A whirlwind from the Foothills blew into a famed United States football stadium last week.
Foothills Falcons Payton Burbank and Keaton Neish and Holy Trinity Academy Knight Parker Nakamura were members of Team U16 Alberta, which stunned the U.S.-Under 16 Selects 37-19 at AT&T Stadium — the home of the Dallas Cowboys — on Jan. 17.
“It was amazing — surreal to be in the States playing in AT&T Stadium,” Burbank said. “You knew the Packers and the Cowboys had played there two days before and I got to step on that field and hopefully play the best that I can — an amazing experience.”
Burbank did some amazing things himself.
The slotback was named Team Alberta MVP after gaining 70 yards receiving — including a pair of TDs — and 14 yards rushing.
“I had no idea — I was just happy to get 70 yards,” Burbank said. “My coach told me I was MVP and I said. ‘Funny joke, coach.’”
Not bad for a guy who had the jitters before kickoff.
“The morning of the game I was so nervous — if you told me we were going to win that game, I might have bet against us,” Burbank said. “People live and die for high school football down there.”
The American route appeared to be on when Myles Nash, from just outside of Dallas, took the opening kick-off to the house for an early 7-0 lead.
“My first reaction was: ‘We are in for a long day,’” Burbank said. “Then my second reaction was ‘if they showed up to play then we are going to show up. I went out there and put everything I had on the field.”
Mission accomplished.
Burbank was able to even the score at 7-7 with a 10-yard TD catch. He would break a 13-13 tie with a 35-yard catch and run major from Henry Wise Wood quarterback Kristian Stembridge.
“Keaton Neish actually pulled the defender off me so I was wide open,” Burbank said.
Nakamura put in his typical all-star performance at the unglamorous centre and guard positions on the o-line.
“Parker made those holes really big for us – he had a really good game like he always does,” Burbank said.
Nakamura said it was a great learning experience.
“I got to go against guys who have different styles than up here,” Nakamura said. “It wasn’t what I expected. I thought they were going to be really big, but instead they were really fast.
“I knew we had a real good team and had a good chance… I felt I had pushed myself hard enough before going down there to match up pretty well against the players down there.”
He said getting the experience from the foray of coaches will help him when he puts on the “Knights’ jersey next season. High River’s Neish didn’t have any receptions, but was a vital cog on the attack.
“I got to play a lot,” Neish said. “I didn’t get balls thrown my way, but I had some big blocks and was able to spring (Brooks High School’s) Ajou Ajou for a big run.”
He agreed it was an amazing football experience.
“We were treated exactly like professional football players,” Neish said. “We would eat breakfast, go to a meeting for practice, go for lunch then another practice.
“It was pretty crazy.”
They also got a tour of the stadium, including where the likes of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott put on their uniforms.
The team was also able to knock off from a meeting early to watch at the hotel the Cowboys lose to the Packers.
“To see the Cowboy pride the city and the state has for the team was pretty cool,” Neish said.
All three Okotoks area players said they were able to adjust to the American rules in which backs and receivers can’t have forward motion before the snap of the ball. In Canada, there is more movement than in a Trudeau cabinet shuffle.
“It was difficult, just different,” Burbank said. “I had prior experience playing U.S. football when I played Selects (as Bantam) in B.C. But it brings in a different aspect of the game.”
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