Although we all had our doubts a week ago, it is here!!!  Spring has finally arrived in Edmonton!!!  Which means it is time for the Mill Woods Minor Football Association to kick off our 18th season with our annual GRIZZLY SPRING CAMP for boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 14.

Below is the outline for the weekends events:

SATURDAY, May 18

      10:30 to 11:30 p.m.   Registration and Check-in

      11:30 to 3:00 p.m.     Coaches’ Stations for all skill levels

       3:00 to 3:30 p.m.      All participants are provided a hot dog/veggie dog, chips and pop

      (additional items for players or family members may be purchased)

SUNDAY, May 19

      11:30 to 12:00 p.m.   Registration and Check-in

      12:00 to 3:00 p.m.     Coaches’ Stations for all skill levels

       3:00 to 3:30 p.m.      All participants are provided a hot dog/veggie dog, chips and pop

      (additional items for players or family members may be purchased)

Location

Players can come to a registration table at the entrance to the turf field to check-in and register at the start of each day of camp. For those of you new to Mill Woods Minor Football, the turf field is on 23 Avenue westbound (parking lot between ball diamonds and turf field). Our Millwoods Grizzlies Bear Den is a trailer located in Mill Woods Park just north of the baseball fields, 7008 – 23 Avenue. You can access it from 28 Avenue by the east side of Holy Trinity High School or from the turf field parking lot on 23 Avenue. Spring Camp activities will be on the turf field.

Registration and Check-in will include the following:

• Pre-registered Players can check-in (receive a T-Shirt and water bottle)
• Non-registered Players can register and pay for Spring Camp (cost is $40)
• Registrations for the football season will be accepted along with any outstanding registration information / payments
• Pre-registered for the football season?

   

   

  • Pick up your Registration Manual
  • Pick up your Swim Tickets (It has been decided that we will join with Leduc and hold our fundraiser at West Edmonton Mall Waterpark again this year. As a mandatory fundraiser, we expect that each player will purchase and pick up 8 tickets x $10 each for a total of $80. You may sell these to get your money back or use them for a Family / Friends Night.)

Equipment

Football equipment is not required for Spring Camp. Players should wear appropriate attire for exercise according to the weather. Please wear cleats or running shoes. You will also need an adequate amount of water for the day and any snacks apart from what is provided at the end of the day. There is no access to a water fountain. Bottled water is available as a beverage choice with your hot dog at the end of the day. Some other seasonal items to consider for are hats, sunscreen, or bug spray.

Volunteers

There are a number of opportunities available to volunteer to complete the volunteer hours requirement of your football season registration. Volunteers are needed for registration, set-up, tear down, serving food, barbequing, to name a few. Please contact Raechelle Redix raechelle.ochoa@gmail.com to sign up for your preferred day / time / task.

Looking forward to seeing you all at Spring Camp!

Share on Facebook

Share on Facebook

Grizzlies Come Up Short to League Leading Chargers

Offense and defense provide sparks, but fall 30-6

 

By – Kevin Donnan

 

There’s always a silver lining in a grey cloud and the Millwoods Grizzlies earned that silver lining by putting some fear into the top team of the Pee-Wee Division. The score may make you think the Thanksgiving Weekend clash at W.P. Wagner High School was a completely one-sided affair, but in this case the scoreboard doesn’t tell the whole story.

 

The first-half was a true defensive battle as both offensive teams found yards extremely difficult to gain as the Grizzly and Chargers defensive lines were dominating the line of scrimmage. When you consider that the Chargers last had points scored against them in week two, the Grizzlies knew that the game was going to be no cakewalk. Staring down a 16-0 lead late in the second quarter, the Chargers attempt at an on-side kick was scooped by Tony Chabot and returned 65 yards for a touchdown.

 

The Grizzly offense struggled to move the ball against the best defense in the league in the second half and the Chargers had a number of clock churning drives. Consistency on the offensive side of the ball was hard to establish as the Grizzlies’ outside running game was largely contained by the Chargers in the second half.

 

The loss drops the Grizzlies to a 2-3 record and a tie for fourth place in the CDMFA Pee-Wee Tier-1 division with the Edmonton Mustangs.

                

The next game for the Pee-Wee Grizzlies is Sunday, October 14 versus Leduc @ 3:00 p.m. at Leduc Composite High School.

Share on Facebook

Dynamic Duo Leads Grizzlies to Second Consecutive Win

Adner and Addy St. Hilaire run over, around and through Sherwood Park Raiders in 36-6 victory

It’s a brother and sister act that never gets old. Adner St. Hilaire and his sister Addy were the engines of the Grizzly offense as the Millwoods Pee-Wees rolled to a 36-6 victory over the Sherwood Park Raiders in the second game of a tripleheader at Millwoods Field.

When one of the siblings wasn’t carrying the ball, the other was lead blocking and in some cases, flattening defenders along the way. Head Coach Tyler Campbell called the tandem an unstoppable force, “Both kids really came to play and in this sport you lead by example. Adner and Addy really the set the tone for us from the beginning in terms of blocking and carrying the ball and the rest of the team really fed off of that.

“One of the most important aspects of this win was our offensive line. They worked hard and can be proud of how they played because they opened up the holes the allowed Adner and Addy to run free on a number of plays.”

Campbell was also especially happy with the play of the defense, which was also critical in taking down the Raiders, “I really liked how we swarmed to the ball. Run or pass we always had two or three bodies there to stop them.”

The game also featured a 30-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dave Kolkman to Levi Wiebe late in the fourth quarter, which sealed the win. Campbell called the victory ‘balanced’ and showed what the Grizzlies are made of, “After last week’s big win, you could see in warm-ups that they were hungry for another win.

“Overall, it was our most complete game of the season and we’re only going to build from here.”

The next game for the Pee-Wee Grizzlies is Sunday, October 7 versus the Edmonton Chargers @ 3:00 p.m. at WP Wagner High School.

Share on Facebook

Grizzlies put end to losing streak in a big way!

Pee-Wee Grizzlies blast Edmonton Seahawks 52-0 to earn first win in a season-and-a-half.

“I guess I’ll be changing my shirt now, but I don’t care! This feels great,” said Pee-Wee Grizzlies Head Coach Tyler Campbell, who was soaked from head to toe following a well-deserved Gatorade bath in Millwoods’ 52-0 win over the Edmonton Seahawks in the Grizzlies’ 2012 second home game.

You can’t blame a guy for savouring a victory like this one, as Campbell and the rest of his team won their first game of 2012 and marked his first victory as a head coach. In 2011, a young Grizzlies team never got into the win column and started the 2012 season 0-2, but none of that matters now and Campbell said it was a team victory all the way around, “Look at the smiles on these kids’ faces. The importance of this victory was not lost on them.

“Like everyone else they knew what they went through last year and they’ve worked hard this season and we knew it was only a matter of time before we broke out. It’s such an important and satisfying win and these kids have a lot to be proud of and a lot to smile about.”

When a football team gets the kind of performance on both sides of the ball that the Pee-Wee Grizzlies had against the Seahawks, a 52-point victory isn’t out of the ordinary.

The offensive line opened holes all afternoon for Tony Chabot, Adner St. Hilaire, Addy St. Hilaire and quarterback Dave Kolkman. On the defensive side, the Grizzlies blanked the Seahawks thanks to the work of Bobby Kanth and the front-four who were in the Seahawk backfield for most of the afternoon. The pressure upfront enabled the Grizzlies to scoop up four turnovers including interceptions by Emmitt Donnan and Patrick Radvanyi.

In the end, it was the Grizzlies who stood tall and completely annihilated the memories of 2011, while building momentum for the rest of the 2012 season with a victory that meant much, much, more than a “one” in the win column.

This was a just reward for a hard-working group of players and a coach who deserved this victory as much as anyone.

The next game for the Pee-Wee Grizzlies is Saturday, September 29 versus the Sherwood Park Raiders @ 1:30 p.m. at Millwoods Field as part of the Millwoods Minor Football Day triple-header.

Share on Facebook

Date: September 15, 2012
Home: Mill Woods Grizzlies
Visitor: Sherwood Park Bulldogs
Final Score: 8-48

The visiting Sherwood Park Bulldogs roughed up the Mill Woods Grizzlies in their regular season home opener. It was a dominating performance by the bulldogs. However, the Grizzlies showed resolve in the second half and may have given themselves something to build on for week 3.

After a quick 3 and out by the Grizzlies to start the game, #15 carried the Bulldogs on his back to their only score of the first quarter. It started with a 30-yard scamper down to the 4-yard line to set up first and goal. He then polished it off with a 4-yard touchdown run to put the Bulldogs up 6-0. Not to leave any points on the table, #15 showed his all-around game by kicking the two-point convert. He was a perfect 6-6 on two-point converts for the day.

The second quarter was all Bulldogs as they rolled to a 0-32 lead at half. The quarter was highlighted by a 14-yard touchdown run by #15; a touchdown run by #28 and then a 24-yard touchdown pass from #23 to #27 just before the end of half. This was a quarter the Grizzlies wish they could have back.

Third quarter action began similar to the second quarter with Mill Woods opening drive sputtering on their own 42-yard line. The Bulldogs quickly capitalized with a touchdown at the 9:32 mark to go up 0-40. After forcing a quick 3 and out, it appeared the Bulldogs were ready to continue piling up the points. However, rather than mailing it in for the day the Grizzlies showed the hearts of champions and would play the Bulldogs even for the remainder of the game. First they tightened up on defence when Dante Morah got the action started with a quarterback sack for a 7-yard loss. Tony Chabot followed with a sack of his own leading to an 8-yard loss. On 3rd and long Mill Woods nearly had the Bulldogs wrapped up for another loss. However, #24 escaped the rush for a long gain down the sideline only to be run down by Addy St. Hilaire just shy of the first down marker to end the third quarter.

To begin the fourth quarter the smothering Bulldog defence forced a quick 3 and out and gave their offense the ball on the 20-yard line. It took only one play for the quarterback to run a draw up the right side for Sherwood Park’s last touchdown of the game. After another quick 3 and out, the Bulldogs took over on downs at the Grizz 47-yard line. The suffocating Grizzly defence held the line on fist down. On second down, Adner St. Hilaire picked off an errant pass to spark life back into the Grizzlies. With no time remaining, Adner St. Hilaire capped off an impressive fourth quarter with a dazzling display of athleticism. Quarterback Dave Kokman hit St. Hilaire open in the flat where he seemingly made every Bulldog defender miss as he scampered down the sideling for a 75-yard touchdown. It capped off a respectable second half performance for the Grizzlies.

Next week’s matchups include the Sherwood Park Bulldogs vs. Leduc Wildcats and the Mill Woods Grizzlies vs. Edmonton Seahawks.

Share on Facebook

Heartbreaking Opener at Johnny Bright

Pee-Wee Grizzlies can’t hang on in 14-6 loss to West Edmonton Raiders

The Millwoods Pee-Wee Grizzlies dominated on defense through three quarters, but couldn’t seal the deal.

Looking to open the 2012 season with a victory on the road against the West Edmonton Raiders, the Grizzlies seemed well on their way, with a 6-0 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Grizzlies broke open a near scoreless first half late in the 2nd Quarter following a 2-yard touchdown by Tony Chabot.

Throughout the first half, the Grizzlies defense was dominant, shutting down the Raiders, particularly the interior of the line. Defensive Coordinator, Colin Konrad said the defense executed the game plan well, “You’re not going to change a lot when you’re getting the kind of play we had today. At this point, we will make very minor adjustments. We just couldn’t stay off the field through the third quarter and couldn’t get the boys a rest.”

In spite of a clock-eating drive in the second-quarter that led to the Grizzlies only points of the game, the offense struggled in the second half and turned the ball over midway through the fourth quarter. The offenses struggles led to the West Edmonton Raiders scoring attack in the final quarter, with two long drives capped by short, rushing touchdowns.

The holes that were open in the first-half, weren’t there in the second and the defense was wearing out in the fourth quarter, but Konrad is confident that the Grizzlies are ready to even their record, “As a team the effort was there and that’s all you can ask for. I think that we’re very close to getting the victory we need because this team is working very hard and the hunger is there.”

The next game for the Pee-Wee Grizzlies is Saturday, September 15 versus the Sherwood Park Bulldogs @ 1:30 p.m. at Millwoods Field.

Share on Facebook

Fort McMurray Peewee Ravens (21) @ Millwoods Peewee Grizzlies (6)

In the field and season home opener the Grizzlies faced the Ravens who were making their inaugural appearance in the CDMFA.  The above average temperature assured a good crowd was on hand to cheer on their teams.  The Ravens elected to receive the ball and the game was on.

The defensive line got significant penetration and was able to apply pressure on the Ravens quarterback.  Ball pursuit was impressive but tackling was inconsistent. Positional play was well executed, however the speed of the Ravens’ running backs proved to be the difference in the game.  Good, hard aggressive play was shown by the Grizzlies defense and will continue to serve the team well.

Despite giving up pounds per player, the Grizzlies offensive line held its own against the Ravens defense.  Ball handling was not at a premium and this contributed to a lagging offense.  Power runs on either side and up the middle prove that with ball control future success is inevitable for the Grizzlies.  Good effort shown.

Special teams shone with ball handling and an on-side kick recovery.   Reaction to the snap count by both sides of the team was impressive.

Congratulations to the Ravens on their victory.

Share on Facebook

Share on Facebook

On a sunny and unseasonably warm November 6th, the Grizzlies travelled to St. Albert Riel field for the Tier 2 Atom championship game with the West Edmonton Raiders. The Grizzlies were excited but focused during the bus trip and warm up but clearly came ready to play.

The Raiders kicked off to start the game and the Grizzlies moved the ball very effectively. The Grizzlies scored a touchdown early in the game to take a 6 to 0 lead.

The Millwoods defense was fired up on this day and they limited the Raiders to short gains and there were a number of two and outs. The Grizzlies offense moved the ball and the result was a 22 to 0 Millwoods lead at half time.

The second half saw the same kind of Grizzly effort but the Raiders did move the ball better and scored very late in the fourth quarter. With the convert the score was 22-8 for the Grizzlies. After the Raider kick off there were three kneel downs and the Grizzlies emerged as the CDMFA and Provincial Tier 2 Atom champions.

Well done Grizzlies. You focused, worked hard and saved your best football of the year for the most important games. It is remarkable what can be done when we all pull together.

Thanks for a Great effort and a Great season.

Final Score: Grizzlies 22, Raiders 8

Share on Facebook