NRHSAA Tier 1 football MVPS, all-star honours
Drake Somerville (14), pictured above, has been named the offensive MVP of the NRHSAA Tier 1 football league.
Myer quarterback Drake Somerville and Sir Winston Churchill defensive back/safety Josh Morley have been named the offensive and defensive MVPs of the Tier 1 Niagara Region High School Athletic Association football league.
Myer head coach Dave Buchanan describes Somerville as a player who has put more work into improving as a quarterback than any other player in the region.
“His growth since Grade 10 has been massive due to his work ethic,” he said. “He’s gifted with a very strong arm and is constantly working on understanding the quarterback position. Drake has also worked hard at improving academically and is set to be eligible for a scholarship offer. He has a very good mindset for the position and we are looking forward to seeing his next steps at the university level.”
Somerville has played four years of football at Myer and started at quarterback at the senior level for the first time in his 12B year. He lost his Grade 12 season to the COVID 19 pandemic.
“We were obviously really upset because we had put in a lot of work in the offseason and we were looking forward to our Grade 12 year,” he said. “We made the best of it by playing a lot of touch football and we trained throughout the winter to get us ready for our 12B year.”
The 18-year-old Niagara Falls resident agrees he has worked hard on his quarterbacking skills.
“I started playing football a little bit later than some of the other quarterbacks so I felt that I had to put in as much time and effort to catch up and hopefully surpass them. I wanted to be the best quarterback I could be so I trained a lot on the field throwing with my quarterback coaches and I lifted weights to get bigger, stronger and faster.”
He also worked hard on the mental side of things.
“It was understanding how to read defences, understanding different tendencies and coverages and what to look for as a quarterback to slow the game down for me.”
Somerville’s list of people who helped him earn offensive MVP honours includes quarterback coach Will Finch, Myer coaches Buchanan and Dan Pepe and all his teammates.
“Everyone who is part of the program and helped me along the way, I really have to thank them for my success.”
Somerville is in the process of deciding where his football career will go next. His top three preferred destinations are York, McMaster and Windsor. He has made official visits to all three universities.
While he considers his choices, he will continue to work hard.
“The game is a lot faster and I will be playing with older guys so I will have to work on getting stronger and faster and continue to work on my throwing mechanics to make sure they are smooth and working properly and staying accurate,” he said. “From the mental side, it is also a lot faster and you have to be a lot more knowledgable.”
Other finalists for the league’s offensive MVP award were Churchill quarterback Ryan Cormier and Westlane running back Mike Grimo. Also receiving offensive MVP votes were Myer wide receiver Tyler Goforth, Eden receiver Ian Maskaluk and Churchill receiver Quinn Johnston.
Morley, an 18-year-old 12B student, was a force on both sides of the ball for the Bulldogs. The 5-foot-9, 150-pounder called the plays and set the defence from his deep back/safety position, was a sure-handed receiver on offence and a force on special teams.
“He is a player who truly commits to his craft on developing and mastering his technical skills and is always willing to share what he does with the younger players on the team,” Churchill head coach Peter Perron said.
He described Morley as a great mentor to the younger players.
“When on the field in both the 2019 and 2021 seasons, he was an impact player in helping us to secure wins but also to make us competitive against other teams in the playoffs,” Perron said. “When he does have to come off the field, you do notice a change in the intensity level.”
Morley has a lot of respect for the opposition and never takes anyone lightly.
“He does study film to not only evaluate the opponents we play but also to self-evaluate his skills.”
Perron is confident Morley will continue on in football.
“His future in football is always a choice he has to make for himself as it is for any player at his age,” he said. “Whether he plays at university, in the CJFL (Canadian Junior Football League), other levels, or if chooses to coach, football will always be in his blood.”
Other finalists for the league defensive MVP award were Myer’s Arden Martinez and Quin Douglas, and Westlane’s Keynan Aird. Also receiving defensive MVP votes were Churchill’s Johnston and Eden’s Nigel Hurd.
MYER’S ALL-STARS
Selected to the Cat’s Caboose/BPSN all-star team from champion A.N. Myer were: Somerville; slotback Douglas; Goforth; wide receiver/halfback Josh Hicks; running back/wide receiver Alex Walters; offensive lineman Ben Morley; linebacker Martinez; linebacker David Arevelo; defensive end Javier Van Derwalt; and, safety/returner Eugene Park.
Picked as the Marauders’ offensive and defensive MVPs were Somerville and Martinez.
CHURCHILL’S ALL-STARS
Chosen to the Cat’s Caboose/BPSN all-star team all-star team from runner-up Sir Winston Churchill were: Cormier; running back De’Ondre Forde; receiver/linebacker/ defensive back Johnston; receiver Brady Pupek; offensive tackle/defensive end Daniel Ferguson; running back/linebacker Justin Savoie; Morley; defensive back Moses Lougheed; and, receiver/special teams player Janal Williams.
Selected as the Bulldogs’ offensive and defensive MVPs were Cormier and Morley.
EDEN’S ALL-STARS
Named to the Cat’s Caboose/BPSN all-star team from third-place Eden were: offensive lineman Nic Bluzmans; receiver Ogo Ogunkeye; Maskaluk; kicker/punter Braeden Van Slageran; defensive back Hurd; defensive lineman Isaac Lede; defensive back Martin Owekka; and, defensive lineman Justin Gills.
Eden’s offensive and defensive MVPs were Maskaluk and Hurd.
WESTLANE’S ALL-STARS
Named to the Cat’s Caboose/BPSN all-star team from fourth-place Westlane were: Deshaun Morris, Mike Grimo, Dylan Birnie, Aird and Jordan Nguyen from Westlane; and, Theo Pegado and Zach Medford from Stamford
Chosen as the Spartans offensive and defensive MVPs were Grimo and Aird.
