Wolves building confidence in AABHN football

Waterford Wolves defeated Cayuga 27-14 to improve their Brant Haldimand Norfolk record to 2-1. Waterford’s next home game is Saturday, Oct. 18 at 2 p.m. when they host Delhi in the annual Pumpkinfest Bowl game.

Chris Abbott

Editor

The Waterford Wolves won’t back down from anyone in the Brant Haldimand & Norfolk Non-CWOSSA varsity football division.

The team has swagger.

“That’s the biggest thing this year,” said Waterford head coach Andrew Miller. “Last year when we were down, there wasn’t a lot of fight-back. Now, it’s almost business-like, the attitude that they take.”

After three games, including a 27-14 homefield victory against Cayuga on Oct. 3, the Wolves were 2-1, tied for second behind undefeated Mackinnon Park of Caledonia – who have been putting up some big points - and Delhi.

Both Cayuga touchdowns came on ‘broken coverage’ plays, said coach Miller, but the Wolves’ tightened the defence considerably in the second half – there was no scoring for either team after 5:17 of the third quarter.

“We get into position sometimes, and guys just have to wrap up,” said Miller. “But it is all fixable.”

It was a good character win, he said, noting it was their second win of the week. On the Tuesday, Waterford defeated Holy Trinity 28-17.

“Cayuga came out and challenged us. Our guys got a little rattled today, but they settled right back down. It makes it fun when the guys can turn together and get the job done.”

The Wolves, who have rebuilt since the pandemic, seem to be deep with veteran talent.

“It’s been a long time. We had three straight championship appearances before Covid… and it’s been rebuilding ever since – almost the culture of the school, the program - and we’re finally back to the point where the guys are ‘getting it’ and they are taking ownership of the team and responsibility for things. That’s really the cause of it – just that the guys are finally buying in.”

The Wolves have players with four years in the varsity program, he noted.

“We were just talking about our offensive line and kind of marveling at the fact that the guys who are playing now are the same guys who were playing three years ago. We were asking things of them then, playing against older players, and now they are the older players. You really see them coaching up the younger guys and bringing them along.

“So it’s finally getting back to what we needed here because we’re a small school with a small staff. We have a great group of captains and we rely on them to lead.”

The Wolves travel to Caledonia (3-0) Oct. 10, then return to Waterford Saturday, Oct. 18 for a 2 p.m. Pumpkinfest Bowl against Delhi (3-0) that is sure to attract a big crowd.

“A few years back, before Covid, we would have up to 2,000 people here,” Miller recalled. “The first year I coached in it (2017), I was blown away. I’m hoping if we’re there with a winning record, there will be that many more people who are really interested. That game could end up being part of the battle for first place, depending on what happens between them and Pauline Johnson (who earlier edged Waterford 38-35).”

Waterford will finish its regular season at Valley Heights (2-1), then Simcoe Composite (0-3) in Waterford.