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Bear Creek Kodiaks are headed to OFSSA

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It was championship day for Georgian Bay Secondary School Association football at Maple Ridge Secondary School's new turf field.

"It was a great game. Weather, Canadian football, it doesn't get any better than this," said Bear Creek Secondary School head coach Keith Jackson.

Battling the snow and cold on top of their bitter Barrie rivals, it was Bear Creek winning the senior GBSSA football championship 20-3 over St. Joan of Arc.

"This rivalry has been around for decades. Both teams have come out on top, and once again, it was JOA and Bear Creek," said Jackson.

"It's been crazy. They've been on us all five years. We couldn't get any bounces. And the fifth year, we came out with the dub," said Bear Creek quarterback Justin Cunningham.

"Obviously, it was a bit of a revenge game for us after falling to them last year, so it was personal for us. I'm glad we came out with the win," said Bear Creek lineman Tyler MacMaster.

"It's a great experience. We wish we could play them more during the season," said St. Joan of Arc head coach Nick Nicoletta.

The junior final was Collingwood Collegiate blanking St Joseph's of Barrie 7-0. Wins and losses aside, it was an emotional season, especially for the graduating players.

"These guys have been through a lot, and to be able to get out and compete and play and just get back to life like we enjoy. Even coaching, I missed it. I didn't realize how much I missed it until I wasn't able to coach," said Jackson.

"It was a long time where we weren't able to see each other, and we've got a really tight group here. It's all love, and we really missed each other over that break, so it just brought us all together and made us stronger as a team," added MacMaster.

Not to be lost in the shuffle was Nicoletta, who, after 23 years, coached his final game as the head man on the St. Joan of Arc sideline. It wasn't the fairy tale finale he hoped for, but that wasn't the reason he coached for more than two decades.

"The game is secondary to what we teach them on the field every night. To be good young men and be good citizens in the community. That's what we hope for out of this," said Nicoletta.

While the junior football season wrapped up Wednesday, the Bear Creek senior football team is off to Guelph for the OFSAA football festival, where it has drawn the LOSSA champion from the Durham Region for its provincial bowl on November 28.

"It feels really good. Five years for some of these guys to make it here, and they finally got it, and now we're going to OFSAA," said Cunningham.

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