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Red Deer players part of national championship win

Although they didn’t get an opportunity to be on the field, a trio of Red Deer players are celebrating a national championship.

Although they didn’t get an opportunity to be on the field, a trio of Red Deer players are celebrating a national championship.

Kieran Pruden. Dustin Schaber and Ruben Viveros were all first-year members of the Regina Thunder, who defeated the host Vancouver Island Raiders 55-26 in last Saturday’s Canadian Bowl, emblematic of junior football supremacy.

All three from Notre Dame High School were backups this season with Pruden at quarterback and the other two at receiver.

“Ruben and Dustin were two of our bigger recruits at receiver and we expect big things form them next season,” said Thunder first-year head coach Scott MacAulay.

All three were on the scout team and all dressed for two league games, although they didn’t see any action.

They did play in the exhibition season with Pruden hitting Viveros for a touchdown.

MacAulay liked what he saw from all three and isn’t against continuing to recruit in Central Alberta.

“I’m happy with all three and we’re just starting to recruit for next season and we’ll certainly be interested in finding more players out of that area, possibly linemen,” he said.

The Thunder have been in existence for the last 13 years and made their first Canadian Bowl this season.

“We have been in the PJL (Prairie Junior League) final the last four years and finally won this year,” explained MacAulay.