With the Innisfail Cyclones taking the Mountain View 9 Man Football League championship, Hailey Essex joins an elite group.
For the Innisfail High School Grade 11 student, her first year of football is now a winning one.
“I'd always wanted to play football,” said the player who wore number 73 during the season. “And this was the year I decided to try out and now we are league champions. It was a good decision.”
Essex rotated on and off the field throughout the game, contributing as she was called on by coach Trevor Wooff.
“I've had girls on my football teams before and they have played well,” said Wooff. “Hailey came out to play, and play she did. She played and trained hard just like the boys on the team.”
The young football player said she enjoyed playing on the team and will likely return to help defend the team's championship next year.
“It's exciting to win the championship,” said Essex as she helped clean up the field after the win. “As a team, we'll go back to the dressing room and have a talk with the coach. It's a great day.”
Meanwhile fan reaction from the bleachers was unanimous with praise for the team that went undefeated during season play to take the title.
“It was nice to see the boys take the title but it would have been more exciting to see the game a little closer,” said Kevin Newsham, father of Tanner Newsham of the Cyclones. “Sundre kept in the game and never gave up which was great to see despite being down by so many points early on. From the smallest player to the biggest, they never stopped.”
Keith Gabert, father of the Cyclones' Matthew Gabert, was equally pleased with the victory for the hometown team.
“As parents, we were very pleased that the team was able to continue their winning streak into the playoffs,” said Gabert. “Both teams played hard.”
