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All Canadian résumé

By Michael Preston

Photo courtesy University of Manitoba

When Matt Henry was 13 years old he travelled more than 4,000 miles from his home in Mississauga, ON, to play in a championship game in Berlin, Germany.

On Friday he will make a shorter journey to a championship game when he comes home to Ontario to lead the Manitoba Bisons’ ground attack against the St Mary’s Huskies in the CIS championship Desjardins Vanier Cup.

Henry was the star of the Tomken Road Middle School team that represented Canada at the NFL Flag Football World Championship in Berlin in 2001 and lost in the final to the United States.

In 2006 Henry had his moment of revenge when he and Team Canada triumphed over the USA in the annual NFL Global Junior Championship in Detroit during Super Bowl week.

On Friday on home soil, he hopes to add a national championship to his growing football résumé.

“It is a dream come true to be coming home to play in the Vanier Cup,” said Henry. “Ever since I was a kid I’ve wanted to play in this game. I didn’t expect that in my second year I would be here playing in front of family and friends with all of Canada watching.

“The Tomken Road flag team seems a long time ago and back then I wasn’t even thinking this far ahead or imagining I would be playing in a game like this. Actually, back then I was worried about going into high school because the transition from flag to tackle would be so different. I didn’t know how well I would be able to play tackle football.”

As it turned out, the transition went smoothly. Henry has blossomed into a physical back whose partnership with fellow back Karim Lowen helps open up the passing game for Bisons quarterback John Makie. Henry led his team and Canada West with 12 rushing touchdowns this season and twice burst into the end zone from a yard out in last weekend’s 52-20 Mitchell Bowl victory over Western Ontario.

“Once we get down in the red zone I’m more of a power runner,” explained Henry. “I punch it in after Karim has done the work before, so we’re a good combination. But I can still run the ball downfield.

“Next year I could be the starting tailback, so the team would rely on me for most of the carries. I’m not sure who we’re recruiting, but I would love to take on that responsibility of carrying the ball.”

Henry rushed 141 times for 823 yards and those dozen trips to the end zone this season, making him the sixth leading rusher in Canada West, matching his standing of a year earlier when he ran for 625 yards and 8 touchdowns on 89 carries.

“Last year I came in as a first year guy and I didn’t get the ball as often,” he added. “This year it has worked out well with Karim starting the game off and then we wear the opposing defenses down with a one-two punch.”

But that is where the comparisons with a year ago end. Henry hopes to wipe away the bitter memories of an unfulfilled season by lifting the trophy he thought Manitoba should have captured in 2006. He expects more than 50 personal fans of his own to be cheering from the seats at the Rogers Center when the Bisons go in search of a first national championship since 1970.

“Last year we were expected to go all the way but got stumped in the Hardy Cup,” he explained. “Now we are here we have to seize the moment and bring the Vanier Cup back to Winnipeg.

“I might be back home with my family and friends, but we have to treat it like a business trip. There has got to be some fun in it, but that has to be after the game, once we have concentrated on the task at hand.”

Manitoba has trailed in seven of 11 games this season, but has rebounded every time to keep its perfect season alive. Such an unusual statistic for an unbeaten team does not trouble Henry, who again expects to be reined in early in the game before being unleashed upon the Huskies.

“Our offense always starts off slowly,” he said. “We have been methodical on and then something magically happens and we run away with the game.

“The defense makes a play and puts us in a good position, though in the playoffs our offense has got started earlier and we’ve been off and running better than we were in the regular season. We are certainly a second half offensive team.

“Personally I think my strengths going into this game will be my pass blocking skills, protecting the quarterback, and once we have backed up those defensive backs we can start running the ball. That’s where Karim and I come in.

“The team that plays the best in sixty minutes will win; it is as simple as that. Our coaches tell us that and that is what we buy into.”

When Henry lines up for the proudest moment so far in his football career, he will remember some of the many coaches who have helped inspire his journey. From Brad MacMillan, who coached him in flag football at Tomken Road Middle School, to current Manitoba University coach Brian Dobie.

“Nord Williams was my running backs coach for a very long time with my high school team (Applewood Heights in Mississauga) and with the Etobicoke Eagles,” said Henry. “At high school Ron Kelly was a great guy to play for and had a great personality. Everyone fed of his energy and he made us all better players. Then I learned a lot from John Engle, who was my head coach at the Eagles.”

While many of his compatriots sought a college football opportunity south of the border coming out of high school, Henry was eager to stay home when he moved on to the next level. When the professional game beckons, Henry will be just as pleased to remain in Canada if the NFL does not come calling.

“I’m very happy with my decision to stay in Canada and play here,” he said. “Me and my Mom decided I should stay here and now I have a huge chance of winning the Vanier Cup.

“I still have two more years at Manitoba after this season, so I am not thinking too far ahead, but of course every college football player’s dream is to go to the NFL. If you can’t reach that dream then there is the CFL, which is a great league and a good standard. To me, the money is the only real difference between the two.

“Whatever happens, hopefully I can take what I have and go professional.”

In the meantime, winning the Vanier Cup in his home province remains Henry’s priority.