The 1967-70 Churchill Bulldogs: The Bulldogs were undefeated in the Winnipeg High School Football League from 1967-1969, claiming the Championship all three years. The team went undefeated in the 1970 regular season, but lost in the Championship finals. The Bulldogs were Provincial Champions and ranked in the top 25 of all United States High School teams from 1967-1969. Within those four years, the Bulldogs set an undefeated record of 32 games.
The 1955-56 Winnipeg Rods: For six years in a row the Winnipeg Inter- High Championship was won by the Rods. Coached by George Depres with Piggy Barnes on loan from the Bombers, along with Assistant Coaches George“ Jeep” Woolley and Jack Dones, the Rods created a four-year dynasty from 1954 to 1957, In 1955 they became the first Manitoba team to win the Canadian Junior Football Championship. In 1956, Toronto Argonauts’ GM Lew Hayman called the Rods,“ The greatest junior team that ever played.” That came after the Rids beat the Toronto Parkdale Lions for their second Canadian Junior Football Championship. They remain as the only Manitoba team to ever win the Canadian Junior Football Championship. Eleven players from the 55 team and six players from the 56 team went to play pro football.
Tom Coyle, Athlete: Tom Coyle played on both the offensive and defensive lines for the St. Paul’ s High School Team from 1962-64. He also served as his team’ s captain for the 1963 and 1964 seasons. He moved on to play a full career with the University of Manitoba Bisons from 1965-69. He was a starting guard in his freshman year with the Bisons and in 1966, he was a Western All-Star on the Western Conference Champion Bisons. In 1969, he was all All-Star once again and was the Bisons lineman of the year. In 1967, 1968, and 1969, he was a Bosons co-captain and in 1969, he was a member of the Vanier Cup Champions and was selected to the CIS All-Canadian Football Team.
Richard Howden, Athlete: He started his football career with the St. Vital Mustangs in 1960. In 1963, he moved on to play Juvenile football for the St. Boniface Broncos and in 1964 was the defensive co-captain as the Broncos won the Manitoba Juvenile Championship and he was named to the All-Star team. The Broncos made it to the Canadian Little Grey Cup Finals that year and Howden was named most valuable DB. He played five years for the U of M Bisons from 1965- 69. In 1967, he was a WCIAA All-Star DB and the University of Manitoba Male Athlete of the Year. 1968, he was on the WCIAA Conference Championship team and was a WCIAA All Star DB. In his final year, the Bisons won the Vanier Cup and Howden was once again a WCIAA All- Star and CIAU All-Canadian. He was inducted into both the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame( 1999) and Football Manitoba Hall of Fame( 2012) as a member of the 1969 Vanier Cup Championship Team.
The 1955-56 Winnipeg Rods: For six years in a row the Winnipeg Inter- High Championship was won by the Rods. Coached by George Depres with Piggy Barnes on loan from the Bombers, along with Assistant Coaches George“ Jeep” Woolley and Jack Dones, the Rods created a fouryear dynasty from 1954 to 1957, In 1955 they became the first Manitoba team to win the Canadian Junior Football Championship. In 1956, Toronto Argonauts’ GM Lew Hayman called the Rods,“ The greatest junior team that ever played.” That came after the Rids beat the Toronto Parkdale Lions for their second Canadian Junior Football Championship. They remain as the only Manitoba team to ever win the Canadian Junior Football Championship. Eleven players from the 55 team and six players from the 56 team went to play pro football.
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