YORKTON - Canada has remained atop the football heap – at least at the men’s U20 level – having captured the IFAF U20 World Junior Football Championships for the third consecutive time.
Regina’s Carlos McArthur was on the gold medal capturing Team Canada 1.
“It was amazing. It was a great time,” he told Yorkton This Week in a recent interview, adding the gold was what they wanted from the outset.
“It’s was one goal; gold,” he said, adding the expectation was never in doubt.,
McArthur who played high school football with Miller Comprehensive Catholic High School said the championship was certainly a step up in competition.
“It felt like a different level, especially from high school,” he said. “It was a step up from what I expected.”
McArthur said initially he has attended a try-out camp for the national team, and was the only player from Saskatchewan to get an invite to a 90-player camp in Calgary where the roster for Canada’s two teams was set.
“It did kind of surprise me,” he said of being the only Saskatchewan player, but added Ontario and Quebec “have some great football players” and huge numbers to select from.
Wearing a Team Canada jersey was something McArthur said was special even before winning gold.
“It’s something not many people get the opportunity to do,” he said.
Canada 1 opened the championship with a blitz 110-0 victory over Brazil, before defeating Austria 27-20 in the tournament’s semi-final game.
The game against Austria did not start out all that well for Canada – with the Austrians up 17-7 at the half, noted McArthur.
McArthur said at halftime the team recognized “we took them too lightly and they punched us in the face.”
At the same time they remained confident.
“In the locker room there were no heads down,” said McArthur.
But Canada punched back in the second half holding Austria to three points, while scoring 20 to win.
The win sent Canada to the gold final – not against expected powerhouse USA – against Japan.
Japan had defeated Australia 50-6 in their opener, before defeating the United States 41-20 in the semi-final.
In the final Canada and Japan battled in a defensive contest which had Canada ending up with a 20-9 win.
For Japan it was their first podium finish since 2012.
Team Austria defeated Team USA 35-25 in the bronze medal game, knocking the Americans off the podium for the first time ever.
The win marked the third consecutive gold medal for the Canadians, building off victories in 2018 over Mexico and 2016 over the USA.
Team Canada 2, which was included in the tournament after several other nations were forced to drop out due to financial and logistical reasons, finished in fifth place with a 45-7 victory over Australia. Panama defeated Brazil 50-14 in the seventh-place game.
The IFAF U20 World Junior Championships had typically been played every two years before the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada is the most successful team at the tournament, winning four golds and two silvers in six appearances.
McArthur will now turn his attention to college ball south of the border. He will suit up for the Northern State University Wolves.
The gold medal run helps set the stage for NCAA Div. II ball, he said.
“It will take a bit of time to get used to it,” he said, adding he looks forward to the season.
“It’s a challenge I’m ready to embrace.”
