The Chippewa Raiders are out and the Timmins High Blues are in.
The Nipissing District Association football season opens today when the defending senior champion Widdifield Wildcats host the Franco-Cite Patriotes at 4 p.m.
Missing from this seasonās schedule, however, at both the junior and senior levels, are the Chippewa Raiders. Winners of nine NDA senior football championships in their long history, the Raiders simply did not have an adequate turnout for tryouts, forcing the plug to be pulled on their football program.
āItās a sad thing for the NDA, not having a Chippewa football team,ā said league convener John Whittet, the St. Joseph-Scollard Hall Bears coach.
Historically, the Raiders have produced more than their share of university and CFL players over the years, including Blaine Schmidt, Greg Casey, Jason Casey, Adam Nicolson and Scott Stinson.
Temporarily filling the void in the schedule are the Timmins High Blues, who have played a full NDA schedule at the junior level the past two seasons. The Timmins squad will travel to play all six of their games on the road and will not be eligible to compete in the playoffs.
The popular Friday night light games are back, with some Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night games sprinkled in for a total of 11 games under the lights.
The West Ferris Trojans host the Algonquin Barons for the first game under the lights Friday at 8 p.m. Next month, the Franco-Cite Patriotes and Northern Braves will square off in the āBomber Bowlā under the lights, Oct. 8.
Source: the North Bay Nugget
Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.
CFC Youth Game Spotlight: Quebec OL ready to lock it down
