The Kushnir Boot has returned to New West after the Hyacks prevailed in a hard-fought game at Mercer Stadium on Friday night.
The New Westminster Secondary School Hyacks beat the South Delta Sun Devils 21-20 on a soggy Friday night game on their home field. With the win, the Hyacks are now 3-0 in league/crossover play.
"It was an exciting game against a well-coached South Delta team,” said Andrew McKechnie, the Hyacks’ co-head coach. “They had a smart game plan and executed it well. We had to dig ourselves out of a few holes along the way, which we were able to in large part due to our offensive line led by Greg Palmer, our quarterback Antonio Hageleit and fullback Tyson Godspower."
The game – and the trophy awarded to the winner – is named for Bill Kushnir, a BC Lions player in the 1950s. He started the original football program at New Westminster Secondary School, which was then called Lester Pearson High School.
McKechnie said the game was originally played between New Westminster and Centennial in Coquitlam.
New Westminster Secondary School’s football program ceased in the 1970s, and Kushnir moved to South Delta and started that school’s program. The game was then played between South and North Delta.
McKechnie said New Westminster and South Delta started playing the game when the football program was restarted at NWSS. They’ve been playing for the Kushnir Cup since 2005.
“The rivalry has been an intense one, with the trophy almost rotating each year,” he said. “This year was particularly intense as it was not only the boot game but also a conference game – counting towards playoffs – as they are now in our conference.”
Friday night’s game was “very exciting,” McKechnie said, with the two teams exchanging the lead three or four times.
McKechnie said the Hyacks’ season is going well so far, with the team having a 3-0 record in conference play but having some of its tougher games coming up.
The Hyacks head out on the road for games against Seaquam and Centennial, before returning to Mercer Stadium for their final home game of the regular season. The Hyacks and St. Thomas More will play on Friday, Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
“It is our senior night where we recognize our graduating seniors and their families,” McKechnie said.
