Mitchell Smiley and Mason Kett accepting donations from Marge and Dave Stewart

 

Seventeen year olds Mitchell Smiley and Mason Kett, two former Sarnia Sturgeon players have been named to Team Ontario and will be traveling to Moncton New Brunswick to compete in the Canada Cup Vasity Football Championships.  Team Ontario will go up against teams from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Smiley and Kett currently members of the undefeated London Mustangs (5 - 0) attended the first tryout against 200 players. The roster was then trimmed down to 90 and the two competed in Guelph in April at the Red vs Black  weekend and they both made the final cut and were selected to the final 40.

 

"I was excited." Mitchell Smiley said "I'll try and make the best of it."

 

The two players who will be entering into grade twelve at Northern in the fall have been playing together since they were young.  They have played in both SMAA  and the Sarnia Sturgeon and both play for the Northern Vikings. 

 

"We haven't been on a separate team since we were small, it's pretty exciting" Mason Kett said

 

"We are very proud of these two boys." said Sarnia Sturgeon President Tim Purdy "Mitchell is blessed with speed as with his track record but on the football field he really excelled with that, and we really used that as one of our weapons." 

 

"Mason wasn't' blessed with speed, he was blessed with toughness. He always didn't have the starting position but by the end of the year he was starting and he was going both ways because he didn't quit. His dad pushed him hard, and the coaches pushed hard and he excelled at that."

 

Purdy coached the two when they were young and in the last two years Steve Belrose was their head coach.

 

"They have the opportunity to represent our city on Team Ontario.  It's a blessing for our organization and they deserve all the credit.  We're  proud of them." said Purdy

 

On Sunday between the Bantam and Junior Varsity games Smiley and Kett were presented with cheques of $300.00 from the Sarnia Sturgeon organization by two loyal Sturgeon volunteers Dave and Marge Stewart.

 

Marge Stewart was the team manager for several years said. "I'm very proud of the boys.  I've enjoyed working with both of them and look forward to both having great futures."