The Sports Corner

Nehemie Kankolongo wins best back award, respect

Centennial Centaurs’ running back Nehemie Kankolongo felt slighted when he was left off the provincial all-star team.

But Kankolongo can find solace in that neither Garret Sanvido nor Brandon Rempel, the two running backs on the provincial all-star team, can claim a provincial championship in football.

A menace in the running game against the W.J. Mouat Hawks in the provincial championship game, Kankolongo ran right into the record books.

He received the award for best back in the title game as his team won its first provincial championship in football since 1966.

“I’ve been playing with a chip on my shoulder ever since the provincial awards came out,” said Kankolongo after claiming the championship. “Apparently I’m not good enough to be a provincial all-star.”

Like a man possessed, Kankolongo ran for four touchdowns against the Hawks, who had no answer for the running game.

“They’re division one athletes, it’s going to take more than one guy to tackle them at this level,” said W.J. Mouat’s linebacker Tyler DeClare of Kankolongo and Lemar Durant. “We did our best but hats off to Centennial.”

Kankolongo carried the ball 37 times for 219 yards, wearing down the Hawks front seven with every touch, breaking tackle after tackle, grinding out tough yards and keeping drives alive.

“Offensively our game plan was just to pound the ball on them,” said Kankolongo. “We’ve got size on them, but I saw the way they played against Vancouver College, a much bigger team than them, and they still came out and stopped the run.”

He won’t have a provincial all-star plaque but the championship ring will be something he can be proud of for the rest of his life.

Note: Next year Kankolongo will be attending the University of Wyoming on a football scholarship.