The SRSS Sabres are Winnipeg High School Football League champions for the second time in school history.

Austin Buhler carried the ball 30 times for 229 yards and a touchdown as the Steinbach Regional Secondary School defeated the Kelvin Clippers 16-0 in the CTV Bowl championship game Thursday at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg.

The Sabres previous two trips to the championship game did not end well as the SRSS lost to the St. Paul's Crusaders in 2014 and the Sturgeon Heights Huskies in 2015.

The third time was a charm.

"It feels amazing," said Buhler who was named the MVP of the game. "After losing the first two you kind of get heartbroken. Then winning it just fixes everything."

The championship game was scoreless until Eric Adams hauled in a six-yard touchdown pass from Harrison Pankratz three minutes into the second quarter.

"We needed that big push at the beginning to get it going and we just kept rolling through the whole game," Adams said.

The Steinbach Regional defense was outstanding - again.

Linebacker Dustin Erickson recorded a pair of sacks and defensive back Tyler Bueckert had an interception as the SRSS held the Clippers offense to just over 200 yards.

"I think as a group we were tighter together," replied linebacker Dakota Funk when asked why this Sabres team got it done. "We played for each other, we lived for each other, we breathed for each other. We played this as brothers, as a family, and we got it done."

The SRSS defense gave up just seven touchdowns and 65 points in 10 football games this season.

And their side of the ball also scored 35 points.

The Sabres won their first WHSFL championship banner in 2012 when they downed the Neelin Spartans in the Canad Inns Bowl.

On Thursday night an extremely proud Steinbach Regional head coach Jamie Peters was thrilled to watch his football team capture a second championship banner.

"We got one in "A", we got one in "AA" and it's time for us to figure out a way to move up to "AAA" and try to compete with the big boys. We've got lots of work to do to strive to where we want to get this program."


photos courtesy Paul Reimer