Near-perfect play the last few years has put the Huronia Stallions varsity football team on an extended hot streak, but their focus for now is on tonight’s big game and hopefully a berth in the league final.
The Stallions, who are in the thick of the Ontario Summer Football League's 2022 playoffs, come into Friday's semifinal game with a 21-0-1 record in regular-season play since 2018.
After cruising by the Toronto Jr. Argos last week with a 21-9 victory, the Stallions now take on North Halton Crimson Tide in tonigh’s provincial semifinal match at 8 p.m. at the Barrie Community Sports Complex in Midhurst.
Huronia Stallions director of football operations Martino Di Sabatino says he knew the local team was a good squad, but even he was surprised by their sparkling record.
“Our former play-by-play/colour guy Ben Browne mentioned the record. I was taken aback. I mean I knew we had a good team and that the varsity guys were rolling, but that was pretty special to realize,” Di Sabatino told BarrieToday.
The Stallions were 10-0 heading into the 2019 championship final before losing what Di Sabatino called "a heart-breaker," especially with what would happen next.
“Then COVID hit and we didn’t participate in anything. No games or training. It took a toll for sure on players, staff and volunteers,” he said. “Then last year we did some programming later in the summer, like our house league and some flag football, which was allowed at the time. Then a bit after that contact was permitted and we had some exhibition games with our varsity and junior teams.”
Di Sabatino believes the exhibition games helped the players physically and mentally in preparation for the return to full games this season.
“Even that little bit last year was enough to give everyone a taste of what they love. Everyone here loves football and that's why we are so successful as an organization,” he said.
The Stallions are undoubtedly a success story on the local sports scene. They are celebrating 30 years this season and announced their All-Decade team for the 2010s, honouring the 27 best to don the purple and gold uniform.
Putting together such a list is never short on controversy, Di Sabatino acknowledged.
“As soon as it was announced, we started getting the debates and people saying, ’Well, what about so and so?’ You can’t please everyone, but what made it fun was the debates and conversation,” Di Sabatino said.
With all the success the Stallions are having, Di Sabatino says he's most proud of how the organization is built from the inside.
“It's hard to build an organization and keep it stable when there are constantly new people," he said. "New people are good, but we thrive because people who played with us in their youth who may have gone on to bigger success in the CFL or university, come back to help in everything from varsity to house (league).
"There are no egos, just the will to work and help the organization as a whole. I’m always proud of that.”
The Stallions' house-league programming happens in Barrie and Orillia for ages eight to 12.
The Stallions' bantam under-14 team was also undefeated (6-0) before losing a 13-6 nail-biter last week to the Hamilton Hurricanes, while the junior varsity team under-16 squad lost in the playoffs last week, also to Hamilton.
The winner of tonight’s varsity semifinal game advances to the final at London’s Western University.
