The Cumberland House Islanders won their third Ralph Pilz trophy on Saturday easily defeating the Sandy Bay T-Wolves by a score of 44-14.
This was also the second straight year the Islanders have been champions in Northern Saskatchewan six-aside high school football.
Brent and Jennifer Tunstall are coach and general manager of the Islanders respectively.
Jennifer Tunstall says Cumberland House came into the game with a well thought out plan, which they executed.
“We watched a lot of film, my husband and I, he’s the main coach, the head coach, and he changed our offence completely since the last time we played them and we came out and it worked,” she says.
This weekend’s victory gives the Islanders a perfect 6-0 record in 2018.
Tunstall credits strong community support for the continued success of the Islanders.
For his part, T-Wolves coach Robin Stewart says it was certainly a tough loss but his players have nothing to be ashamed of.
“We’ve come a long way for a team that’s never been in the playoffs,” he says. “We started this program six years ago and they need to be proud because they’ve never played for a banner game, and this is our first NLSD (Northern Lights School Division) banner game, so in that point I’m proud of them.”
In season play, Sandy Bay was 4-1.
Their only loss came at the hands of Cumberland House earlier in the year.
Stewart says he thinks road fatigue played some factor in the loss as well as the T-Wovles had to travel five hours to Prince Albert for the game which was played at Max Clunie field.
The victory gives the Islanders the opportunity to host a provincial game while the T-Wolves will once again have to travel on the road.
(PHOTOS: Top, the Sandy Bay T-Wolves (white) attempt a pass against the Cumberland House Islanders in first half action in the Northern Saskatchewan football final. Bottom, members of the Cumberland House Islanders celebrate winning the Ralph Pilz Trophy. Photos by Fraser Needham.)