Just one day before he helped the Holy Rosary Raiders punch their ticket to the School Sport Alberta 3A provincial final, Jake Wicker charted his university football plans.
Read more: Wicker weaves university football path
Wicker has committed to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, who were playing in the Vanier Cup national championship last Saturday in Regina when the Raiders won their Alberta high school semifinal in the historic first game played at Holy Rosary’s new turf field.
Before playing an integral role offensively and defensively in the Raiders’ 44-15 victory over the St. Paul Lions in the North final, the Lloydminster lineman took care of business off the field last Friday as he made the Saskatoon-based Huskies his choice for U Sports football.
“I’m going to the Huskies,” a smiling Wicker proclaimed while standing on Lloyd’s newest sporting venue, the Canadian Natural Field.
“I just signed with the U of S yesterday. They’re playing in the Vanier Cup right now. It’s exciting.”
At the same time, his choice might have been a bit surprising, because the U of S wasn’t among the Canadian university teams courting Wicker this past summer.
“(Until) about a month ago, I didn’t have any contact with the U of S,” he said. “It was the (Holy Rosary) coaches that got me a relationship with them — like coach (Ian) Hundeby, coach (Vince) Orieux and coach (Keegan) Kozak — they got me in touch with the Huskies.
“They have amazing facilities. Their coaches are great. Those are two of the main reasons why I picked the U of S.”
VIBRANT COLLEGE CAMPUS LIFE
Before and after he won the Canada Cup national U18 championship in July as part of an Alberta team that included Raiders teammate Denem Weber, Wicker was busy attending identification and development camps with university teams like the Regina Cougars and Alberta Golden Bears.
But his path now takes him to a Saskatoon campus that he believes embodies college football life.
“The U of S fans are just crazy,” Wicker said. “They’re all football, with the fireworks, and the stands are filled. It’s an amazing game to go to and watch at the U of S.”
Including a school band on the sidelines, Lloydminster fans brought music to the inaugural game on Holy Rosary’s artificial turf. The atmosphere was reminiscent of the hoopla Wicker and Weber experienced in Antigonish, N.S., last summer in a Canada Cup final that saw Alberta defeat Ontario in overtime.
“Yeah, with the crazy crowd, the trumpets and all the cheering, it reminded me of the last game (in Nova Scotia), too,” Wicker said. “Just having that feeling of winning, and a close game, too, especially at the start. It was nice.”
Wicker hopes to taste that winning feeling again this Saturday as Holy Rosary meets the Cardston Cougars in the provincial 3A high school final at Jasper Place Bowl in Edmonton. The unbeaten Raiders are in search of a fourth consecutive Alberta title.
Holy Rosary head coach Orieux expects more university commitments relatively soon from his Raiders, most notably the fleet-footed Weber.
“Denem has three options. With Jake going to the U of S, I wouldn’t be surprised if Denem goes to the same place. He’s got a familiar face.”
VANIER CUP FINALISTS
The U of S starting lineup in the Vanier Cup included a pair of former Raiders in centre Lucas Seffern and defensive tackle Chaz Walker. Jace Zidar, a 2025 Holy Rosary graduate, redshirted with the Huskies this season.
“Jace had a great year, as a redshirt, and learned a ton,” Orieux said.
The Huskies lost to the Montreal Carabins 30-16 in the 60th Vanier Cup final, with almost 9,000 fans at Mosaic Stadium. U of S played the latter part of the season without its all-star quarterback, Anton Amundrud, the Lloydminster Comprehensive High School Barons’ graduate battling cancer.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
With their Alberta Bowl game scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, the Raiders plan to practise in Lloydminster on Friday afternoon before busing to Edmonton early that evening.
This week, they were studying game film on Cardston, which is renowned for fielding a skillful team, Orieux reported.
“They’ve got a bunch of skilled guys,” he said. “Yeah, nothing but great athletes down in southern Alberta. They play football the way it was intended to be played, so they’re fast, physical. Looking forward to watching film, to see what we’re up against here. It’s going to be a challenge, for sure.”
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