As the North Bay Bantam Bulldogs are put through their paces by the coaching staff at Rollie Fischer Field, head coach Christa Morgan beams with pride as she takes a minute away from preparing for Sunday's OSFL championship game to discuss six of her charges who received league-wide recognition.
See related: Bantam Bulldogs' formidable D will set tone in championship game
The All-OSFL team was compiled from the nominations of managers and coaches across the league and the league says the honour is "designed to provide players with the opportunity to be recognized and celebrated for their season's performance."
Morgan says she is "very happy that out of 26 players selected from all U14 AA players, four were chosen from our Bantam Bulldogs team. Plus, two honourable mentions that were super close!"
Bulldogs 2023 OSFL All-Stars:
- Linebacker Gage Campaigne
- Defensive back Jack Fiddler
- Safety Evan Smetana
- Defensive end Ethan Zapcic
Campaigne had already been named defensive player of the week twice this season and has now added "all-star linebacker" to his season's accomplishments. In addition to his responsibilities as a defensive captain, Campaigne is also a threat on offence and special teams. "He has an eye for where the ball is going and uses his speed and aggression to get there," says Morgan.
Defensive back Fiddler quickly found his spot in the secondary of the tough Bulldogs defence. In this, his rookie season of football, Fiddler registered six interceptions and broke up many more passes — often while defending the opposition's top receiving threat.
Free safety Evan Smetana, the current OSFL player of the week for his role in the semi-final victory over Brantford averages an impressive one interception per game. Evan, a defensive captain, also plays some running back on offence and returns punts for the Bulldogs and ran one back for a touchdown this season. Morgan says, "He's fast, he's aggressive and he's got an eye for the game."
Defensive end Ethan Zapcic started the season as a defensive back but stood in on the line one night — excelled — and never looked back. Zapcic "is always in the backfield and disrupting the opponent's offence," the head coach says.
Honourable mentions:
- Running back Nathan Boucher
- Defensive lineman Cameron Smetana
Running back Boucher was the Bantam Bulldogs' only offensive player named, receiving an honourable mention. "We had lots of movement on offence from the beginning of the season to now — trying to find the right spot for everyone. If the all-stars were being picked based on today I am sure there would be a couple more names up. Nathan has learned a lot this season and averages 75-100 yards per game."
Cameron Smetana was the only Bulldogs player recognized who is not graduating to the U16 Junior Varsity level next year. "He's going into grade 8 in the fall," says Morgan, "and plays defensive line like he's 300 pounds and 6-foot-3. He is small but so strong. I wouldn't want to get in his way. Watch for this up-and-coming player!"
When determining the final roster, All-Star selections were not solely based on player stats but also considered off-the-field contributions such as dedication to their team, leadership, and growth through the season.
The OSFL honoured 26 players plus honourable mentions:
- 12 Offensive players: 1 quarterback, 2 running backs, 3 wide receivers, 1 flex and 5 offensive linemen
- 12 Defensive players: 4 defensive linemen, 3 linebackers and 5 defensive backs
- 2 Specialists: 1 kicker and 1 punter
