Crowds piled into Century Field at Yorkton Regional High School for the fifth annual Friday Night Lights game this past weekend to watch the hometown Raiders face the Moose Jaw Central Cyclones. The Raiders took control of the game quickly, and held onto the power throughout all four quarters. The final score was 56-14 for the Raiders.
Although it’s known as being a football game hosted by the YRHS Raiders, it has turned into so much more.
The production kicked off with a helicopter landing in the middle of the field, carrying YRHS student Chad Young and Fred Fox, the brother of Terry Fox. Young lost his leg to the same cancer that Terry Fox had. Young and Fox led the school’s Terry Fox run that day.
Roby Sharpe, the head coach of the Raiders, said the event was created five years ago as a way to build pride in the school.
“I love football, and I love my guys, but it’s not just about football,” he said. “It’s choir, and the cosmetology class painting faces, the cheerleaders, the 4H kids on horses - it all adds to it. Pretty much anyone that’s at our school is there, it’s a community night and it touches everyone.”
When it comes to high school sports in Canada, it’s generally incomparable to what they experience in the United States – games that are broadcast on television, with packed crowds and full productions at every game. But this game gives players the chance to feel that energy.
“This is your night. This is for you guys,” Sharpe said he told his players before they took the field on Friday. “I tell them to give it all they’ve got, because this is a memory that they’re going to have for the rest of their lives, and it’s up to them how they’ll remember it.”
Sharpe said this game has become part of the football culture in Yorkton. When he and a handful of friends created minor football years ago, it was in hopes of eventually improving the higher levels.
Now those minor players take to the field at halftime of Friday Night Lights, and get a glimpse of what they can expect in the future.
“The little guys playing at half time look at the big guys, and think ‘one day that’ll be me in the locker room, on the field,’” Sharpe said.
In terms of his team’s level of play on Friday night, Sharpe was not disappointed, explaining how their goal has been to improve with every game – and that’s what they’ve done.
“If you care about something, you’ll work to make it better. And I think we’ve got the right attitude,” he said.
“I mean Jordin Rusnack was awesome. In four games he went from being a kid to a man, and he’s worked at it. He made the decision that he was going to make himself better from the start of the season. He’s not comparable to his first game [of the season],” Sharpe said about his grade ten quarterback.
Sharpe also discussed grade eleven receiver Matthew Mandziuk.
“He’s just a complete stud, he’s so athletic. You don’t see too many kids with his athleticism,” he said. “He’s got good speed, his hands are outrageous… he’s a special player.”
Rusnack and Mandziuk put on nothing less than a show on Friday night, as the two played in synchronization throughout the game.
“Our timing is a lot better now. We kind of have that thinking like we’re twins – but we’re not twins of course,” Mandziuk said with a laugh about the game-time connection between the two.
But Mandziuk said the entire team played a good game.
“We worked our butts off this week in practice. This is one of our biggest games of the year and we came out with a lot of passion and heart. We deserve this victory,” Mandziuk said.
The Raiders have a break in game action as it is their bye week. But they’ll be back on home turf on Thursday, Oct. 6 at 4 p.m when they face Peacock Tornadoes.
