Calgary receiver Michael Klukas (front) battles UBC defensive back Jean Ventose on Friday at Thunderbird Stadium. (UBC athletics photo by Bob Frid)
Feature University Football

Nill labels UBC loss to Dinos “…an ass kicking” as all roads to Vanier now go through Calgary

VANCOUVER— Blake Nill has never pulled punches, and the UBC Thunderbirds head coach wasn’t about to start a new trend Friday.“You can call it what you want but it was an ass-kicking,” Nill said following his team’s 31-17 loss to the Calgary Dinos at Thunderbird Stadium. “When we had momentum, we were stopping the run […]

UBC cornerback Will Maxwell (3) has proven himself to be the quickest of studies. (Bob Frid/UBC athletics)
Feature University Football

Will Maxwell: A year ago, UBC cornerback had never made a tackle… now he leads the team

VANCOUVER — The leading tackler on the best defensive team in the Canada West has a confession to make. “Up until the end of last season, I had never played a down of defence in my life,” says Will Maxwell. “Until last year, I had never even made a tackle.”

The Carson Graham Eagles get a huge test of their resiliency as AAA conference play hits its stride around our province. (Photo courtesy Blair Shier)
Feature High School Football

Varsity Letters’ Big 5 weekend preview: Our picks for B.C. high school football’s top games

Welcome back to Varsity Letters’ Big 5 weekend preview. Today, we look at the top games being played Friday and Saturday in the world of B.C. high school football. It’s taken a few weeks, but now we’re right into the thick of AAA conference games.

Terry Fox Ravens' Jaden Severy scored five touchdowns in the first half in Friday's win over WJ Mouat. (File photo courtesy Terry Fox Secondary athletics department)
Feature High School Football

Early raves for young Ravens, but true tests lie ahead for PoCo’s AAA No. 1 Terry Fox

PORT COQUITLAM — When an informal coaches poll last spring installed the Terry Fox Ravens as the team to beat in 2017 by virtue of their No. 1 spot in Varsity Letters’ preseason Big 5 Triple A football rankings, head coach Martin McDonnell and the team were more than a little surprised.

UBC head coach Blake Nill, pictured with offensive coordinator Paul Orazietti, says Calgary has set the Canada West's gold standard. (Richard Lam/UBC athletics)
Feature University Football

UBC’s Nill on Friday foes from Calgary: “They are the ones we have to measure ourselves against.”

VANCOUVER — The last time the UBC Thunderbirds won four straight Canada West conference football games was back in 2015 when Blake Nill was the team’s first-year head coach. History tells us, of course, that the ‘Birds parlayed that quartet of regular season-ending games into an eventual seven-game win streak that culminated with a Vanier Cup […]

Simon Fraser's Julia Howley, pictured at the UW's Sundodger Invite, has finished top three in every race this season for the Clan. (Photo courtesy SFU athletics)
Feature University Cross Country

SFU’s Julia Howley: How the Clan’s free spirit found her groove on a true cross-country trek

BURNABY — At various points over the summer of 2015, Julia Howley found herself standing in place that looked like it sat on the top of the world.

Our Top 10 high school football performances of the week (ESPN graphic)
Feature High School Football

09.26.17: Varsity Letters’ Top 10 B.C. High School Football Performances of the Week

The best of the best?We’ve got them right here, of course,It’s Varsity Letters’ weekly Top 10 Performances of the Week in B.C. High School Football. First off, apologies on my part for missing an exceptional performance! Consider this one a plug-in tie at any number you see fit! St. Thomas More’s Sam Steele had 10 […]