BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
With out a doubt, Stephen Gravel?s last season in the Sudbury and District Secondary School?s Athletic Association (SDSSAA) Varsity Football League was a memorable one.
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Steven Gravel was easily the best player in the local high school football league, says coach Brandon Dougan. |
Gravel was unanimously selected as the league MVP. Gravel collected a total of 25 points, including three first place votes, to take home the coveted Sid Forster Memorial Award.
?It means a lot because they call it the Sid Forster Award and he was a great football coach and I met him once in 1993,? said Gravel. ?It?s also nice to be mentioned along with the other great football players who have won the award.?
Gravel, a running back, helped the Lo-Ellen Park Knights gain a playoff spot by playing inspired football all
season.
In five games (statistics from two games were unavailable), Gravel rushed for a whopping 750 yards, scored 10
touchdowns and recorded 60 points.
Gravel gives plenty of credit to his offensive line for allowing him to have a remarkable season.
The five-foot-11, 228 pound Gravel never has problems getting fired up to play games.
?I just love the game of football,? said Gravel. ?It?s easy to do well when you love something. I feel lucky because not everybody can play football, so I gave it my all everytime I am out on the field.?
Gravel worked hard to improve his speed with leg strengthening exercises. He knows that contributed to his solid performance.
?I have a low centre of gravity and as long as I keep my legs chugging, I can knock people over,? said Gravel. ?I developed more speed this year, so I was able to run away from people besides running through them.?
Although the Knights didn?t win the city championship, Gravel felt he and his teammates accomplished a lot during the season.
?We made the playoffs and we felt we could repeat as city champions, but we came up short,? said Gravel. ?I had a great time and I played for a great team.?
Last year, DeVaughn Harper, another running back from Lo-Ellen, captured the MVP award. Gravel is honoured to continue the tradition of success at the school.
?It?s tremendous for the school,? said Gravel. ?It just goes to show how awesome the football program is here.?
Head coach Brandon Dougan called Gravel the best football player in the league without hesitation and watched Gravel play all out in every game.
?He?s a deserving MVP,? said Dougan. ?He has the attitude, work ethic and talent. He?s the best player I have ever coached.?
Besides superior skill, Gravel showed a lot of clutch play during the season.
?With two games left in the season we played Lockerby and we needed the win to make the playoffs,? said
Dougan. ?Stephen went out and scored four touchdowns for us. It was unbelievable. On top of that, when we needed him to play defence, Stephen stepped in and made an immediate impact.?
Besides being a nightmare for opponents, Gravel also puts up big numbers in the classroom. He maintains a 85
average and has his sights set on Canadian university football.
