LCI football players compete one last time together at Senior Bowl

By Lethbridge Herald on May 20, 2022.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Lethbridge College Institute football trio of Carson Procee, Cale Strom and Crew Hirsche will cherish  one last time on the gridiron together in the Senior Bowl on Monday in Lacombe before heading their separate ways.

The Senior Bowl is an All-Star Game comprised of  high schoolplayes from across Alberta that  make up a north and south team.

The players had a try-out in Calgary  last month before rerosters were announced.

Hirsche will be starting quarterback for Team South.

“It’s pretty good to know that my skill wasn’t just southern Alberta — like it’s all of Alberta “ said Hirsche.

“It’s kind of fun to know that I was good enough to play with some of the top (players). I appreciate that in them recognizing that in me and I’m just pretty excited to play just one more time kind of without stress because (a) regular football season is pretty intense as many people know.”

Hirsche initially was trying out for the safety position as he felt that was his better position, but the plan changed as there was only one other quarterback that tried out in the whole camp and the coaches heard he can play the pivot position.

“I was like sure, I’ll step in for a bit, not expecting to go full into offence,” said Hirsche,

“But, yeah, they saw me do a couple of drills and stuff and were like, ‘Yeah, we’re going to move you to quarterback, so you’re not playing defence.’”

Hirsche opted not to play football after high school as he is a  Church of Jesus Christ Mormon church member and has the opportunity to go on a mission to Mexico City for two years.

Procee will be a linebacker in the game.

“I was excited,” said Procee, on when he found he made the team.

“You know one last time to suit up with Crew and Cale. You know, high school football definitely is a once in a life time opportunity kind of thing. You’re never going to get anything like that again. So, I’m excited to have one more game.”

He said he’s excited to line up against the province’s best up north.

“I think I’ve got show them who’s boss, show them what the south is about and let them hear about it out there” said Procee.

The game will be the last of his high school career before suiting up for the University of Calgary Dinos next year.

Strom is a defensive tackle and felt he was flying and moving around at try-outs and was training for a while prior.

“I made a couple nice big plays during practice — you know when we were scrimmaging I had some good plays, and I felt really well,” said Strom.

“I felt really light on my feet and I just felt like I can move.”

While he has never been to a game of this sort, he is excited for the opportunity.

“ I can’t wait to just ball out with these guys one last time,” said Strom.

“Crew is one hell of a quarterback; Carson is one hell of a linebacker. I think Crew is going to take over on offence, Carson is going to cause some havoc on defence and I think it’s going to be an awesome time.”

He said it will be good to be back with faces you haven’t seen in a while and good to catch up with guys from different cities and see how they’re doing.

“It’s like one big brotherhood,” he said.

Strom will play for the University of Alberta next season.

The Senior Bowl will start at noon in Lacombe on Monday.

The first Senior Bowl was held in Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium in 1990 and saw the Southern Alberta or “South” team defeat the North 19-16.