The Grade 12 players on the Belmont Bulldogs senior varsity football team took it upon themselves to meet before their first practice to talk about their goals for the 2016 season.

Having endured a winless season playing in the toughest high school football conference in the province, they wanted to make sure they were all on the same page.

A couple things are clear for senior Dontae Bull, a highly touted offensive lineman who also plays defensive line.

B次元官网网址淲e want to win a home playoff game in Victoria,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e have to go either 4-2 (to be) guaranteed or 3-3 (to make playoffs), and one of our goals is to beat Mount Doug.B次元官网网址�

Sitting in an empty Belmont gym with three of his seniors, head coach Alexis Sanschagrin points to various signs of a turnaround in this, the 10th year of Bulldogs football.

Firstly, the combined senior and junior varsity roster strength is almost 60 players B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 15 to 20 more than last season, although about average for similar-sized schools in the division. Nonetheless, it puts the Bulldogs on a level playing field, he said, and means less players will be playing the full game on both sides of the ball.

Then thereB次元官网网址檚 SanschagrinB次元官网网址檚 belief that amongst the nine Grade 12s in the program, six have a legitimate shot at playing post-secondary football if they continue to progress this season.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 something thatB次元官网网址檚 pretty exciting, because six is a big number anywhere you are in the province. ItB次元官网网址檚 very rare to have that many guys who are quality football players, dedicated football players have these kinds of opportunities in front of them.B次元官网网址�

Bull, a big (6-7, 275 pounds) and quick lineman who is expected to field multiple offers to play college or university ball, is among those individuals. And his desire to beat Mount Doug does not come simply from a crosstown rivalry.

The vaunted Rams remain the benchmark program for now, admitted Sanschagrin.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e always well coached, theyB次元官网网址檙e a good program, theyB次元官网网址檙e successful,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e a program that shows their kids are confident and they expect to win, and theyB次元官网网址檙e going to be well-prepared. So, until proven otherwise, theyB次元官网网址檙e (the team to beat) B次元官网网址� TheyB次元官网网址檝e earned our respect and we know theyB次元官网网址檙e going to be good.B次元官网网址�

Exhibition game against Seattle team will be good test

The Bulldogs are currently in the middle of two-a-day workouts at Goudy Field in preparation for the season and this SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 home exhibition game against the Seattle Prep Panthers. So far, Bull and teammates Darien Attridge, a safety/receiver; and Brett Milligan, an all-rounder who backs up No. 1 quarterback Darian Jules and can play running back, receiver and line, like what theyB次元官网网址檙e seeing so far.

Among other things, the BulldogsB次元官网网址� running game is improved, they agree, and the improved offensive line is expected to give the quarterbacks more time to throw when needed.

Milligan also sees a broader change happening.

B次元官网网址淚 think just on the whole the team is a lot more confident and thereB次元官网网址檚 just a lot less holes throughout all the positions. And now we have more of a winning mentality,B次元官网网址� he said. Players had few expectations going into games last year, he added, but with more experience under their belt, theyB次元官网网址檙e thinking more about winning and making a push for a playoff spot.

This season offers a chance for the Bulldogs to make a statement in various ways, added Attridge.

B次元官网网址淔or me itB次元官网网址檚 a year to show who we are and to put our team and our school on the map,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e just want to play and prove that weB次元官网网址檙e a school worth being at and worth playing for.B次元官网网址�

Milligan agreed.

B次元官网网址淚 just want our name to be in B.C. High School Football, like I want people to go B次元官网网址榦h, weB次元官网网址檝e got Belmont next week, thatB次元官网网址檚 going to be a tough game,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he said. As for support for the team within the school, he noted that creating a winning mentality may spread to other students.

B次元官网网址淭his is a hockey school, it always has been, and thatB次元官网网址檚 one of the reasons we donB次元官网网址檛 end up getting a lot of the players we see in the halls, guys who could make a big difference on our team,B次元官网网址� Milligan said.

Bull rephrased the goals the seniors came up with, saying the players are expecting more this season following the B次元官网网址渂uilding yearB次元官网网址� that was 2015.

B次元官网网址淚 want people to know this is not the same team as they saw last year,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淧eople showed up to our first couple games, they saw we were losing and stopped showing up. ItB次元官网网址檚 going to be different this year.B次元官网网址�

Kickoff for SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 game is at 1 p.m. at Westhills Stadium. Visit belmontfootball.com for more information.

editor@goldstreamgazette.com

Bulldog ball

The Belmont Bulldogs open their 2016 exhibition football season this Saturday at Westhills Stadium against the Seattle Prep Panthers. Game time is 1 p.m.

Other upcoming home games (all at Goudy Field):

Sept. 16 B次元官网网址� Exhibition vs. Ballenas, junior varsity and varsity

Sept. 22 B次元官网网址� JV reg. season vs Lord Tweedsmuir

Oct. 13 B次元官网网址� JV vs. Terry Fox

Oct. 14 B次元官网网址� Varsity vs. Carson Graham

Oct. 21 B次元官网网址� JV and varsity vs Notre Dame

Oct. 28 B次元官网网址� JV and varsity vs. New Westminster

Nov. 5 B次元官网网址� JV vs. Mount Boucherie