Huronia Stallions: 20 years, 20 players who made an impact

Over the past 20 years, the Huronia Stallions have developed a reputation of producing tough, hard-nosed players that combine talent and skill with perseverance and determination.

Throughout the years there have been great victories, championships, division titles and a bleak stretch with little success.

The theme that has carried over through both success and defeat are a deep pride in the program and a sense of family amongst the players and coaches.

The players that have been named to the All 20-Year Team are incredible football players and people.

Two individuals that are true Stallions are Clayton Speers and Jeff Lane.

Both were former teammates of mine that I have tremendous respect for.

Clayton played from 1996-99 and was a two-time Stallions MVP. His path to being an elite athlete is truly inspirational. Clayton was cut by his high school team in both grades 9 and 10. The following summer, he decided to try out for the Stallions.

In 1996, he barely played at all for us. He was quiet, but I noticed he had pretty good hands. That fall, he made the senior team at Eastview and was a leading player for a team full of Stallions players and coached by coach Martino DiSabatino and Stallions assistants Ken Blincoe and Jack Duffy.

In 1997, Clayton became a true leader on the team. He played offence, defence, kicked and was our MVP that year.

In 1999, he was the leader of a Stallions unit that took the eventual champs from Mississauga to the wire in an epic playoff thriller. Clayton was a skilled receiver that loved to block and was also a solid defensive back and special teams player.

Where I really came to respect Clayton as a player and as a man was in practice one day. There was a play where he motioned across and was assigned to block me on the edge away from the direction of the ball carrier. The play was run multiple times as the coaches worked out the interior blocking schemes and timing.

No one noticed Clayton and I going full out against each other rep after rep. I got the better of him each time, but he kept coming over and over again at full speed.

Neither of us said anything until after practice when he jokingly asked me for help picking up his teeth.

Clayton was a true warrior and a tremendous teammate. He is currently am officer with Barrie city police. This month, Clayton travelled to Ottawa to receive the Star of Courage from the Governor-General of Canada for his bravery under extreme duress.

On July 5, 2009, Clayton and another officer were both stabbed in the neck and suffered life-threatening injuries during an altercation with a man on Bayfield Street.

The Stallions have been known over the years for excellent linebacker play. The talent level at this position is so strong that Chris Deevy who shattered the Ontario Varsity Football League record for sacks in a season with 14.5 and Clint Uttley a future five-year starter at Acadia do not make the list.

The distinction of being the best linebacker and best defensive player in Stallions history goes to Jeff Lane. He was an incredible football player that played for the Stallions from 1994-97.

Any time the team traveled

to Waterloo or Oshawa, where there was a PA announcer, you would hear throughout the game, “tackle by number 50,

Jeff Lane.”

‘Laner’ was a strong, tough and athletic linebacker that could hit like a truck and had an innate sense of what the offence was going to run. He was and remains a football legend at Stayner Collegiate.

In 1996, I got to play with Lane for the first time. Toward the end of training camp, the coaches moved me from linebacker to fullback and I had no clue what I was doing.

My first rep was an “I 43 lead.” I didn’t know what that meant, but the coaches showed me where to stand and what direction to go block. The play started and I ran into the hole and before I knew it I was flat on my back. That was my welcome to Stallions moment courtesy of Jeff Lane.

The next play was the same call with the exact same result only this time my teammate Mark Freer shouted, “That was the hit of the year.”

Laner was a truly special player and it is my honour to have lined up with such an incredibly talented football player.

Are you the next great Huronia Stallion?

This year marks the 20th season for the Huronia Stallions. Assistant coach Jason Romisher, the Stallions’ media and recruiting co-ordinator, will be outlining the football program and what it has meant to the Barrie area.

Stallions All 20-Year Team

Quarterback: Kyle Graves

Running Back: Rob Garland and Brett Haenni

Receiver: Clayton Speers, Chris Faetz, Dan Vandervoort and Todd Thornley

Offensive Line: Adam Rogers, Terry Hart, Tyler Honeywood, Tommy Turnbull and Jeff Ward

Defensive Line: Adam Hrytzak, Craig Lescard, Wade Conrad and Cameron Thorn

Linebacker: Clint Uttley, Jeff Lane, Travis Bonwick and Andy Algar

Defensive Back: Kyle Plummer, Kevin Taylor, Greg Van Bolderen, Mike Butler and Mike Rostance

Kicker: Chris Cimadamore

Kick Returner: Chris Faetz