Moncton High Beats Harrison Trimble in Provincial High School Football Final at Rocky Stone Field
Published Monday November 16th, 2009
High school football showdown draws more than 5,000 spectators
By Dwayne Tingley
Times & Transcript Staff
Same Zeid admits the Moncton High Purple Knights “weren’t very good” four years ago when they won only two games and failed to make the playoffs in the New Brunswick High School Football League.
VIKTOR PIVOVAROV/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT
Moncton High School Purple Knights Same Zeid, 7, and head coach John Allanach celebrate with teammates after winning the 12 man football championship at Rocky Stone Memorial Field against Harrison Trible High School Trojans on Saturday.
Since then, Zeid and other members of that team have been tirelessly lifting weights, reviewing game tapes and practising year-round in an effort to bring Moncton High its 14th provincial football championship and first since 2002.
The 17-year-old slotback/punter and his teammates were rewarded in a spectacular way Saturday afternoon.
Purple Knights beat Harrison Trimble Trojans 43-21 before more than 5,000 spectators at Rocky Stone Memorial Field in the first matchup for the provincial title between the storied rivals in 26 years.
“It’s all been worth it and it feels better than I ever expected,” said Zeid, who caught a touchdown pass in the first half.
“For the last three or four years, we’ve been trying to bring more athletes out to our team so we could make a run at the championship,” he said.
“We needed guys who wanted to make a serious commitment to football. We found the right athletes who were willing to make sacrifices by giving up lunch hours, after school time and weekends to make the team. It makes this win very special.”
The game attracted former players and students from both schools, many proudly sporting the purple and white of Moncton High or the maroon and white of Harrison Trimble.
Purple Knights linebacker Brett Gray, who was named defensive player of the game, said the crowd created a magical atmosphere.
“It was so loud at times that we couldn’t hear,” Gray said. “We had to focus on the game, but there were times on the sideline when I would look over at the crowd and just see huge walls of purple. What a feeling.”
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Personal note.......If we can get over 5,000 spectators out to the provincial high school football final in Moncton, I'm sure that we will be able to pack the stands with 20,000 spectators for the CFL game next fall!!!
I'm sure that the CFL mandarins will be made aware of this and I am sure that they will be impressed. I will tolerate no more comments that Moncton is not a football hotbed......obviously it is.