The time is nigh for the Varsity Interlake Thunder.
On Sunday, the Thunder will head into the Rural Manitoba Football League (RMFL) playoff semifinals as the No. 1 seed, taking on the fourth-ranked Moosomin Generals.
The season has been everything they’d hoped for and more: an undefeated regular season, a revenge win over the defending champion St. Vital Mustangs, steady growth from the entire roster, and home-field advantage secured throughout the playoffs.
Now, they’re just two wins away from an RMFL championship — something they’ve come close to, but never fully achieved in recent years.
“We’ve got two left and then hopefully we’re holding that trophy up, and I can breathe a big sigh of relief,” said head coach Christof Hasselfield. “Looking forward to giving all those guys the hug and thanking them for everything they put into the program — all the offseason stuff they put in, everything they’ve done for me and the coaching staff and for the Thunder.
“That’s always been the goal and we’re getting closer to achieving it, but there’s lots of work to do still. It would mean everything to get those guys a championship in their Grade 12 year for all the work they’ve put in for me, no question.”
In his third season as head coach, Hasselfield admits he’s grown alongside the program and its players.
The Thunder’s best regular season together has come as no surprise to him, given their talent and tight team bond.
The challenge of playoff success still remains, however, with three other quality teams also in contention.
Despite finishing fourth, Moosomin boasts the second-best defence in the RMFL. Just a few weeks ago, the Generals stood with the Thunder as the league’s only other undefeated club. The Thunder kept rolling while Moosomin suffered a few losses, partly due to injury trouble.
The two sides were slated to meet in Week 7 of the regular season in Moosomin, but injuries forced the Generals to forfeit ahead of the match — leaving both teams with an element of unfamiliarity heading into Sunday.
On the other side of the bracket, the St. Vital Mustangs and Dauphin Clippers are also vying for a spot in the finals.
The Mustangs, who defeated the Thunder in last year’s Urban Division title game, once again lead the league in points scored this season. The Thunder, however, hold bragging rights after beating them in Week 1.
Interlake also downed Dauphin in dominant fashion in their lone regular-season meeting in Week 4.
On Sunday, quarterback Jessie Batenchuk is expected to lead the Thunder offence. One of the league’s top passers, he’ll have plenty of passing and handoff options available. The Thunder have also prepared to adapt their game plan based on whatever weather conditions arise.
Defensively, the Thunder allowed the fewest points in the RMFL during the regular season.
“We know that we are the top team and people are gunning for us and they’re going to bring their all,” said Hasselfield. “But for so many of these guys who’ve spent three years coming up as the underdog, we’ve got a mentality of ‘bring it.’
“We’ve been preaching to them the whole time — it’s not about the other teams. We’re playing against ourselves all the time. That’s why we finished a couple games with blowouts and I probably didn’t have the nicest post-game talk because we were sloppy in a couple areas, but that’s what being a championship team is.
“We’ve told these guys the whole time that really we’re playing against perfection. Regardless of who shows up, what colour they’re wearing or where the game’s played, you’ve got to do your job. We’ve got to take care of business.”
Kickoff against Moosomin is slated for 1 p.m. Sunday at Stonewall Collegiate Field.
