JV Centaurs 29 - Ballenas 24The Centennial Centaurs Junior Varsity team were victorious today in their exhibition game in Parksville over the Ballenas Whalers Junior Varsity team.
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When your football team’s greatest success of the past few years has been to get a call-back for a part in a Netflix movie production, you know you’ve got some work ahead of you. The new coach of the Centennial Centaurs, Dino Geremia, has been laying the foundation to rebuild the school’s once proud gridiron program since he was appointed to the role early last spring. Athletic director Colin Cameron tasked Geremia with bringing renewed vitality to a team that won the Subway Bowl championship in 2009 led by quarterback Lemar Durrant — now a star receiver in the Canadian Football League — but didn’t win a single game the past two seasons and was outscored 351-58 last year. That’s exactly what’s happening, said Felipe Ruiz, a senior receiver and linebacker who has been a part of Centennial football since he was in Grade 8. “It’s a whole new energy,” Ruiz said between drills during a pre-season practice. Dario Mazzuca, a wide receiver entering his third season, said, “Everyone has a better vibe.” Geremia, who came to Centennial after 14 years working with young players at Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia, as well as Notre Dame regional secondary school in Vancouver, said the work to improve that vibe started as soon as he took the job. He called upon his extensive network of football contacts to assemble a corps of top assistants that includes former BC Lions QB Julio Caravetta, UBC’s Jim Stockman, who previously coached at Burnaby Central secondary, former UBC Thunderbird Chris Schaalo, who brings with him specialized knowledge in fitness and conditioning from his work in crossfit, as well as Cameron and Centennial teacher Brandon Tuason. Geremia has also called upon other coaches at the university and professional level, as well as Durant, to give talks to the team. He said giving his players a sense that the game extends beyond the walls of the school and the field across the street is important to their buy-in. “At the end of the day, they know they’ve got people in their corner,” he said. Fourth-year defensive lineman Anthony Bassetto said the network of football mentors has helped give the players a sense of renewed purpose. “You feel like you have a better reason to be here,” he said. Geremia said he’s a believer in cultivating trust amongst the players for the process of team building; if every player commits to the program, they’ll be rewarded by a successful program that in turn will bring individual success. “They have to commit every day,” he said. “No excuses.” That’s just the kind of boost a player like Bassetto, who has yet to know what it’s like to win with a varsity team, likes to hear. “I’m trying to push myself harder,” he said. “I want to do more than what the coaches want in a drill.” A positive, can-do attitude amongst the players, as well as a lineup that lost only three players to graduation in June, gives Geremia reason to believe the end to the Centaurs’ drought is nigh, and the team can be competitive with established programs like New Westminster Hyacks, Burnaby's St. Thomas More Knights and their crosstown rivals, Port Coquitlam's Terry Fox Ravens. “Our expectations have to be high,” he said. “I think we’ll be able to surprise some people.” • Centennial opens its season Friday at 3:30 p.m. with a home game at the school field against Ballenas, from Parksville. Courtesy of Mario Bartel - TriCity News The Junior Varsity Centennial Centaurs football team opens up the fall 2019 season with an exhibition game against the Ballenas Whalers from Vancouver Island. Kick-off is Wednesday, September 4th at 3:15 PM at the Ballenas Secondary School. The Junior Varsity team is looking to start this season where they left off from a strong campaign last year. The team has 5 returning athletes who were on the British Columbia U-16 team that competed in this summer at the country wide Canada Cup Championship. This should be a promising season and a great learning experience for the Junior Varsity team. The Senior Varsity team also kicks off their season with an exhibition game Friday, September 6th @ 3:30 PM at the Centennial Oval against the Senior Varsity Ballenas Whalers. Vancouver Island teams are always very tough to play so these exhibition games should be a good early test for both teams. The Centennial Centaurs football program's 2019 fall campaign has begun for both the Senior Varsity and Junior Varsity teams.
This year the program is invigorated by a new top level coaching staff. Head Coach Dino Geremia takes over with a new staff and a new enthusiasm. Coach Geremia welcomes BC Lions color commentator Giulio Caravatta as the offensive coordinator. Coach Caravatta brings his years of experience as a quarterback with the Simon Fraser University and the CFL's BC Lions to run the new Centaurs offence. This years Junior Varsity team hopes to build on the success they had last year and make another run to the playoffs. The regular season for the Senior and Junior varsity teams begins in September. Please see the team game schedules. |
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See the over 100+ different retailers and brands that donate with you to our program Scrapbooking Night September 28th 10:00AM to 10:00PM
Cost: $45.00 Includes Dinner and Drinks Please bring an appetizer to share RSVP to margherita@telus.net or 604-418-7829 Stay tuned for our annual Pub Night to raise funds for the team
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