ST. PAUL – The St. Paul Bengals have done it again.
For the third year in a row, the St. Paul based football team has claimed the 2024 Wheatland Bantam Football League (WBFL) championship. The Bengals defeated the Wainwright Warhawks 36-0 on Nov. 2, cementing the team's reputation as a powerhouse in the league.
Todd Tanasichuk, one of the Bengals' coaches, said the road to championship has not been easy and it was filled with adversity.
During the season, the team suffered some injuries, which affected some leading players, like starting quarterback Tyson Trefenanko, who was injured during the Bengals' semi-final game against Cold Lake on Oct. 26.
When faced with adversities, it is not uncommon for players to panic, shirk away, or let anxiety overtake them, according to Tanasichuk. But this was not the case with the Bengals, he said. The players stepped up.
"Our Grade 8 kid, Easton Sheppard, went in and helped lead the team today," said Tanasichuk, commending Sheppard's leadership. "The kids had faith in him and Easton had faith in himself."
"It's just so rewarding to see young people rise to the challenge," he said.
Earlier in the season, the Bengals lost to the Warhawks in the season opener.
The loss was not ideal, but the team was not phased, Tanasichuk said. "We've talked about it all year. It's not how you start – it's how you finish."
The Warhawks are also championship material, acknowledged the coach. "We have a lot of respect for them very much," he said, adding that the score may look one-sided at first glance, but the truth of the game was far from that.
It is during a phase like this that it becomes a battle of will, added Tanasichuk.
"They were crunching against one another. They were really pushing hard against one another, and it's really at that point that your will is going to take over you," said Tanasichuk. "And I believe our will to win – won today."
Head coach Derek Zapisocki agreed. It was not until later in the first half when running back Derrick Wygle scored the first touchdown for the Bengals.
"When he punched in that first touchdown, it just kind of went from there," said Zapisocki. The Bengals kept up the momentum and the Bengals marched to victory.
The Bengals now set their sights on the provincial championship in Grande Prairie next week against the Grande Prairie Raiders – champions of the Mighty Peace Bantam Football League.
Zapisocki acknowledged the provincial finals will be challenging. The Raiders have not lost a single game this season, including against the Grande Prairie Broncos, who almost dethroned the Bengals during a close 41-35 provincial championship game in 2023.
But when asked if the Bengals have the confidence to win the provincial title once more, the head coach replied with a smile.
"You've seen it today. You've seen it these last few weeks. They want to win," he said, before glancing briefly to the Bengals as they celebrated their win.
"They want to fight and they can battle adversity."
