It was a game of a lifetime for four Humboldt Collegiate Institute (HCI) athletes.
Josh Giddings, Drayke Unger, Tyrell Hering and Dillon Buckle all attended the Ed Henick Senior Bowl in May in Saskatoon.
It was a great experience for the four boys, who worked hard to get on the North team.
“We had two trials before main camp and then we were informed we made the team,” said Unger.
After they were on the team, they were challenged even further.
“On May long (weekend), we had two practices a day and then, on Monday at 1 p.m., we played,” said Unger.
It was first-rate football, explained the boys.
“We played with a lot of guys that we played against (during the year) or just met,” explained Unger.
The team only had a few days together before they took on the South.
“It was pretty cool coming together as a team in three days and almost beating the South,” said Unger.  “A lot of the players were a lot better  than what we are used to in our league.”
Although the North lost to the South, the boys still had fun.
“It was a good atmosphere of playing,” said Hering.
Although they played football through high school, the game was different.
“The game itself was different, much more like what you see on television,” said Giddings.
It also gave them the opportunity to showcase their talents for football scouts.
“It is basically the last chance to get scouted by a post-secondary team,” said Unger. “(For some) it is a last chance to play.”
They felt a lot was accomplished during their time in Senior Bowl.
“To make the actual team — that was an accomplishment,” said Unger. “I didn’t really have a purpose to go. I just wanted to play one more game that could have been the last game ever or last game for a while.”
They encourage other senior football players to go if they are given the opportunity.
Although for some the Senior Bowl is their last chance to play, this is not the case for Giddings, Unger, Hering and Buckle. All four of the boys have made the Saskatoon Hilltops football team and will be playing there this fall.