It was a chance Sunday to celebrate a return of High School Football.
The Dryden Eagles held an appreciation banquet at the Centre for parents, coaches, players and volunteers.
Defensive Coordinator Neil McLeod says, “You know with last year not being able to play football, we were very, very fortunate to be able to play this year in any capacity. With the help of Kenora and Fort Frances, come together this season and it’s just great to have the kids out here for some closure.”
The Muskies defeated Dryden in the Championship game.
The team took time to recognize the graduating players who won’t be returning next season.
“Our Senior players. There guys that have been with the program for four years, some longer, certainly all the way up to Falcon Football. We got to see these guys start from when they were young in Grade 7 up until where the Seniors are going off to their young adulthood in College or University, and we wish them all the best,” says McLeod.
The team also honoured Coach Rob Rodgers who is retiring.
McLeod stressed, “Rob Rodgers is a filler for our program and we are going to miss him gravely going forward with our seasons. We can’t tell him thank you enough. What a wonderful member of our community and a wonderful volunteer.”
McLeod says they will now concentrate on next season.
“You know, we don’t know. We have to see what happens next year. I don’t know if it’s going to be Winnipeg High School, if it’s going to be Northwestern Ontario again. There’s still a lot of things that are up in the air but what I can assure you is we will be back on the field in May getting ready to have a football team in the fall.”
