G.W. Graham receiver Tyson Kelly (right) and the rest of the Grizzlies move into the B.C. AAA Big 5 for the first time in school history. At the same time, Nolan Watrin (left) and the Robert Bateman Timberwolves sit in a three-way tie at No. 5 in what is a parity-filled cast of teams at AA. (Photo by Joanne Hewitt property of G.W. Graham athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Football

B.C. High School Football Weekend Survival Guide 09.13.21 edition: Latest rankings have GWG Grizz with first-ever AAA Big 5 spot, plus the huge parity at AA!

LANGLEY — Welcome back to Varsity Letters’ B.C. High School Football Weekend Survival Guide.

We’ve gathered all of last week’s scores, this week’s full schedule as well as Varsity Letters’ first B.C. High School Football Big 5 rankings of the season.

Our first full slate of action this past weekend provided illuminating results as teams find their collective feet following the cancelled 2020 season. In particular it’s shaping up to be a very deep and parity-filled group at AA where for perhaps the first time ever, teams from the smaller tier had more than their share of wins over AAA programs.

The AA quartet of Ballenas, Carson Graham, Holy Cross and Robert Bateman all beat AAA teams, and not to suggest that tier size is any kind of a final arbiter in a team’s overall quality, but it is extremely rare when it happens to this degree.

Congratulations are also in order to Chilliwack’s G.W. Graham Grizzlies, who have moved into the AAA Big 5 for the first time ever at No. 5 following its narrow victory over former No. 5 St. Thomas More.

RANKINGS

VARSITY LETTERS BIG 5

TRIPLE A

1 Vancouver College Fighting Irish (1-0). (LW-1)

2 Mt. Douglas Rams (Victoria (1-0) (2)

3 Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers (Surrey) (1-0) (3)

4 Notre Dame Jugglers (Vancouver) (1-0) (4)

5 G.W. Graham Grizzlies (Chilliwack) (2-0) (NR)

Honourable mention —New Westminster Hyacks (0-1) (NR), Terry Fox Ravens (Port Coquitlam) (1-0), St. Thomas More Knights (Burnaby) (0-1) (5), South Delta Sun Devils (1-0) (NR), Kelowna Owls (0-0) (NR), Rutland VooDoos (1-0) (NR)

DOUBLE A

1 Ballenas Whalers (Parksville) (1-0) (LW-2-tie)

2 tie Vernon Panthers (0-1) (1)

2 tie Windsor Dukes (North Vancouver) (0-0) (2-tie)

4 Carson Graham Eagles (North Vancouver) (1-1) (4)

5 tie Holy Cross Crusaders (Surrey) (1-0) (NR)

5 tie Robert Bateman Timberwolves (Abbotsford) (1-1) (NR)

5 tie John Barsby Bulldogs (Nanaimo) (0-1) (5)

Honourable mention — South Kamloops Titans (0-1) (NR), Argyle Pipers (North Vancouver) (0-0) (NR), Langley Thunderbirds (0-0) (NR).

THIS WEEK

FRIDAY

AA COASTAL

2 p.m. — Holy Cross at John Barsby, Ballenas at Argyle

3:45 p.m. — Langley at Carson Graham

NON-CONFERENCE

1 p.m. — Vernon at G.W. Graham (Exhibition Stadium), Centennial at Vancouver College

2 p.m. — Eric Hamber at Mt. Boucherie (Mar Jok)

3 p.m. — Mt. Douglas at Abbotsford

3:15 p.m. — Kelowna at Notre Dame

5 p.m. — Seaquam at Earl Marriott, St. Thomas More at Lord Tweedsmuir

6 p.m. — Belmont at Nanaimo District

6:30 p.m. — South Kamloops at New Westminster (Mercer Stadium)

AAA/AA HYBRID

2:30 p.m. — Westsyde at Okanagan Mission

6 p.m. — Rutland at Salmon Arm (Little Mountain)

7 p.m. — Sardis at W.J. Mouat

SATURDAY

AA NORTH

11 a.m. — Prince George at Duchess Park (Masich Field)

1 p.m. — Kelly Road at College Heights (Masich Field)

AA COASTAL

1:30 p.m. — Windsor at Robert Bateman

NON-CONFERENCE

1:30 p.m. — Sullivan Heights at Mission, Terry Fox at South Delta, Handsworth at West Vancouver

SCOREBOARD

LAST WEEK

NON-CONFERENCE

SEPT. 11

South Delta 35 South Kamloops 12, G.W. Graham 14 St. Thomas More 12

SEPT. 10

Robert Bateman 28 W.J. Mouat 12, Carson Graham 46 Handsworth 28, Mt. Douglas 48 John Barsby 6, Rutland 13 Vernon 12, Holy Cross 30 Abbotsford 8, Ballenas 28 Belmont 13, Lord Tweedsmuir 7 New Westminster 0, Seaquam 44 Sullivan Heights 0, Mt. Boucherie 32 Sardis 16, Terry Fox 43 Earl Marriott 0

If you’re reading this story or viewing these photos on any website other than one belonging to a university athletic department, it has been taken without appropriate permission. In these challenging times, true journalism will survive only through your dedicated support and loyalty. VarsityLetters.ca and all of its exclusive content has been created to serve B.C.’s high school and university sports community with hard work, integrity and respect. Feel free to drop us a line any time at howardtsumura@gmail.com.

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