The Mount Douglas Rams football program has always been about family, but the Kremler boys have taken it to a new level for the junior varsity and triple-A senior teams.
Grade 12 middle linebacker and centre Justice Kremler, soon to be 17, welcomes 14-year-old twins Zairech and Gideone to the fold as the trio picks up where brothers Ashton and Byron Mackinnon and Terrell and Marcus Davis left off.
What鈥檚 amazing is quarterback Gideone, just in Grade 9, will guide both the Rams鈥� junior and varsity teams, taking snaps from brother Justice. Should Zairech ever get into any senior games, he could take handoffs from twin Gideone, after he receives the snap from Justice.
Zairech isn鈥檛 expected to see much time in that scenario, however.
鈥淚 like to think I set the bar high for them,鈥� Justice said, with a chuckle, referring to his siblings.
鈥淎ll three are terrific young men,鈥� said Rams head coach Mark Townsend, who admits having a Grade 9 starting QB at the senior level is unique.
鈥淕ideone is an amazing kid. We discussed it at great length as a coaching staff in the spring. We did an evaluation and we knew that physically he has all the tools to play quarterback at the varsity level. He won us over with his maturity level,鈥� explained Townsend.
鈥淗e is very cool, mature beyond his years and he does not look out of place playing quarterback at the varsity level. We call him an OKG 鈥� our kind of guy. He doesn鈥檛 just like football, he loves football and he鈥檚 done a great job.鈥�
The Rams, with Justice as one of the team captains, have won all four pre-season games and start the regular season today at 3 p.m. at Mt. Doug against Vancouver-based Notre Dame, right after the JVs play at 12:30 p.m.
The seniors are also back in the No. 1 ranking provincially, ahead of South Delta, the team that snapped the Rams鈥� three-straight Subway Bowl championship run last year. Terry Fox is No. 3, Vancouver College is No. 4 and New Westminster is No. 5. All but Terry Fox are situated in the Western Conference, along with Mount Douglas and Belmont (which also begins play today at 5 at New Westminster).
鈥淭here鈥檚 a little pressure, I guess,鈥� Gideone said of starting at the senior level. 鈥淏ut that comes with the game in general, as a quarterback. At times it鈥檚 more intense than others, but for the most part I just like to go out there and play football.鈥�
Asked about expectations, he replied: 鈥淭o win football games and throw touchdowns.鈥�
Which is OK by older brother, Justice.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 handled himself well. It鈥檚 been cool to watch him grow up, because I have coached him before,鈥� said Justice. 鈥淚t was weird when I had to play with him. It was like, 鈥榃hoa, I just coached this kid last year as my little brother and now I鈥檓 snapping the ball to him sometimes.鈥� I think they can both handle themselves.鈥�
The twins have proven it with provincial championships last year with the Victoria Renegades and sa国际传媒 crowns with the peewee Victoria Outlaws in Grade 5 and 6.
Zairech says the trio first played soccer, but became interested in the Gordon Head football program after watching NFL at home with mom Launa, a big football fan, and dad Zac.
鈥淭he first year we played soccer and football, the year after we quit soccer,鈥� said Zairech. 鈥淲e fell in love with football.鈥�
And Townsend couldn鈥檛 be more excited. Having Gideone at quarterback opens up the playbook for the senior Rams鈥� coaching staff, which can now use Gavin Cobb more effectively. Cobb also takes some snaps at QB, but stars at the running back and receiving spots. Manny Lopez is in the same boat as Cobb and Declann Michielin is also expected to have a big year.
EXTRA POINTS: In Tier II varsity play, Timberline is at Spectrum at 2 p.m. today in exhibition action before the Thunder open at home next Friday to Eric Hamber of Vancouver.
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