison Brooks. He came on originally as a coach but has picked up gear recently. Edwards fully expects him to take some snaps this season. Former Leo Hayes quarterback Brendan Cornford is also in the mix.

Edwards believes the Gladiators - Mariner Bowl champions a year ago as winners of the secondary tier of playoff competition - are ready to move on up to the upper echelon as well.

"I think with our depth, we could be pushing for the top spot," he said. "The Mustangs usually have current or former CIS players and that's what puts them over the top every year."

Edwards likens the calibre of the summer league to the Quebec CEGEP (post high school) and the CIS level.

The Gladiators' depth should serve them in good stead, The game has evolved from 10 man to 12 man football. That, and the move to the more central location of Chapman Field has helped the Gladiators pump some new blood into the program.

"I think it helped us with our recruiting...it's closer to 'real' football, as people would say," said Edwards. "But if a team like P.E.I. comes to a game with only 25 guys, we'll go back to 10 man rules."

Three prospects - Hicks of Mount Allison, defensive lineman Jake Thomas of Acadia and Ryan Downe of Mount A - are at a Football Canada training camp in Montreal next week for a Canadian team that will play an international junior world championship schedule June 27 to July 5 in a couple of weeks and may not be available if they make the national program.

At the jamboree Saturday, the Gladiators will get 15 offensive plays against each of the Marshals, the Saint John Longhorns and the Saint John Wanderers in the morning and the defence will face the same teams in the afternoon.

Two of the Gladiators' games will be under the Friday night lights. They'll host the Saint John Longhorns June 19 and face Dartmouth Knights at home Saturday, July 18, a 6 p.m. kickoff at Chapman.

Fredericton High School Black Kats coach Mike Casey is the head coach. Jeff Taylor, who is also on the FHS staff, is the offensive co-ordinator, with Brooks working with Hickey as a quarterback coach. Edwards works with the defence along with fellow players O'Leary, who works with the defensive line, John Hayward working with linebackers and Bobby McIntyre working with the backs.

"That's been working out really well," said Edwards.

By Neil Hodge
Times & Transcript Staff

There's still a cloud of uncertainty looming over the Moncton Marshals with the Maritime Football League regular season one month away.

"As we speak right now, we're planning to operate this season,'' said Marshals general manager Dan Fougere. "Within a week, we should have a better idea whether we're going to field a team.

"Whether we operate, it all comes down to the players and their level of commitment. If we can't get enough players out and if we can't get the funds, then we may not operate.''

Moncton, 1-7, was tied for last overall in the league last season. It opened training camp two weeks ago with workouts in the gym.

"We've got thirty something players on paper, but they don't all show up at the same time,'' said Fougere. "The reality is we have 20-25 players in camp right now. It would be nice to have 35 players, but we can operate with 25-30.

"We're always looking for players to join our team. Our practice times and locations vary from week to week. Anyone who's interested in coming out is best off to call me (866-7094) for details.''

The MFL, which is senior men's tackle football, will hold its pre-season jamboree on May 23 at Rocky Stone Memorial Field. All clubs will play an exhibition game the next weekend and the regular season will begin on June 5.

The defending Maritime Bowl champion Riverview Molson Mustangs opened training camp at the start of April.

"I would say right now it looks like 30 of the 42 players from last season will be back,'' said Mustangs offensive lineman Bob Giffard. "It could still end up being a little bigger number than that.

"It's encouraging to see such a strong returning group. When we look at the returning players and factor in some newcomers it looks like we'll have a pretty strong team again. We expect to be able to compete with anyone in the league.''

The Mustangs will practise on Thursday at 8 p.m. in the Riverview Middle School gym. Beginning next week, they will practise every Tuesday and Thursday at 9 p.m. at Rocky Stone Memorial Field until the league jamboree.

Anyone interested in trying out for the club is invited to show up.

If Moncton operates, the MFL will have 10 teams again this season. Others are Riverview, the Capital Area Gladiators of Fredericton, Saint John Wanderers, Saint John Longhorns, UNBSJ Wolves of Saint John, Prince Edward Island Privateers, Dartmouth Knights, Halifax Shockers and Super City Mean Green of Halifax.

The league is preparing for its eighth season. New Brunswick teams have captured six of the first seven Maritime Bowls -- three championships for the Wanderers, two for Riverview and one for Moncton.