Hurricanes announce 2013 schedule

Charlottetown, PE – The Holland College Hurricanes Football Club recently announced its 2013 schedule, including details of the game against the University of Vermont Catamounts as the team makes its debut in the U.S.-based National Club Football Association (NCFA).

The Hurricanes open the Atlantic Football League regular season with an away game against the UNB Saint John Seawolves on Saturday, September 14. The club’s home opener will take place at UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place on Sunday, September 22, at 1 p.m., when the Canes host the defending Atlantic Football League champions UNB Fredericton Red Bombers. The team remains at home the following weekend for a game against the Dalhousie University Tigers on Saturday, September 28, at 1 p.m.The Hurricanes are on the road on October 5 and 19 for matchups against UNB Fredericton and Dalhousie. Between those two away games is the final home date of the regular season, on Sunday, October 13, at 1 p.m., versus UNB Saint John.

AFL semi-final playoff games will be played on October 26, with the two winners advancing to the championship game on November 2. Hosting rights for playoff games are determined by final regular season standings.

The game against the University of Vermont club will take place at the South Burlington (VT) High School Stadium on Sunday, November 10, at 1 p.m. The Catamounts have been one of the top-ranked NCFA programs in the nation for the past two seasons; they ended last season ranked fourth in the coaches’ poll. The NCFA includes collegiate club teams from across the United States organized into five conferences, plus independents. Holland College will compete as an independent. NCFA club teams include such familiar names as the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and The Ohio State University Buckeyes.

University of Vermont Club Football president Jack Leclerc said the team is looking forward to playing the Hurricanes.

“We are excited to host Holland College in their first NCFA game. It is going to be interesting to see how things will be different between our two teams. It will be a unique scene as teams from two different parts of the world compete in the universal sport of football,” he said.

The Hurricanes’ AFL games will count toward the team’s NCFA season record, and the team will be eligible for national rankings, which will determine bids to the national championship game in Salem, Virginia. For NCFA-sanctioned games played in the U.S., the ‘Canes will adapt to American football rules.

Mike O’Grady, president of the Hurricanes Football Club, said he anticipates even greater crowds at home games this year. “As followers of all Holland College teams now realize, we take an ‘all-in’ approach here. This is our fourth season in the AFL, and every year we are determined to build on the resurgence of football on P.E.I.,” he said. “We’ll have a great group of recruits to join our returning players, and we have our sights set on regaining the championship title and then then taking a shot at the Catamounts in Vermont.