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Central Alberta Buccaneers season comes to an end after playoff loss

Bucs lost to Airdrie Irish in playoffs
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Buccaneers player Dario Nazarit returns a punt during a regular season game against the Edmonton Elite of the Alberta Football League at Great Chief Park. (Photo by Ian Gustafson/ Advocate staff)

The Central Alberta Buccaneers season came to an end on Saturday after they lost 52-0 to the Airdrie Irish in the Alberta Football League quarter-finals.

The Buccaneers finished the regular season in sixth place with a record of 1-5 and made it into the playoffs on a tiebreaker.

General manager Mike Wilkinson said this season was a really good experience building year for his squad.

“We had something like nine returners and about 30 fresh faces to the team so it was kind of really cool to everybody’s strength and weaknesses and know where we can build from there,” Wilkinson said.

This season the Bucs relied on their veteran defence as their young offence got their feet under them. Wilkinson said in the game on Saturday this combination made it challenging for the Buccaneers to be effective.

“You can have the best defence on the planet but if your offence is only out for two plays and then the special team unit comes on to punt you just end up having the defence on the field for 45 minutes out of a football game and that’s just not fun for anybody,” Wilkinson said.

Central Alberta also had injury issues this season, which Wilkinson said comes down to inexperience.

In the most recent game they had 30 players dressed for the playoff final and by the fourth quarter, many players who tried to come back because of injury left the game with ailments. At one point he said they had 12 on the field and only 14 on the bench.

The hope for next year is to try and bring back players from this roster now that many have a full season under their belt, both new and veteran players.

“I know many of the key players who played and won the championship last season had been with the team for anywhere between five and 10 years chasing that championship,” he said. “We’re definitely hoping to be competitive next year obviously we’ve already started recruiting for next season.”

The Buccaneers, as well as the local football community, are mourning the loss of Larry Fudge. Wilkinson said Fudge, who passed away unexpectedly this past weekend, was a volunteer with the team for at least five years and was a cornerstone piece in many local football organizations. He has four children who play the sport and has coached football at Lindsay Thurber High School and was the gatekeeper at Buccaneers games.

“If he recognized your face as you were coming through the gate he would talk your ear off as you were paying your admission and get you excited to come to watch some football,” Wilkinson said. “Just a really friendly community engaged guy.”

A Gofundme was started for the family with a goal of $10,000 and at time of publishing $3,205 was raised.



Ian Gustafson

About the Author: Ian Gustafson

Ian began his journalism career as a reporter in Prince Albert, Sask. for the last three years, and was born and raised in Saskatchewan.
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