They may be out of the playoffs, but the Creighton Kodiaks aren’t about to give in to their next opponent – or Mother Nature.
Despite winter’s early arrival, the squad is slated to wrap up the season by hosting Air Ronge this Wednesday, Oct. 19 at the Creighton football field. Game time is 3 pm.
“We’re going to work hard to get the snow off our field,” said Kodiaks head coach Ryan Karakochuk, adding players, parents and volunteers would likely be called on to shovel off the field.
Temperatures over the next five days were forecast to be at or near freezing – much warmer than temps that would warrant cancelling a Northern Saskatchewan Football League game.
Karakochuk says there are pros and cons to playing in the winter.
“The challenges [with winter games] are, sometimes it can be slippery and cold on the players – hard to move as far as making quick cuts and things like that,” he said. “But at the same time it’s fun to play in the snow as well. The field is sometimes softer for tackling, and it’s a different element for the kids to play in, and sometimes it can be a positive. So whatever it is, we’ll play in it and give our kids our last game that we need to finish off our season.”
The Kodiaks got a taste of winter play on Tuesday when they lost 38-16 on the road to the league-leading La Ronge Churchill Chargers.
Quarterback Bailey Eastman (50 yards) and fullback Jordan Schanowski (five yards and one yard) earned touchdown runs in a losing cause.
Karakochuk says players stayed warm with undershirts, long underwear and extra socks. Lines on the field were coloured pink to increase visibility.
He was impressed with his team’s effort, noting the game was close until a couple of late turnovers sealed the deal for La Ronge.
The loss officially knocked Kodiaks out of the playoffs for the first time in their three-year history. They are 0-3 heading into next week’s game.
Having fallen short of the 2-2 record they were aiming for, Karakochuk says the Kodiaks are intent on winning their final game of the season to go 1-3.
The Kodiaks entered the season as the two-time league champions, but had lost many key players to graduation. In reviewing the season, Karakochuk looks on the bright side.
“Obviously we’re not happy that we’re not going to make the playoffs, but at the same time we’re excited [about next season],” he said, noting that 18 of 20 players are slated to return.
The Northern Saskatchewan Football League playoffs start tomorrow, Saturday, putting Creighton and Air Ronge in the unusual position of playing a regular season game while the postseason is underway. Air Ronge is also out of the playoffs.
There is no admission to watch Wednesday’s game. The Kodiaks are planning a post-season awards banquet to honour their top players.
