THE CANADIAN PRESS
EDMONTON — High school quarterback Jarrod Caufield brought his Edmonton Eskimos up to the line of scrimmage Friday, took the snap, backed up, and then kept on backing up as 260-pound defensive lineman Julius Williams charged right at him.
“It was nerve-wracking,” said Caufield later with a laugh.
“Those are a lot of big boys. It was fun, though. Good experience. It was crazy. You just kind of panic almost.
“It calms me down, shows me how the pros are. It’s pretty sweet.”
Caufield and his teammates from the grief-stricken Warriors of Grande Prairie Composite High School – all dressed in their orange hoodies – joined the Eskimos after the CFL team finished practice at Commonwealth Stadium.
It has been three weeks since the Warriors had four of their teammates killed in a car crash with a suspected drunk driver. A fifth, Zach Judd, survived with massive injuries but is recovering.
The Warriors have a quarter-final playoff game against Sherwood Park’s Bev Facey Falcons on Saturday, then will be guests of the Eskimos on Sunday when Edmonton hosts the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL’s West Division semifinal.
The Warriors are staying at a hotel as guests of the Eskimos, and will serve as the Eskimos honorary 13th man on Sunday.
In return, the Warriors and head coach Rick Gilson presented the Eskimos with a signed game ball.
Caufield said the visit it was a spiritual lift for a team still trying to come to terms with what has happened.
“It’s just been up and down all the time,” he said.
“Sometimes you feel like you’re really good, and other times you remember things and it brings you back down.”
Running back Marcus Cooper said it’s hard to believe the crash happened just three weeks ago.
“It feels like it’s been longer,” he said.
“It’s just registering with us and tomorrow we’re going to be out on the field and remembering our boys and playing hard for them.”
Walter Borden-Wilkins, 15, Matthew Deller, 16, Tanner Hildebrand, 15, and Vincent Stover, 16, were killed in the highway collision with a truck near Grande Prairie, in northwestern Alberta, on Oct. 22.
The truck driver, a 21-year-old man, faces 11 charges, including some for impaired driving and fleeing the scene of an accident.
Zach Judd, 15, was badly hurt and in a coma. His brother Louis, who is also on the team, said Zach is coming around slowly, but still can’t talk.
“He’s able to sit up, (but) not on his own,” said Louis. “The physiotherapists have to help him. He’s moving around. Moving his arms and stuff. He’s getting better slowly. It makes me happy – and sad – at the same time.”
Eskimos quarterback Ricky Ray said the Warriors are an inspiration.
“They’re a great example for us (of how) when things don’t go your way or you have something tragic happen, how you have the strength to just keep moving forward,” said Ray. “That’s just a good lesson to learn in life, and in football.”
Eskimo receiver Adarius Bowman agreed.
“It is a brotherhood, man,” he said. “We’re all athletes. We all play ball, so we all relate to each other. My hat’s off to these guys, their spirit.”