The G.W. Graham Grizzlies make a habit out of going to B.C. Place Stadium each high school football season, and 2022 was no different. The AAA powerhouse played twice under the big top, vanquishing St. Thomas More in a semi-final before facing Vancouver College in the Dec. 3 provincial championship game. In a final for the ages, the Chilliwack squad fell 13-12.
G.W. Graham was a major underdog heading into the game, but the defending champs gave the Fighting Irish all they could handle. The Grizzlies were a failed two-point convert away from winning their second straight title.
“When I think back on this team, I’m going to remember a group that’s full of heart,” said head coach Luke Acheson moments after the final whistle. “They’re a brotherhood. The best thing about our program is the way they love each other and the compassion they have for one another. It doesn’t happen often that you get a group that really cares about each other and sacrifices for each other.
“They showed it today and just came up short.”
The Grizzlies left their fans with memories of an amazing, if agonizing, finish.
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G.W. Graham trailed 13-6 with 62 seconds to play and the game appeared over when quarterback Lucas Feaver dropped back and found Christian Beck down the left sideline. He got the ball to the Van College six yard line and a Feaver to Braeden MacDonald touchdown toss got the Grizz within one. They could have kicked a convert and sent the game to overtime, but Acheson went for the win.
They ran an option play and Feaver was stuffed. When G.W. Graham couldn’t recover the onside kick that followed, their championship dreams were finally dashed.
“I’m a little dejected with lots of mixed feelings, but I’m super proud of the team for battling their hearts out,” Acheson said afterwards. “They came up just short and it’s not the outcome we wanted, but hats off to VC. They’re a good team.
The season confirmed the school’s status as one of B.C.’s strongest high school football programs.
They only lost twice all year, the championship game and a week one tilt with the same Fighting Irish.
In the 10 years the school has had football, they’ve won one senior AAA title (2021) and three junior AA championships (2013, 2014 and 2018). They’ve never had a season where they didn’t play at BC Place Stadium.
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It wasn’t as good a season for G.W. Graham’s cross-town rivals at Sardis Secondary, although the Falcons did have a big moment. Sardis played its first true home game in nearly 40 years on Sep. 30 when they hosted Belmont at the newly dedicated Rick Klassen field.
Klassen was a legend at the school in the 1970s before moving on to a decorated Canadian Football League career. He died of cancer in 2020, but his family was present as the field was named in his honour and a brand new scoreboard was unveiled.
Several politicians, including then B.C. Premier John Horgan attended the game.
RELATED: Sardis football in Chilliwack finally has a true home field
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