At an afternoon practice at Hamber secondary, Griffins football players had hand-warmers shoved in their gloves, some wore sweatpants over their pads and everyone panted out a breathy cloud through their facemask.
“It’s a frozen wasteland,” said starting centre Noah Abramson, as he toed frost on the grass. He loved every minute of being there.
Far from desolate tundra, it was a football field in November — and not something the Griffins have seen before.
“Usually, unfortunately, the season is over for us by now,” said Abramson, who wore a ski mask that covered his mouth like Batman’s rival Bane. “Right now there is definitely a lot of excitement around the team and practice. Everyone is really excited to go up to the main stage and show people what we’re worth,” he said.
For the first time in five seasons since launching a football program in 2010, Hamber won a playoff game. The varsity Girffins knocked off Burnaby Central in a 21-6 win at Burnaby Lake Park Nov. 14. They meet Earl Marriott on Friday in the varsity football Tier II B.C. Championship.
The challenge is new and welcome territory for a young program -- and the only public school in Vancouver with a team -- that hasn’t known a lot of success other than safely teaching a complex, physical sport to novices. A love of the game wasn’t enough for all students, some who turned their back on the team because the Griffins couldn’t string together many wins. Abramson, a Grade 11 student who will become one of the first five-year Griffins in 2015, said former players are now rethinking their departure and might suit up next fall.
After five seasons, it’s players’ experience that has led the Griffins to the post-season. Abramson, along with quarterback Alex Parrotta and his twin, receiver Zac Parrotta, came to the game in Grade 7 when Hamber seniors introduced a flag football program at neighbourhood elementary schools. Next year, those three will be the first players who've been a Griffin for five straight seasons from Grade 8 through 12
The Griffins play in Tier II, a developmental league outside the AA and AAA leagues. They play a few blocks from Vancouver College, perhaps the most legendary high school football program in Canada, and one that helped the Griffins get started by giving them essential equipment.
The team has an expanded coaching staff that includes alumni, and Griffins head coach Bobby Gibson said the team has finally bought in.
“We are at the point where we can actually be choosy about who goes on the field as opposed to saying, ‘You’re here so you’re going to play.’ We dress 25 players each game and we still have a lot of kids going both ways [by playing defence and offence] but we’re not just playing for participation anymore.”
The difference this season, in addition to a dynamic quarterback and deeper roster, has been the offensive line, said Gibson.
“They’re all undersized, fast guys that just work their faces off. That’s how we’ve had success. The biggest difference has been the fact our lineman have all bought in and they all realize just because they’re not the star with the ball, doesn’t mean they’re not the difference makers. Those guys have been the reason we get points this year.”
At left guard, Sean Imperial is the smallest on the O line.
“I definitely have to go against people a lot bigger, all of sudden I find myself going against someone who is 300 pounds,” said the five-foot-four, 155-pound linesman. “I just keep pumping my feet and even though they’re bigger, I could hold them and give my QB enough time.”
Hamber had only two losses this season, a winning record for a team that in past seasons has gone winless. One of those losses came against Marriott, the team to beat for the B.C. Tier II title.
Starting pivot Alex Parrotta said the team has already proven itself this season, but he wants the win on Friday.
“I want to help the program grow. I want to see this program succeed, move up and do well,” he said. “The playoffs are exciting. It feels good, the progress that we’ve made. Our team is just getting better from here.”
The Tier II B.C. Championship begins 8:30 p.m. Nov. 21 on the turf field at Burnaby Lake Park.
