The CFC Football Canada Cup (FCC) POWER RANKINGS are a pre-tournament prediction based on information compiled about each team. It is not a ‘game result predictor’. We will do those separately. The ‘draw’ will have much to do with how teams ‘place’ in this tournament.

The 17th annual Football Canada Cup is an under-18 national championship with 8 participants: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario – West, Ontario – East, Quebec & Nova Scotia. ALL 12 FOOTBALL CANADA CUP GAMES WILL BE STREAMED ON CFC. VISIT CFC REGULARLY FOR MORE DETAILS AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.

The POWER RANKINGS are based on the following determinants:

[LIST]
[*]depth of talent available to each team
[*]depth of talent participating in the tournament
[*]tournament preparation time
[*]coaching experience and tournament coaching experience
[*]big time players
[*]last years results are considered minimally due to so much player turnover
[/LIST]

FOR PAST FOOTBALL CANADA CUP WINNERS, CLICK HERE

CFC FOOTBALL CANADA CUP PRE-TOURNAMENT POWER RANKINGS

1 – Quebec (142 juvénile high school teams)

Quebec has 142 juvénile (grade 10-11) high school teams playing football, but most of the players on the roster are from the juvénile division 1 league (10 teams), the best high school league in the country. Eleven players are represented from the league finalists Cactus Collège Notre-Dame & Loups Curé Antoine-Labelle. Over 400 players participated in ‘invited tryout’ process. Quebec has not won a Football Canada Cup since 2008, so they are overdue. Head Coach Marc Loranger is a veteran of the tournament and has added new offensive coordinator Benoit Groulx. Quebec gave up only two touchdowns last year (both in the final game, and in the final quarter) and are looking for better offensive production at this tournament. QBs Hugo Richard and Guillaume Dumas will be the difference makers.

2 – British Columbia (60 senior varsity high school teams)

After a strong showing in the 2010 tournament, their first in many years, this could be the year that Team BC grabs the gold. Running back Terrell Davis is a veteran of the tournament. Look for the offense to lean on this great running back who recently committed to the Washington State Cougars. Four coaches return from last years staff, and this continuity will help in 2011. New Offensive Coordinator Jay Prepchuk will have lots of great talent to work with. Will spend three days at University of Calgary (July 6 – 8) conducting a pre-tournament camp before making their way to the University of Lethbridge.

3 – Alberta (118 senior varsity high school teams)

A disappointing finish in 2010, the host team has re-focused and are banking on this focus for a better result in 2011. Both QBs (Taylor Armsworth & Matthew Bonaca) led their high school teams to appearances in the Alberta high school playdowns in 2010. Opened training camp Monday in Lethbridge. Still not enough players from Southern Alberta on this squad.

4 – Saskatchewan (104 12-man, 9-man, 6-man teams)

This team is better at running back and offensive line then last year but do not have a comparable replacement for Drew Burko, the best QB at the 2010 tournament. Another loss is creative Special Teams Coordinator Brian Guebert who is playing for Canada in the IFAF Senior World Championship. His ‘quick kick’ call against BC last year (executed by Burko and the offense for a TD) was the turning point in that semi-final game. Should be an outstanding first round game against Alberta.

5 – Ontario – West (204 senior varsity high school teams)

Last year’s squad may have been the best team by the end of the tournament. This year’s team does not have the depth of talent they had last year but have potentially the best QB in the tournament with Burlington’s Will Finch. If he can get some protection from his O-line expect big things from him and receivers Wes Livermore and Jake Frimeth. Open training camp Wednesday night in Lethbridge.

6 – Ontario – East (167 senior varsity high school teams)

A solid squad that will have only 2 1/2 days to prepare for a Quebec team that has been in training camp since last Friday. Will they have enough time to install an offense to suit their QBs skill sets? The team has 2 ‘holdovers’ from the 2009 U17 gold medal winning team – receiver Jamahll Charles and DB Bradley Hinton. Remember this name – Sean Decloux. This team was unable to attract the top QB and RB in the region and will go as far as their big Offensive Line will take them. Open training camp Wednesday in Lethbridge.

7 – Manitoba (39 senior varsity high school teams – including Thunder Bay)

This team returns the most players from 2010 tournament and they hope to benefit from this. ‘Team building’ exercises last weekend were done in hopes to ‘bond’ this squad and help in their quest to upset British Columbia in the first game. Like Nova Scotia (NS), are disadvantaged from a smaller pool of players to choose from, but like NS they are more prepared than any other province. Unlike Nova Scotia they have no players represented from the High School champions, Oak Park.

8 – Nova Scotia (17 varsity high school teams)

Played well in their return to the FCC in 2010 but ran out of steam in the last 2 games. Jesse Mills was the star of the 2010 team and a big reason for their success. Only one coach returns from last years squad. Two solid quarterbacks this year in Cluett and Shannon but neither are at the level of Mills. Word of advice to both QBs – get the ball to A’dre Fraser. Expect defensive lineman Adam Melanson to be a force in this years tournament. Will be prepared more than any other team, having played two exhibition games against New Brunswick’s U18 squad.