Bears ready to roar in NOSSA semi-final

Bears head coach John Whittet (right) celebrates after winning the NDA Sr. Football crown on homefield. The Bears roll into the Soo hoping for another celebration. Photo by Kate Adams.

The St. Joseph-Scollard Hall Bears are still out to prove something. The 2006 Senior Football Champs defeated their rivals the West Ferris Trojans 30-21 in the final but that’s not enough for this team which boarded a bus headed for Sault Ste. Marie on Friday morning.

”The guys are pumped,” said Bears head coach John Whittet.

“They are very enthusiastic and they are treating it like a business trip they don’t want their season to be done so this isn’t gravy for them this is a game that they’ll work their butts off and try and win and looking forward to going as far as they can.”

That next matter of business for Whittet is getting his team ready for the NOSSA semi-final that will take place at Rocky DiPietro Field in the Soo against the St. Mary’s Knights.

The Knights are defending NOSSA champions and have captured the Sault Ste. Marie Senior football crown four times in the past five years. The Knights are led offensively by running back Jeff Greco. The talented back ran for 228 yards and five touchdowns in the city final last weekend as the Knights hammered the White Pines Wolverines 45-15.

Whittet has been analyzing game tape of their opponent this week in preparation for Saturday’s big game. He believes the Knights have a very balanced team along with a quarterback who can really air it out.

“They have some very talented athletes at the skilled positions and we are just going to have to find ways to shut them down,” he said.

“I haven’t seen too many backs like this 13 (Greco) he’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast and he looks like he’ll be a load to take down.”

On offence, the Bears will rely heavily on the running game led by NDA MVP candidate Justin Digiglio who ran for a pair of scores in the city championship game last Saturday. However, Whittet insists the Bears will not go into the game with a one-dimensional offence.

“Weather may dictate what we do but we certainly aren’t opposed to letting Kevin Clayton (Bears QB) air it out a bit if need be, we’ll see what they’ll try to take away defensively. I’m sure they’ve heard we are a power running team so they are going to load up maybe that’s what we will have to do,” said Whittet.

The winner of Saturday’s contest will host the NOSSA final against the city champions from Sudbury who received a bye this year.