Author: Howard Tsumura

The New Westminster Hyacks' home opener, 7:30 p.m. Friday at Mercer Stadium against North Vancouver's Carson Graham Eagles, doubles the Western Conference opener for the defending B.C. AAA Subway Bowl champions. (File photo by Alan Wardle property of New Westminster Hyacks football)
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Varsity Letter’s B.C. High School Football: Week No. 1 is here, and so is our our first set of rankings and the full schedule

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LANGLEY — Week 1 is here, and with it our first full schedule of the B.C. high school football season.

Handsworth Royals' star receiver and defensive back Keelan White made an impact despite a loss to Burlington-Nelson in a Labour Day clash on the North Shore. (File photo by Blair Shier property of Blair.photo)
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09.03.18 Labour Day bonus high school football edition: Despite White’s pick-6, Handsworth in tough

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Alberta had its traditional CFL Labour Day Classic today. Over on the North Shore, a little Labour Day football was also being played. Here’s our holiday Monday bonus report, with an additional look at a late-reported game from Friday.

After UBC's RB-1 Ben Cummings went down with an injury, back-up Kory Nagata answered the call by scoring two touchdowns in the 'Birds season-opening 30-20 win over Manitoba. (Photo by Richard Lam property of UBC athletics)
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Kory Nagata: How UBC’s second-string RB saved the day, honing his skills with Blue Mountain State Goats touch football team

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VANCOUVER — Playing out of position on a recreational touch football team named after a fictional television series?

Offensive guard Scott Maki (79) hoists receiver Devin O'Hea after the former Argyle Pipers standout from North Vancouver made a highlight reel end zone catch from freshman quarterback Justin Seiber in the Clan's 54-7 win Saturday at home to the Willamette Bearcats. (Photo by Brad McLeod property of Simon Fraser athletics)
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TSUMURA: My Top 5 takeaways from a Simon Fraser Clan football victory that snaps an epic 33-game losing streak

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BURNABY — No, the 1,265 fans in attendance did not rush the field and topple the goal posts Saturday afternoon at Terry Fox Field. Yet finally, there was joy in Mudville.

Terry Fox's Eric Polan was a nemesis against Concrete High on Friday. His Ravens won big and Polan finished with 12 tackles including four sacks. (File photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
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09.01.18 Saturday morning edition: Varsity Letter’s B.C. High School Football Report

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Welcome to the Saturday morning edition of Varsity Letters. Coaches were plagued with tough conditions to file reports Friday, all coming off 7 p.m. starts in Washington state with return trips pending. No mulligans next week, so we hope to be able to bring you the best picture possible this coming Friday night.

New Westminster opened defence of its 2017 AAA Subway Bowl title with a loss at Liberty (Wash.) High on Friday, getting its scores from quarterback Kinsale Philip (left) and Broxx Comia (right). (File photo by Alan Wardle courtesy New Westminster Hyacks)
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08.31.18 Friday Night Lights edition: Local teams head south in 2018’s first B.C. High School Football Report

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Welcome to 2018’s first edition of Varsity Letter’s B.C. High School Football Report. Week O’s annual limited opening Friday slate captures a select number of B.C. teams in non-conference action south of the line.

It's no stretch to say that the biggest game of new Simon Fraser running back Jason Nelson's career will be his first with the team as the Clan looks to snap a 33-game losing streak Saturday against visiting Willamette. (Photo by Brad McLeod property of SFU athletics)
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SFU’s Jason ‘Mini-Marshawn’ Nelson embraces the challenge: “Life ain’t easy. It’s going to hit you in the face no matter what. I’m ready.”

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BURNABY — Jason Nelson is adamant about wanting to carve out his own identity, but as the new guy getting ready to take his share of hand-offs in the offensive backfield of the Simon Fraser Clan, he admits that embracing a snappy nickname which pays homage to an NFL great is never a bad thing.

After stops at Seaquam, Queen's, UBC and New Westminster, Gord Randall has shot for the stars as new head coach at Surrey's Sullivan Heights Secondary. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
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The Stars align! Rookie head coach Gord Randall has learned from the best en route to start-up launch at Sullivan Heights

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SURREY — Launching a high school football program is not unlike attempting to create your own gridiron galaxy, complete with so much heavy lifting through the launch phase that the small touches which represent the genesis of team tradition can almost seem like insignificant specks.

Trinity Western's fifth-year senior midfielder Joel Waterman (right) wants to help lead the Spartans back to the U Sports' national championship tournament. (Photo courtesy UBC Okanagan athletics)
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Joel Waterman: TWU’s tide is high and so are its hopes as Spartans’ soccer feeds off the presence and purpose its fifth-year leader

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LANGLEY — It may be the simplest game of Xs and Os ever invented, yet the ability to consistently win in the ancient discipline of tic-tac-toe doesn’t come without a complex level of sureness and clarity, which in intangible terms, might be best described as having an instant presence.