Two undefeated high school football teams from Barrie met in Wednesday’s Georgian Bay Secondary School Association (GBSSA) championship game, but only the Bear Creek Kodiaks would come out with their sparkling record still intact.
The Kodiaks defeated the local dynasty of the St. Joan of Arc Knights, 20-3, in the GBSSA final at Maple Ridge Secondary School in south-end Barrie and will now head to OFSAA on Nov. 28 to face the champion from the Lake Ontario Secondary School Athletics (LOSSA).
The LOSSA game is being played tonight at 7 p.m., between O'Neill Collegiate and Vocational Institute (Oshawa) and Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School (Courtice).
Bear Creek finished the 2022 season with an 8-0 record, scoring 268 points and only allowing 27.
In an interview on Tuesday with BarrieToday, Kodiaks head coach Keith Jackson said how much he wanted to win the newly named Gary Inness Trophy, which goes to the GBSSA victors, and was emotional after today’s game when he laid his hands on it.
“This was very important to me. I’m getting a little choked up talking about it. Gary was my coach when I was in high school and I really wanted to win this in its first year of having his name on it,” Jackson said. “I don’t typically worry about winning for me, this is about the players, but it really does mean a lot.”
Inness, who was a longtime teacher and football coach in the region, passed away last year.
A touchdown by Elliott Barber, who then also kicked the extra point, started them off and he would add an extra point in the fourth quarter, bringing eight points to the scoresheet.
Kodiaks teammate Daniel Kelly contributed 10 points of his own in the victory, while Martin Kloosterman grabbed the other two.
A second-quarter field goal by JOA’s Konrad Cieplicki would be the only Knights tally on the day.
St. Joan of Arc head coach Nick Nicoletta is retiring from coaching and teaching after this year. He was the person responsible for bringing football to the Catholic School Athletics of Simcoe County (CSASC) 23 years ago.
Nicoletta said he knew the Kodiaks had an experience advantage and they showed it.
“They played great. I am also proud of the way we played and while I will take a break from football I'll be watching this Knights team and seeing how they do,” he said. “They’re going to be strong next year and I feel they will be right back here.”
St. Joan of Arc had won seven of the last 10 GBSSA titles heading into today's game.
Many of the Knights players this year were younger and will be returning next season, much like what happened to this year’s Kodiaks squad.
Last year, when Bear Creek lost to St. Joan of Arc, it was an experienced Knights team defeating a less experienced Kodiaks in the GBSSA title game.
Jackson said he was able to breathe easy late in the game when his team had pulled far enough ahead.
“Once we hit a two-score game and the clock was in our favour, then it was more time management. We had a great kicking game that kept us in this, but JOA still played great as well,” Jackson said. “Two great teams, a snowy field, you couldn’t have asked for a better day for a game of football."
Owen Hayes, 17, is a senior in his last year with the Kodiaks. The defensive back told BarrieToday he would encourage any kid to get involved with football.
“I learned so much from my years in the game. It teaches you discipline, respect and how to work with others. I’ve enjoyed it so much and hope to play more after high school,” Hayes said. “I think most of all I learned how to be responsible. Keeping your grades up while going to practice all the time was important and it taught me so much.”
