players to watch
Andres Dueck
Rain Slater
ANDY CURRIE A DIVISION
RAIN SLATER, OT, ST. JOHN’S
Slater will be starting his second season with the
St. John’s Tigers and made a tremendous impact in
his first season. As a Grade 10 offensive lineman,
he was named the Currie Conference most
outstanding lineman of the year as well as being
named a league all-star. Rain was a member of the
U-16 Provincial Football team the past two years
and this year was selected to be a member of the
U18 Provincial Football team that will represent
Manitoba in the Canada Cup of football.
“Rain has tremendous power and moves
exceptionally well for someone over 300 pounds,”
said St. John’s head coach Grant McMillan. “As Rain
is only in Grade 11 this year, he will be a dominant
force on the offensive line at St. John’s for the next
two seasons.”
DAYTON BLACK, QB, NEELIN SPARTANS This young man is
a specimen. A 6-foot-5, 240-pound quarterback who led the
Neelin Spartans to a WHSFL Championship as a sophomore,
the 16-year-old who also plays on defense was a member of this
year’s provincial U-18 team at QB.
“He has always been an athlete who never wanted to fail,” said
his coach, Robert Cullen. “He began sports at an early age and
never looked back. His football career began in the Westman
Youth Football Association as a menacing Terminator (7-8 yearsold) and was a force who could play against the older boys.”
Besides going 83-for-162 for 1,297 yards and nine touchdowns
last season, he also caught a pass for 25 yards and carried 93
times for 391 yards and five more TDs. A great all-around athlete,
Dayton was also instrumental in guiding his JV basketball team to
a 2016 MHSAA Championship win.
“His provincial experience this year will be a great
enhancement to his already solid game,” added Cullen. “Bringing
back that experience from the provincial team level will be an
added benefit to an already solid athlete who exhibits a relentless
work ethic, positive attitude, solid leadership skills, and a skill
you can’t coach – size.”
Dayton Black, Neelin
sportslife / 19