Some key players from a longtime Delta minor football rivaly have come together to produce a national championship.
The B.C. All-Star Youth team captured the U16 title at the recent 2016 Flag Football National Championships in Halifax by winning five of six games, including a 42-33 victory over Saskatchewan in the final.
B.C. is once again participating in Football Canada sanctioned championships thanks to the newly formed B.C. Provincial Football Association (BCPFA) which was officially recognized by the sport's national governing body back in April. The BCPFA currently represents four provincial gridiron organizations, including the B.C. Community Football Association that includes the South Delta Rams and North Delta Minor Football.
The National Flag Football Championships presented the first opportunity for B.C. to return to the national stage with five divisions - U16, U18 and U20 Male, along with U16 and U18 Female.
The eight-member B.C. team for the 5 aside games brought together top talent from five programs, including South Delta's Michael Calvert and Billy Matwichyna. They were joined by North Delta's Jalen Philpot, Tyson Philpot and Josh Haydu, along with Victoria's Isaiah Cardilichia, Surrey's Jamall Mensah and Graeme Melnyk from Coquitlam.
Calvert and Matwichyna not only helped the Rams repeat as provincial Bantam
champions in the tackle version of the game, they aged up to see significant playing time with the Sun Devils at the high school level last fall. Calvert was a three-way starter by the end of the season, including quarterback. The Philpot twins star at Seaquam Secondary where they led the Seahawks to the provincial junior varsity semifinals before bowing out to eventual champion New West.
The B.C. flag team happened to be coached by their father - former B.C. Lions star running back Cory Philpot who helped the CFL team win the 1994 Grey Cup and still holds the club record for most touchdowns in a season with 22.
For years, Philpot coached his boys in North Delta Minor Football until they left the community ranks for Seaquam's program.
His North Delta teams' biggest rival was typically the Rams. The flag All-Star Youth team presented an opportunity to bring the talented rivals together. Philpot even asked South Delta coaches Brent Calvert (offence) and Dan Matwichyna (defence) to serve as his assistants.
B.C. opened the championships with a 33-17 loss to Saskatchewan, then rolled to decisive wins over Manitoba (51-13), Nova Scotia (44-12) and Ontario (52-12). Another victory against Manitoba (41-7) followed in the semi-finals, before the boys avenged their earlier loss to Saskatchewan.
Matwichyna came back from a wrist injury to haul in a one-handed TD catch from Calvert in the championship game, while a goal line interception by Calvert secured the
national title.
"When the boys said they were wanted to come together to do this, I told them I would step up and coach," said Philpot. "Saskatchewan was an experienced team and a little older than us. It showed in that first game but it was a learning experience and we made the proper adjustments for the final."
Philpot added flag football's popularity has been surging in recent years and the door being re-opened for national tournaments provides further opportunities.
He also takes teams to tournaments in the U.S. through his All-Star Youth program and mentioned how Abbotsford's Chase Claypool was initially scouted by Notre Dame at a 7-on-7 flag tournament.
There was little time for the players to savour being national champs. They were back in action this past weekend at the provincial championships in Richmond where the team finished second to Kelowna in the U19 Division. The All-Stars Youth included another South Delta player - Douglas Jameson.
Since the Kelowna roster featured mainly Grade 12 players, the Okanagan squad will be representing B.C. in the U20 Division at the 2017 Nationals while All-Stars will be competing in the U18 flight. The boys turned their attention back to tackle football as the Sun Devils spring camp wrapping up this week with a scrimmage in Rutland Friday, along with the upcoming Zone Bowl provincial tournament in early July.
That regional team will feature a number of local players and will be coached by Philpot.
