Local rivalry returns to Abbotsford on Oct. 23
The second annual Abbotsford Bowl between the W.J. Mouat Hawks and the Robert Bateman Timberwolves will be played Friday, Oct. 23, organisers confirmed. The cross-city matchup renews a rivalry that first became a fixture in Abbotsford last season, when Mouat defeated Bateman 21-6 at Bateman Field on Oct. 14.
The two programs enter the 2026 schedule with momentum from strong 2025 campaigns. Mouat finished the previous regular season an unbeaten 6-0 and advanced to the provincial final, where the Hawks fell 26-21 to the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers. Bateman, which moved up to the 3A level last season, completed the year 5-1 and lost in the quarter-final round, 10-6 to Vancouver College.
Season openers, home dates and key fixtures
Both teams have schedules that mix local matchups with longer trips. Mouat opens its 2026 regular season in Coquitlam against the Terry Fox Ravens on Oct. 2 before hosting the Langley Thunderbirds on Oct. 9 for the home opener. Mouat also hosts former head coach Andrew Harder and the Sardis Falcons on Oct. 16, visits the G.W. Graham Grizzlies in Chilliwack on Oct. 30 and closes the regular season against the Carson Graham Eagles at home on Nov. 6.
Bateman begins 2026 with a visit from the reigning 3A champions, Tweedsmuir, on Oct. 2. The Timberwolves travel to Vancouver College on Oct. 10, host Langley on Oct. 16, go to Sardis on Oct. 30 and finish the regular season in Chilliwack against G.W. Graham on Nov. 6. Both Abbotsford teams spend much of September playing exhibition games against opponents from across the province; Bateman also has an out-of-province trip to Ontario to face a Toronto team on Sept. 18.
- Mouat Hawks: season opener Oct. 2 (Terry Fox), home opener Oct. 9 (Langley), Abbotsford Bowl Oct. 23.
- Bateman Timberwolves: start Oct. 2 (Tweedsmuir), key road game Oct. 10 (Vancouver College), Abbotsford Bowl Oct. 23.
- Abbotsford Panthers (AAA/AA Hybrid): aiming to build on a 2025 season of3-2; open Sept. 25 at John Barsby in Nanaimo and host Handsworth on Oct. 2.
Why the Abbotsford Bowl matters
The Abbotsford Bowl has quickly become a focal point for local high-school football. Beyond bragging rights, single-game rivalries like this provide a concentrated stage for student-athletes to showcase development gained during exhibition play and to galvanize school communities.
“@BCHSFB Abbotsford Bowl: @mouatfootball up 7-6 on @BatemanFootball as we begin the second half” — tweet from Ben Lypka during the 2025 meeting
That tweet from last season captured the competitive tone of the inaugural meeting. For Abbotsford residents, the game offers an opportunity to support youth sport and to see how both programmes respond after deep runs in 2025: Mouat to a provincial final and Bateman to a quarter-final berth following its move to 3A.
| Team | Notable 2025 result | Key 2026 Abbotsford date |
|---|---|---|
| Mouat Hawks | 6-0 regular season; provincial final runner-up | Home vs Langley, Oct. 9; Abbotsford Bowl, Oct. 23 |
| Bateman Timberwolves | 5-1 regular season; quarter-final exit | Home vs Langley, Oct. 16; Abbotsford Bowl, Oct. 23 |
For local families and alumni, the Oct. 23 date will be a marker in the fall calendar. With both teams balancing out-of-town trips and local fixtures, the Abbotsford Bowl will be one of the clearest measures of how each program has evolved after a season that raised expectations across the city’s high-school football community.
As schools finalise rosters and exhibition games through September, attention will turn to how coaching changes, player development and the step up to different competition levels shape results. For now, Abbotsford gets another late-October showcase that brings the city’s high-school gridiron talent together on one field.
