Welcome to BCSS Red Zone!
I’m very grateful for the opportunity to write for this newsletter. As a former player and current high school football coach, I understand the importance of recognizing these athletes who put so much commitment and effort into this game. I will write post-game recaps of each week’s biggest games every Friday and Saturday. Check out the site throughout the day, as I will be constantly updating during the afternoon and evening.
Wildcard Playoff Weekend
No more room for error, its do or die. The playoffs have finally started. Stay tuned for updates of the biggest games of the year thus far.
Hyacks hold on in back and forth affair
Thurston stars in Panthers win
The Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers were all business in a 41-0 victory against the Mt. Boucherie Bears. With the game starting over an hour late due to the Bears being stuck in long weekend traffic, the Panthers stayed locked in and were ready to go from the game’s opening kickoff.
“Credit to our players for being mentally tough when facing some adversity as kickoff was delayed over an hour due to traffic issues,” said Panthers Head Coach Michael Carter.
“We were on the field for almost 2.5 hours awaiting kickoff. Our players stayed focused on the task at hand and accomplished our goal this week, a playoff win.”
Panthers star quarterback Chase Thurston shined while leading his team to victory. Thurston finished the game 12/16 for 242 yards and five touchdown passes. With Thurston at the pivot position for the Panthers, their offense looked unstoppable through the air.
After a 44-yard completion by Thurston to receiver Jack Roberts got the ball deep into Bears territory, Running back Peyton Mansfield opened the game’s scoring with a ten-yard rushing score.
Mansfield is a star on both offense and defense. Mansfield rushed 17 times for 109 yards, one rush TD, and added an eight-yard touchdown reception. But his most impressive play came After scoring the game’s opening touchdown.
The running back/ linebacker made a beautiful contested interception on his own team’s sideline while keeping his feet in bounds to get the ball back for his team.
Thurston repaid his co-star first with a 60-yard completion to Tristan Dominguez for a score and then a 27-yard touchdown to Logan Wager to put the Panthers up 21-0 at the half.
The Panthers were all gas and no breaks in the third frame. First, Dominguez showed he, too, can play on both sides of the ball by adding an interception to his four catches for 91 yards and one score. The Panthers would drive down the field again with the driving finishing as it had most of the day with a Thurston touchdown pass, this time to Logan Ginther to make it 27-0.
The Panthers dominated the rest of the game despite an adamant effort from the Bears. With a blowout 41-0 victory, Carter was happy with all aspects of his team’s performance.
“It was a three-phase win this week; our offense was rolling with Chase Thurston at the helm, posting our best performance of the season numbers-wise,” said Carter
“Our defense did a good job adapting to some plays and formations we weren’t expecting while pitching the shutout, while our special teams units were solid again,” he continued.
Carter and his team will likely celebrate this weekend, but then it’s back to work because the Panthers are looking for revenge.
“I’m pleased with the effort of our players, it’s special to win a playoff game,” Carter said
“We have an opportunity next week to host a Quarter-Final against GW Graham, the same team that ended our season a year ago. We’ll need a great week of preparation.”
That game, which’s bound to be a shootout with two offenses catching their stride, will be played at Cloverdale Athletic Park at 1:30pm on November 15th.
Hawks cruise past Knights
By Ben Lypka Abby News
The W.J. Mouat Hawks senior varsity football team has advanced to the AAA quarterfinal after a resounding 34-0 win over the St. Thomas More College Knights at Panther Field on Friday (Nov. 8).
The wildcard round win marks the second straight shutout for the Hawks, who closed the regular season with a 27-0 win over the Mt. Boucherie Bears on Nov. 1.
But the game didn’t start out as planned for the Hawks, as the Knights opened the game with a short kickoff and recovered the ball themselves. Mouat’s defence eventually forced them to turnover on downs and running back Joel Muller’s rushing touchdown put the home team up 7-0 early.
“They’re a running team and they play a sort of old school style of offence,” he said of the Knights, who ran very few passing plays. “It made for a tough week of preparation but Coach [Daniel] Mills did a great job preparing them.”
Harder did say that he would like his defence to try to get more stops and give the offence more opportunities for possession, noting his team only had the ball three times in the first half.
Petrayus Loller led the team with 51 yards receiving, but Mouat only completed five passing plays for 83 yards in the game.
Geelhoed was also a standout defensively, with a team-high eight tackles and one sack. Gabe Currie and Nazeef Rahman added six tackles apiece.
The Hyacks defeated the Notre Dame Jugglers 42-40 on Friday. New Westminster finished the regular season at 4-2, good for second place in the AAA’s Central Division.
BCSS REDZONE WEEK 9
Fighting Irish perfect for third straight season
The Vancouver College Fighting Irish have finished the regular season with a perfect record for the third time in as many years. Taking on their bitter rival, the Notre Dame Jugglers, the Irish took home the Archbishops trophy with a 34-0 win.
This rivalry goes back 67 years and has an abundance of history, which is something Irish Head Coach Bryan Chiu knows very well.
“For me, there’s a lot of history involved. I played in the same game a couple times when I played here at Vancouver College,” said Chiu.
On top of their perfect season against their bitter rival, the Irish were also hosting their Seniors Day. This will be a game that the Irish seniors can look back on fondly.
The Irish opened the scoring on a Nicky Noguera touchdown run. After the Irish’s dominant defense got another stop, the Irish marched downfield again, where Jaxson Farac capped off the drive with a rushing major of his own.
In the second quarter, the Jugglers tightened up on defense and managed to keep the Irish’s offense at bay until VC put together another drive where Declan Damgaard found the endzone to put the Irish up three scores.
In the second half, the Irish added scores by Lucas Gonzales on a 20 yard touchdown reception from quarterback Parker Orr and Noah Lowden with a 60-yard punt return major. The Irish bled the clock in the fourth quarter and celebrated their 34-0 victory over their rivals postgame.
Chiu is happy his upperclassmen will have a Seniors Day to remember.
“Very pleased with our team’s performance as a whole. We did some great things in all three phases of the game. Happy to send our seniors home with a win for their last regular season game on O’Hagan Field,” said Chiu.
With today’s victory, the Irish have now won this historic rivalry game
six years in a row. By securing first place in their conference, the Irish will receive a bye week to start the playoffs before hosting the winner or Centennial and Kelowna the following week.
Grizzlies end regular season on a high note with victory
Make it three wins in a row for the G.W. Graham Grizzlies. The Grizzlies capped off their regular season with a 30-10 victory over the Langley Secondary Thunderbirds.
The Grizzlies started slow and found themselves down 3-0 in the first quarter. With Graham’s offense struggling to move the ball, they called on their star running back.
Ridley Mastin answered that call, putting up 146 rushing yards and punching it in for the first of his four scores on the day to give Graham a 6-3 lead.
The Thunderbirds were not about to go away without a fight on their senior’s night. After two penalties and a fake punt kept a drive alive, the Thunderbirds capped off their long drive and took a 10-6 lead.
Unfortunately for the Thunderbirds, Graham’s offense had found its rhythm and was back firing on all cylinders. The Grizzlies offense would score twice more before the half and would take a 22-10 lead into the break.
Yet another touchdown by Mastin in the third quarter put away the Thunderbirds for good. Mastin broke tackle after tackle and exploded out of a pile of Thunderbirds defenders on an electrifying run.
Graham’s defense held the Thunderbirds off the scoreboard for the entire second half. It was led by strong performances from defensive lineman Zach Corrigan, who had four tackles and two sacks, middle linebacker Khayman Alex, with six tackles and two sacks as well as safety Brady Sturrus, who had a late interception to seal the game for good.
The Grizzlies finish conference play with a 5-1 record. With three straight wins, momentum is building for Graham at the perfect time, right before the start of the postseason.
Hyacks win battle of 10th Avenue
The New Westminster Hyacks and St. Thomas More Knights faced off in the battle of 10th Avenue Friday night. The Hyacks won this battle against their rivals, whose school is a mere five-minute drive from their own 42-7.
The Knights got off to a great start, chewing up the entire first quarter on their first drive and capping it off with a seven-yard pass from Patricio Cuesta Leon to Milano Peloso.
From that point on, it was the Tyson Godspower show. The Hyacks running back ran for over 200 yards and four touchdowns in awful weather conditions, helping his team score 42 unanswered points.
With the Hyacks trailing early Benny Hageleit and Godspower made crucial plays when their team needed them most. Hyacks offensive coordinator Darnell Sikorski spoke highly of his two stars postgame.
“STM is well coached but we had answers to what they tried to accomplish defensively to stop our offense. Tyson Godspower had a huge game on the ground, and while Benny only had a handful of touches due to the weather, he blocked his butt off and had a great game defensively. He’s one of the top players in the province,” said Sikorski after the game.
Hyacks Head Coach Andrew McKechnie was also very impressed with Hageleit’s play.
Benny made two very important catches in the 1st half when we finally did have the football, but his play on the defensive side was extremely impressive” said Mckechnie.
Hageliet had a forced fumble and fumble recovery where he ripped the ball out of a Knights runner’s hands midplay and also made some great tackles from his safety spot.
Hyacks defensive coordinator Chad Oatway says Benny isn’t the only star excelling on his defense.
“Defensively the kids executed the plan well after that first drive and did a great job being disciplined. Alex Dall played great on the Defensive Line. And I can’t say enough about Julian MacFadden,” said Oatway.
“He is a sideline-to-sideline linebacker and made plays everywhere. It’s the first season at inside backer for that kid, and he’s done so well. A university coach is going to be very happy with him because he’s got so much upside.”
McKechnie is excited for his team to show what it’s got come playoff time.
“We are still quite banged up and not quite over our injury hump. We had a lot of guys out tonight again,” said McKechnie.
“In a lot of ways, that’s why this game was so impressive. If we can get healthy come playoff time and limit mistakes… this team can really do some damage.”
Thunder win in overtime
In an interior rivalry game with massive playoff seeding implications, the Rutland Thunder were able to pull off a 16-13 overtime victory over the Kelowna Owls.
This is one of the biggest rivalry matchups in the interior. It’s always a battle from the get-go when these two teams face off, and tonight was no different.
After the Owls opened up the scoring, both defenses stepped up big and had their opposition’s offenses looking for answers. The pouring rain aided both team’s defensive units in keeping each other’s passing games to a minimum.
Finally, Rutland’s offense woke up after multiple possessions, and Luka Frattini took a handoff for a 23-yard score to tie the game at seven. Right before halftime, Rutland’s Reid Thompson put the ball through the uprights for a field goal and had the Thunder leading 10-7 at halftime.
After a third-quarter field goal by the Owls tied the game, both teams struggled to finish drives for the rest of regulation. Both teams had plenty of chances to take the lead, but neither team’s defenses nor the elements had any of it. After four quarters solved nothing, the game headed to overtime.
After the Owls settled for a field goal on the first possession of overtime, the Thunder got the ball with a chance to win it.
On third and goal, with the game hanging in the balance, thunder quarterback Carter Cook kept the ball and used his legs to fight through multiple tackles and fought his way across the goalline to win the game for Rutland.
With the victory, the Thunder now finish with a 4-2 record in conference play.
South Delta wins again, finishes regular season 9-1
The South Delta Sun Devils continued their stellar play in a 32-2 victory over the Handsworth Royals.
Already having clinched second in their conference, this contest didn’t have any impact on the Sun Devils playoff seeding. Despite that, this game had a massive impact on the Sun Devils’s safety, Hudson Wight.
Wight made his return to the lineup after recovering from a bad break in his leg in a freak basketball accident. A team captain and emotional leader, the Sun Devils were elated to see him get back on the field and lead the team in tackles.
The Sundevils came out with great energy and were able to take control early with a quick stop on defense before Damian Dumas took one of his carries for a 40-yard touchdown. Dumas would have his lightest workload of the season, ending the day with only five carries for 70 yards and two scores.
The Sun Devils extended their lead to 16-0 after a Dominic Dumas pass to Quinn Sjoberg found the endzone from 30 yards out. Damian’s final score of the day started off the second quarter.
Dominic, not wanting to be outdone by his little brother, scrambled for a 75-yard touchdown to end the half, and with the score 29-0 Sun Devils at the half, the rout was on.
Sun Devils Head Coach Ray Moon was glad most of his players were able to get in the game down the stretch.
“It was a great team effort today, it was clear from the onset that we were a stronger team and it enabled us to get our less experienced guys in for some meaningful reps,” said Moon
“It was great to see the excitement our team had for their teammates having success on the field. The guys playing today have been really working hard to make our scout team as close to the opposition as possible, so it was nice to get them as much playing time as they did.”
The Sundevils now wait for the seeding committee to meet after the last games tomorrow to decide what their path will look like. Finishing the season with a 9-1 record and ranked as the #2 team in the province for the last 3 weeks, they hope to be playing right until the end of November.
Pipers win on last second two point conversion
Trick or treat? A day after Halloween, the Argyle Pipers chose to trick the John Barsby Bulldogs on a crucial play late in the game that changed the game’s tide and led the Pipers to a 15-14 victory.
The Bulldogs had all the momentum early. Using their ground-and-pound approach early and often, Barsby led 14-7 at the half after beaking two long runs for scores.
In the second half, the Piper’s defense stepped up and found an answer to the Bulldog’s running game. Beating the bulldogs at their own game, the Pipers were more physical than the Bulldogs all second half. Their defense held Barsby off the board and gave the ball back to their offense for a chance to tie the game with under five minutes remaining.
With only three minutes left, the Pipers were faced with a dilemma. On a fourth down in their own territory, should they punt the ball back to the Bulldogs and rely on their defense to come up with another stop? or should their offense stay on the field and try to move the chains?
The Pipers appeared to take the conservative approach and lined up to punt. Little known to the Bulldogs, the Pipers had a trick up their sleeve. Argyle faked their punt and picked up a first down to keep their drive and the game alive.
Argyle’s offense used that massive shift in momentum to their advantage. Pipers quarterback Lucas Yaskowich drove his team downfield on a couple of chunk plays before the Pipers found the endzone and cut the lead to just one.
Rather than kicking the extra point and tying the game, the Pipers elected to go for two and the win. Yaskowich dropped back to pass and found slot receiver Noah Noordmans in the endzone to complete the two-point conversion and put the Pipers up 15-14 with just forty seconds to go.
With under a minute to go, the Bulldogs had one more chance to win the game. The Pipers denied that opportunity and sealed the win with a Connor Schick interception. The Pipers took a knee, and the game was all but over 15-14 in the Piper’s favor.
Pipers Coach Mac Ward was impressed with both teams’ physicality post-game.
It was another hard-hitting and physical game, as it always is when Argyle and Barsby play,” said Ward. “We’re proud of the way our team played for all 60 minutes.”
Argyle and Barsby finish the regular season with identical 4-2 records.
The Eagles live to fight another day
In a do-or-die game, the Carson Graham Eagles prevailed 28-8 over the Belmont Bulldogs and punched their ticket to the BC Highschool Football Playoffs.
Led by Grade 10 quarterback Josh Barber, the Eagles scored on their first two offensive series. The underclassman was unphased by the bright lights and looked the part playing up for the Eagles varsity team. The Eagles air raid attack runs through the quarterback position, making Barber’s performance even more impressive.
The Eagles defense continued their solid play as well. Jack Shih picked off a ball intended for a Bulldogs receiver early in the game and set up the Eagles inside the Bulldogs’ yard line.
Three plays later, Barber hit Jaden Diamond on an 8-yard pass for a score. Barber then hit Célyan Vermeulin on an endzone fade for the two-point convert.
The Eagle’s defense continued to fly around, making life miserable for Belmont’s Gun-T attack. Defensive coordinator Pooya Dourandish had another masterful plan, and his unit held the Bulldogs to -12 yards on their first couple of drives.
Feeding of his defense’s incredible play, Barber led the Eagles offense on a well-balanced 8-play 70-yard drive that was capped off with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Fin Clark.
Hold on, folks. The grade ten isn’t perfect after all. Barber threw an interception on the Eagle’s next drive, and the Bulldogs took over deep in their own territory. Barber had nothing to fear, though, as a couple of plays later, Eagles Backer Connor Henry shot through the line of scrimmage and tackled a Bulldogs running back in the backfield for safety.
The Eagles took a 16-0 lead into the half and had all the momentum. In the second half, the Eagles picked off where they left off and scored twice in the third quarter to put the game away for good.
Eagles Head Coach Brian Brady kept it straight to the point post-game.
‘We look forward to the playoffs,” he said.
The Eagles will indeed look forward to the playoffs, as the team is getting hot at just the right time. Their defense has elevated their play, and with Barber coming into the fold at quarterback and heating up, the Eagles might surprise some teams in the upcoming weeks.
BCSS REDZONE WEEK 8
Dominic Dumas shines as Sun Devils win big
The Notre Dame Jugglers and South Delta Sun Devils battled to secure the 2nd seed of the Western Conference. The Sun Devils pulled away in the second half for a 35-7 victory despite the Jugglers holding superstar running back Damian Dumas to his lowest yardage total all season.
Notre Dame was playing their second game of the week after they had to play on Monday due to the atmospheric river flooding their field last Saturday.
The short turnaround didn’t seem to affect the Jugglers too much early on. Notre Dame started with a nice return and moved the ball into the South Delta red zone. The Jugglers wouldn’t be able to finish their drive and would stall out, having nothing to show for their promising opening possession.
South Delta would take the ball on their own 15 and proceeded to move the length of the field with a good balance of run and pass. Dominic Dumas was forced to be the Sun Devil’s star tonight as the Jugglers did anything they could to contain his brother Damian.
Dominic stepped up big time in this one, showing he’s a true dual-threat quarterback with 154 rushing yards, as well as 134 passing yards and four total touchdowns. Dominic led his team down the field on their first drive before he capped it off himself by sneaking it in from the 1-yard line to open up the game’s scoring.
A quick three-and-out from Notre Dame had the Sun Devils with the ball again. South Delta marched down the field before a trick play that saw offensive tackle Alex Fechter catch a lateral and find the endzone. The Sun Devil’s sideline exploded with joy as they saw their big man cross the plain.
Notre Dame answered on a drive of their own. Some quick throws and the mobility of quarterback Caleb Parrotta had the Sun Devils defense off balance. As the first half was winding down, they were able to punch in their first score of the game.
With that score, the Jugglers cut the Sun Devils lead to 13-7 going into the half. With it being a one-score game, all the Jugglers needed was a stop to open up the half, and They’d have a chance to take the lead.
Sun Devil’s return man Koen Hubbard had different ideas. He took the opening kickoff of the second half deep in his own territory. Hubbard took off down the left hash and appeared to run into a wall of Jugglers defenders. Hubbard ran through that wall, breaking three tackles along the way, and cut to the middle of the field, taking the ball all the way to the house for an 85-yard score.
After South Delta’s defense got another quick stop, Dominic Dumas saw the Juggler’s defense stacking the box inside to stop his brother, pulled the ball on a zone read play, and raced down the right sideline for his longest touchdown of the year, an 80-yard rush.
The Jugglers were in shock as a 13-7 South Delta lead had quickly turned into 28-7 with three possessions in the game in just nine plays. With all the momentum, the Sun Devils would add another score before playing great defense and bleeding the clock down for a 35-7 win.
Other standouts for the Sun Devils offensively included Damian with 12 carries for 78 yards, Quinn Sjoberg with two catches for 48 yards, and Holden Hunter with four catches for 40 yards of his own.
Defensively it was Gage Spargo with seven tackles and Tommy Cowan, Dominic Dumas, and Hudson Robinson with five tackles of their own.
Sun Devils Head Coach Ray Moon was glad to see other offensive weapons producing for his team.
“Today, we beat a really solid and well-coached team. They slowed our primary offensive weapon today, but we showed that we can win in different ways. This was a total team effort, especially in the second half, with special teams and defense leading the way. That is to go with a well-balanced offense that was able to spread the ball around today. It was a great way for our Seniors to go out on with their last home game in South Delta,” said Moon.
The Sun Devils will look to finish their regular season strong against the Handsworth Royals next Friday.
Ravens keep on rolling
The Terry Fox Ravens have appeared to turn a corner. The team that had lost multiple close games early on in the season has bounced back with three straight wins. The most recent of those victories was a 36-28 victory over the St. Thomas More Knights.
After both teams exchanged touchdowns in the first quarter, Terry Fox dominated the second frame. The Ravens completely shut down the Knights’ option attack and didn’t allow a point the rest of the half.
Off of those stops, the Ravens blocked not one but two punts to set up their offense with excellent field position. Chase Foston was one of the Ravens who flew through the Knights’s front line to get his hand on the ball.
The Raven’s offense rewarded their special teams unit by capping off both opportunities for scoring majors. The Raven’s special teams unit had completely changed the outlook of the game and took a 22-7 lead into halftime.
Despite having nothing gone their way after the first quarter, the Knights refused to go away and came back fighting. They scored on their opening possession, going to their bread-and-butter play on a 45-yard triple-option run by grade 10 pivot Patricio Cuesta Leon.
Ravens quarterback Zac Golab drove his team downfield using both his legs and his arm. Gollab found Lachlen Bruce for one of his two touchdown receptions on the day to go back up two scores.
Nico Pallares responded for the Knights on an explosive 40-yard run to put STM back within eight. With the ball back, it was time for Golab and the Ravens offense to shine again.
Golab, who finished the day with 15 completions on 17 attempts for 194 yards and three touchdowns, led the Ravens downfield once again, finding the endzone to put his team back up by 15.
Nico Pallares responded for the Knights once again. The quarterback put his team on his back, running over the Ravens’ defenders to get the Knights downfield. Cuesta Leon would finish the drive off by pulling the ball on another option run from 25 yards out to put the Knights back within eight once again.
The Knights’ defense came up when it mattered most and forced Terry Fox to punt the ball with 1:35 left in the game. With a chance to tie, the Knights were on the move.
Cuesta Leon led the Knights down the field from deep in their own territory with a few nice passing plays. Inside Terry Fox’s 30-yard line with under 30 seconds to go, Tristan Jupp jumped in front of a Knights pass. Jupp came down with the ball, and the comeback bid was ended. The Ravens held on for a 36-28 win.
Knights Head Coach Jared Power loved his team’s never-quit attitude.
“I am so proud of how our guys fought tonight. We had multiple injuries and multiple setbacks during the game, and we kept grinding and fighting. Guys had to step up and fill roles tonight and they did so admirably. We will be a better team for this experience,” said Power on his team.
Standouts for the knights included Cuesta Leon, who had a breakout game with over 200 all-purpose yards, rushing for two scores. Cristiano Louie-Silva had three tackles, two pass breakups, a blocked FG, and a blocked PAT, and Alex Pacholko finished with five tackles and a forced fumble on defense.
The Ravens now have their third big win in a row. Ravens Head Coach Tom Kudaba has seen tremendous growth in his team.
“The players are starting to believe in their abilities and although mistakes are still being made, their overall toughness and commitment is improving daily. We are going to hopefully continue our improvement into next week when we play our rival, Centennial,” said Kudaba.
That game kicks off at 7:00 next Friday.
Hyacks win big on Seniors Night
Seniors Night is a celebration of the hard work, dedication and drive of a program’s oldest players. For many coaches, this brings a mix of emotions. On the one hand, coaches are beyond proud of how their players have matured to reach this point.
Every young man or woman has a different story of their time throughout their respective team’s program and any coach will tell you one of the most rewarding things you can do is be part of a players’ development and see them grow as an individual through their four years with your program.
On the other hand, you’re sad that your time together is coming to an end. The New Westminster Hyacks sent their seniors out the right way with a 43-14 win over the Seaquam Seahawks.
After a tight first half, the Hyacks got back to what made them successful all season.
“We were a little cute in the 1st half and while we had some success through the air and on the ground, we were unable to finish a couple of drives. We got back to basics and effectively ran the football in the 2nd half, especially once we were at near full strength,” Hyacks Head Coach Andrew McKechnie said on his team’s second-half adjustments.
The Hyacks pounded the rock at will, led by Nikolas Panesar, who had over 200 yards rushing and two scores, and Tyson Godspower with 100 yards and two touchdowns of his own.
The Seahawks may have fallen short, but it wasn’t due to a lack of effort. Hyacks offensive coordinator Darnell Sikorski was impressed with his opponent’s tenacity throughout the contest.
“Seaquam has some good players on both sides of the ball. They battled extremely hard, and knowing a win would really improve their playoff chances. They fought valiantly,” Sikorski said.
McKechnie loved his team’s second-half performance and was happy his large senior class had a game to remember fondly.
“I’m so happy we were able to finish like we did in the 2nd half, especially for the 20-plus seniors on our roster,” he said.
“It was their best half of football on the year and we hope to really build off that momentum against what will be a very hungry STM team next week. Our players and programs obviously know each other very well so we will need to bring our A-game next week.”
That big game against the Knights kicks off next Friday at 7:30.
Hawks win fourth in a row
The W.J. Mouat Hawks continued rolling Friday night with a 60-13 win over Langley Secondary School. The Hawks continue to display why they are a true contender in AAA.
The Hawks started out hot, scoring quickly on the opening drive with a pass from Elijah Black to Max Pratt, the first connection of three from the dynamic duo.
On the ensuing kickoff, Langley scored on an impressive run back to make it 7-6. Langley then pulled out some trickery and recovered a surprise onside kick, and early on, it looked like we were going to have a tight game.
But from then on, the Hawks Crushed any hopes Langley had. After forcing a quick punt, Black found his favorite target again, Max Pratt, and the Hawks were off and running. This duo is so fun to watch. Their chemistry really shows with the pairs’ timing as they connect through the air.
The Hawks kept rolling from there and were able to put up 40 before halftime. A pick-six from Phoenix Trolland on the first play of the second half set the tone for the rest of the game.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, Langley never quit. They added a score late in the game, but when it was all said and done, the scoreboard read 60-13 in favor of the Hawks.
Hawks defensive coordinator Daniel Mills commended his team’s ability to handle adversity after their rocky start to the game.
“Proud of our team for bouncing back after Langley scored quick on us, the guys stayed focused and were able to march down the field and respond. Credit to Langley; they played hard the entire game. We wish them the best of luck the rest of the way through.”
The Hawks will look to continue their success next week against Mt. Boucherie next Friday.
Irish remain perfect despite scare from Eagles
Another week, another win for the Vancouver College Fighting Irish. This time, the Irish had to fight hard to the end as the Carson Graham Eagles gave them all they could handle in a 21-8 Irish victory.
The Eagles are known for their Air raid attack, but today, their defense held their team in the game till late in the fourth quarter. Defensive coordinator Pooya Dourandish came up with a great game plan to slow down an Irish Offense that has been piling up points all year.
As good as that plan was, the Irish staff always came prepared with a plan of their own, and it showed early in the game. After a perfect punt had the Irish pinned at their own one-yard line, it was time for some history to be made.
Irish running back Ryder Quintana took an inside handoff in his own endzone. The star hit the hole inside formed by the Irish line, quickly cut left, and accelerated, showcasing his blazing speed and leaving the Eagle’s defense in his dust for a record-breaking 99-yard rushing TD. Quintana broke the previous record in which he held himself, a 91-yard run set last year vs. Notre Dame.
Both defenses dominated play for the rest of the half until Tristan Perdido capped off a long Irish drive and punched in a three-yard rushing score. That major gave the Irish a 14-0 lead going into halftime.
Late in the third quarter, the Eagles had the ball and desperately needed to put up points. The Eagles finally put together a well-balanced 12-play 60-yard drive and a two-point conversion to make it 14-8 with just over nine minutes left in the fourth.
The Eagles got a huge stop and held VC on their next drive. The Eagles had the ball back in their own territory with the chance to take the lead on the seemingly invincible Irish. With all the momentum, the game came down to a fourth and eight.
The Eagles dropped back to pass. The Irish, who were showing a pressure look pre-snap, dropped out of the look, and as the Eagles threw a slant over the middle, the ball was batted down at the line of scrimmage, and the pass was incomplete; Irish ball.
With the clock dwindling down, VC got the ball on the Eagles 32-yard line. Five plays later, Jackson Farac scored for Vc to extend the lead to 21-8.
The Eagles refused to give up. On the ensuing kickoff, Célyan Vermeulen returned the kick 69 yards deep into Irish territory. With little time on the clock, the Irish defense stood tall once again and stuffed Carson Graham on fourth and goal to seal the game for good, 21-8.
Irish Head Coach Bryan Chiu loved his team’s effort but knows corrections need to be made for the post-season.
“I appreciate our boy’s effort today. However, we need to stop making mental mistakes. Those errors will come back to bite us in the playoffs if we don’t correct them immediately. Once again, our defense came through for us by holding Carson to only eight points. Full credit to Coach Brady and his staff for having their boys battle the way they did.”
Eagles Head Coach Brian Brady wishes his team could have a couple of plays back.
‘I’m proud of how physical our guys played today, but ultimately 2-3 plays away from the result we wanted.’
Vancouver College will look to finish the regular season with a perfect record if they win in their season finale next Saturday against the Notre Dame Jugglers.
Crusaders winning streak continues
Make it five in a row for the Holy Cross Crusaders. The Crusaders headed into enemy territory and escaped with a 34-16 victory against the Mission Roadrunners.
For Crusaders Head Coach Conrad Deugau, the opposing coaching staff had a bunch of familiar faces. Deugau has close connections with the Roadrunners staff from his days as a collegiate player.
“I have a personal connection with 2 of the Mission Coaches. Line coach Mike Schneider coached at SFU when I was up there (99-04), and receiver Coach Ken McLean was my teammate during those years as well. He was also part of the 99 freshman class that I was also part of, ” Deugau said about his friendships postgame.
During their winning streak, the Crusaders have consistently demonstrated their resilience, pulling off big plays at crucial times. Late in the first half today, it was no different.
Trailing 13-16, quarterback Xander McCrone did what he’s done often this season and worked his magic again. McCrone found his star receiver Kalel Dizon for a momentum-changing touchdown that put the Crusaders up 20-16 at halftime.
Despite only being up by four, the momentum was completely in the Crusader’s favor and stayed with them the rest of the afternoon. In the third quarter, Kalel Dizon scored for the second time with a 65-yard rush.
Dizon has been the Crusader’s most explosive player all year long. Whether taking handoffs as a tailback, returning kicks, or catching touchdowns as a receiver, the Crusaders star can do it all.
With Mission driving downfield on their last chance to get back in the game, Crusaders linebacker Paulo Emata cut in front of a receiver for a game-sealing interception. The Crusader’s defense has been turnover, forcing machines in their winning streak.
The defensive unit hasn’t only been forcing turnovers, but they’ve been scoring off of them and giving their team a huge boost. With the Crusaders playing excellent complementary football right now, they could be dangerous heading into the postseason.
Deugau knows next week is huge for his team’s playoff seeding, and on a personal level, more bragging rights are on the line.
“Next week, we play the always-good Robert Bateman team in the final game of the season. This game will determine who wins the East as we head into playoffs. Bateman’s coach, David Mills, and I are close friends, and there are always some bragging rights with this game.”
That pivotal game will take place next Friday at 1:30.
BCSS REDZONE WEEK 7
Winning in the rain. Sun Devils outlast weather and Eagles in big victory
Rain continues to pour down throughout the province. That rain halted the South Delta Sun Devils and Carson Graham Eagles’ vaunted passing games in their matchup Saturday afternoon. Ultimately, the Sun Devils did just enough despite the conditions to squeak by the Eagles 12-6.
In a game played in torrential rain, it’s no surprise that both defense and special teams played a huge part. Both defenses didn’t give up much, and with both teams struggling to sling the rock like they usually do, both squads were forced to lean on their ground games.
Damian Dumas once again delivered the first big play of the game. The star running back, who has to be in strong consideration for AAA player of the year, took a punt on his own 20 on the left side of the field, found the sideline on the right, and then cut back all the way back to the left to score an 80-yard punt return.
South Delta looked to extend their lead on the Eagles after a fumble recovery late in the first half. Inside the red zone, the clock was working against them, with only 30 seconds left in the half.
The Sun Devils seemed to have scored, but a questionable block in the back penalty negated the touchdown. The Sun Devils had to settle for a field goal attempt that was unsuccessful.
It was 6-0 for the Devils at halftime, with the rain continuing to affect both teams, neither side could sustain drives. Midway through the fourth, desperate for a spark, a big Eagles punt return moved them into great field position.
On that same drive, the Eagles were able to move the ball down the field and score on a 4th and goal to tie the game at 6-6. The Eagles decided to go for two points, but the Sun Devils defense came up big, nailing the running back in the backfield, and the try was unsuccessful.
With under two minutes to go, a very quick three-and-out had the Devils punting back to the Eagles, giving them another shot to win the game. Needing a huge stop, the Sun Devils defensive unit stepped up once again.
After forcing a fumble, the ball found the ground. The ball bounced around for what seemed like forever until the Sun Devils finally recovered it. With 60 seconds left and inside Carson’s red zone, the Devils would have one more opportunity to win the game.
With the game on the line, who did South Delta call on? You guessed it, Damian Dumas. The star ran wide off of a pitch and, with phenomenal perimeter blocking by Holden Hunter, Koen Hubbard, and Quinn Sjoberg, found the endzone for the game-winning score. 12-6 Sun Devils.
South Delta Head Coach Ray Moon was pleased with his team’s mental toughness in their gritty victory.
“We showed resilience today fighting the inclement weather, and in the end, we made one more play than Carson did. Carson was fierce today, and they competed incredibly hard; it easily could have gone either way. We are happy to get the win even though it was not a pretty one.”
The Sun Devils will have another tough matchup next Saturday with the Notre Dame Jugglers.
Long live the triple option. Knights pound the rock in 16-6 victory
The St. Thomas More Knights took Friday’s weather in stride. The Knights play old-fashioned ground-and-pound football on their way to a 16-6 win against the Centennial Centaurs.
“It was not pretty. It wasn’t warm and probably not that fun to watch. But, with 0 attempted passes all night, we got a gritty win in a soaking wet, hard-fought battle against Centennial,” said Knights Head Coach Jared Power on his team’s big win.
STM’s triple-option attack is made for nights like this. In the pouring rain and colder weather, you have to be able to run the ball to win games, and the Knights did just that. But as Coach Power said earlier, it was far from pretty.
The Knights fumbled inside their 30-yard line on their first two drives. After surviving their first mistake unscathed, Centennial punished the Knights for their second fumble and took a 6-0 lead.
Nico Pallares answered swiftly for the Knights when he took a toss to the right, then cut back all the way to the left sideline and sprinted 45 yards for the score. He then put the extra point through the uprights to Put STM up 7-6.
The rest of the first half was a stalemate. Both teams had issues handling the ball due to the weather and struggled to put up points because of it.
In the second half, Steven Nicklin went to work continually pounding the ball for tough-earned yards. The Knights handed the ball to their back 25 times for 185 yards in the game and started to wear down the Centaur’s defense.
The Knights weren’t putting up touchdowns, but they were Winning the battle of field position. Eventually, the Knights pressured the Centaurs into choosing to take a safety.
On the ensuing kickoff, Pallares made another big play, this time on the kick return, taking the ball past midfield and putting his team in a position to strike. On the ensuing drive, Knights’ grade 10 Quarterback Pat Cuesta-Leon pulled a triple option and ran 19 yards to put the Knights up 16-6.
Centennial got within striking distance late in the 4th quarter, desperately looking to respond. Driving deep into Knights territory, Knights defensive back Cristiano Loyie-Silva sealed the 16-6 win with a clutch interception.
The Knights’ defense had another strong outing. Wyatt Kully led the Knights with nine tackles, and Liam Golding had 6 of his own.
Power says the Knights were battling more than the conditions.
“This was a character win for us. We challenged our kids this week. Multiple kids had the flu, missed days, and showed up on days they probably shouldn’t have. Then came and played a tough game. I’m very proud of them.”
The Knights will go on the road next Friday when they play the Terry Fox Ravens.
Irish remain unbeaten
The Vancouver College Fighting Irish headed to the Island and, like they have done all year, took care of business in a 56-0 win against the Belmont Bulldogs.
In the first quarter, the Irish’s offense uncharacteristically took some time to get going. The Bulldogs showed their grit on both sides of the ball and only trailed 7-0 at the end of the first frame. Luckily for the Irish, their defense continues to suffocate opposing offenses.
“We started slow offensively, but our defense has continued to do a great job by shutting down our opponent’s offense,” Irish Head Coach Bryan
Chiu commended his defensive unit post-game.
With the team’s defensive unit forcing punts and a turnover on downs, the Irish’s offense jolted awake in the second quarter. VC capped off a long drive by punching the ball in from the one-yard line to go up two scores.
After another Irish defensive stop, running back Tristan Perdito exploded out of the backfield for a 36-yard rushing touchdown. VC’s talented backfield tandem of Perdito and Ryder Quintana continued to rack up yards on the ground and helped the Irish extend their lead to 28-0 at the half.
The Irish kept their foot on the pedal in the third quarter. First, Ryder Quintana took the ball left off tackle, and as he was wrapped up by three Bulldogs, somehow managed to spin his wait out of their grasp and took it 43 yards to the house.
Malikai Frers would add a 13-yard rushing score later in the quarter before Zyann Zapanta would take a pick-six to the house, and the rout was on. Nate Lowden would add a 81-yard punt return touchdown for good measure to make the final score Irish 56 Bulldogs 0.
Chiu was impressed by his team’s performance and focus.
“Happy with our run game, in particular, our physicality. As a team we did well and remained focused traveling to the Island and playing in the wet weather.”
The Fighting Irish will head home and start preparing for their matchup against Carson Graham Next Friday.
Panthers score 18 unanswered to shock Hyacks
Another week, another gut-wrenching loss for the New Westminster Hyacks. Up by double digits yet again this week, the Hyacks just couldn’t put away a tremendously talented Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers squad that scored eighteen unanswered in an 18-17 victory.
The Hyacks were in complete control early. Executing their Wing-T offense to perfection. Running the ball with Kah’ri Johnson off tackle and Tyson Godspower up the middle, the Panthers couldn’t stop the Hyack’s ground attack early.
Throw in a couple of receptions to Benny Hageleit, who made some great plays despite the unfavorable, rainy conditions, and the Hyacks were quickly up 17-0.
After the Panthers answered to make the score 17-6 with an eight-yard touchdown run by Peyton Mansfield, the Hyacks were driving to extend their lead to 24-6.
A fumble on Hyack’s handoff exchange deep in Panther’s territory led to a turnover. The Panthers may have been trailing 17-6 at halftime, but the momentum had swung entirely in their favor. That swing was not lost on Hyacks offensive coordinator Darnell Sikorski.
“We started off the game so well going up 17-6. We had a chance to extend our lead going into halftime with the ball on their 10 yard line and we turned it over on a fumbled exchange. That gave them some life and momentum going into halftime.”
Once the 2nd half hit, everything was going the Panther’s way. Tweedsmuir was able to move the ball with ease in the 3rd and start of the 4th quarter.
Mansfield punched in another short touchdown run, and then a long catch and run by Matthew Reid had the Panthers up 18-17. Hyack’s defensive coordinator, Chad Oatway, saw his defensive unit’s attitude and play change in the second half.
“Defensively, we played very well to start the game but played more tentatively in the 2nd half. We need to be more decisive, fearless, and come with bad intentions on a consistent basis if we want to win these close football games.”
The Hyack’s defense did enough in the 4th quarter to make the Panthers punt twice, but the team’s offense again couldn’t avoid turning the ball over. With five total turnovers on the day, the Hyacks lost the turnover battle for a second week in a row, and you just can’t win games that way.
Hyacks Head Coach Andrew McKechnie says his team is stunned after a second straight heartbreaker.
“Tweedsmuir played a great game for the last 30 minutes so they deserve credit and that is a solid football team. But this was an absolute gut punch. The kids responded with a solid week of practice and we started off the game so well. But you don’t win games in the 1st quarter or 1st half, you win them in the 4th quarter. And right now we are not finishing games. That is a very hurt locker room right now. But coaches and players all need to point the thumb and not the finger so we can get this corrected as a family and as a team. There is still a lot of football ahead of us and if we all commit to making the necessary changes, I have no doubt in my mind we can turn this around. But it will take every single one of us.”
For the Panthers this marks their third straight win. With the team on a roll, they’ll look to continue their success next week in another big game against the Centennial Centaurs.
BCSS REDZONE WEEK 6
Sun Devils back to winning ways
After giving Vancouver College their best test of the season last week, South Delta traveled to the island to take on the Belmont Bulldogs and were able to get back in the win column with a 31-21 victory, but not without overcoming some adversity.
The Bulldogs came out flying and had tons of energy to start the game. An early error by the Sun Devils only fueled that fire. Less than five plays into the game, Belmont scooped up a lateral that had found the turf and ran it back for the game’s opening score.
South Delta responded emphatically on the next drive. A beautiful throw by Dominic Dumas to Quin Sjoberg capped off an 80-yard drive and had the game tied at 7.
Some penalties stalled out a few South Delta drives, and after a missed Field goal by the Sun Devils, Belmont was able to march the field for a 25-yard score for the only points of the second quarter. With that score, the Bulldogs took a 14-7 lead into the half.
Belmont received the ball to start the third quarter. The Bulldog’s return man caught the ball deep in his own end. Finding a little seam up the hash, he hit the sideline for an incredible 99-yard return touchdown. With that big return, the score was 21-7 for the home team, which was just one play into the second half.
The Sun Devil’s offense started to get going by following that Belmont TD with another 8-play 80-yard TD drive that was capped by a Koen Hubbard 7-yard TD catch. South Delta’s defense took the field after the score and would completely shut down the Bulldogs for the remainder of the game.
A short offensive series had Belmont punting the ball back to the Sun Devils. One play later, Damian Dumas ran to the outside, found a seam up the sideline, and finished his longest run of the game with a 58-yard touchdown run.
With the game now tied at 21, the momentum swung entirely in South Delta’s favor. The Sun Devil’s defense continued its second-half dominance, and Delta’s offense relied heavily on Damian Dumas to carry the load for the rest of the way.
Damian’s last TD came on a short 5-yard pass after Dominic bought himself some time and found him in the flat for six. On the Sun Devil’s final drive, they called on kicker Diego Altorre to put the game away for good.
The strong-legged kicker, who was returning from missing the last few games with an injury, put the nail in the coffin by drilling a 40-yard field goal.
Damian Dumas continues to impress. The province’s leading rusher added to his totals by rushing 27 times for 210 yards and one touchdown. Dumas also added 2 catches for 33 yards and another score in the passing game.
Other Sun Devil’s offensive standouts were Quinn Sjoberg, who had 61 yards receiving and a touchdown, Koen Hubbard, who also had 26 yards and a score, and Dominic Dumas, who finished with 120 yards passing three touchdowns and an interception.
Defensively for the Sun Devils, inside backer Gage Spargo led the defense with 7 tackles, Tommy Cowan chipped in with 6, while Jun Choi and both Dumas brothers had 5 tackles apiece.
Sun Devils Head Coach Ray Moon loved his team’s ability to battle back when things weren’t going the team’s way.
“Although we didn’t feel like we played our best game, it was good to see the resiliency of the team when they were down 2 scores early in the 2nd. Belmont came out with alot of energy and we didn’t match it early, credit to them for that and capitalizing when we made mistakes or were out of position.”
The Sun Devils return to the mainland to enjoy their long weekend before beginning prep for their matchup next week against Carson Graham.
Centaurs bounce back against Seahawks
The Centennial Centaurs bounced back from a tight loss last week against the New Westminster Hyacks. The Centaurs channeled their frustrations from that loss into a convincing 45-19 win over the Seaquam Seahawks Friday.
The Centaurs scored on their first possession when Jaedyn Livingstone took a pass 35 yards to make it 7-0. The Seahawks responded in the middle of the quarter after an interception, which two plays later turned into a Seahawks touchdown.
In the second quarter, with the game tied at seven, the Centaurs started to pull away. Touchdowns from Jasper Baron and Jaedyn Livingstone made the score 21 -7 at the half for the Centaurs.
The third quarter started, and the Centaurs picked up where they left off. First, Ena Laqui found the endzone, and then a field goal by Doran Geremia stretched the Centuar’s lead to 31 -7, which seemed to put the game away.
Not so fast! The Seahawks came storming back. After scoring a quick touchdown, the Seahawks lined up for an onside kick. Seaquam recovered and then drove down the field for another major, and all of a sudden, we had a game again with the lead being cut to 31-19 Centaurs.
On the ensuing kickoff the Seahawks tried their luck again with an onside attempt. As the ball bounced towards a pile of players, desperately trying to recover the ball fell into the hands of the Centaur’s Livingstone. The Centaurs star capped off his big day by not only recovering the kick but sprinting all the way to the endzone and sealing the game for good.
The Centaur’s defense had yet another strong performance. The unit was led by linebackers Kaleb Montpetit, who had five tackles and a fumble recovery, and Harry Lobay, who had six tackles. Defensive lineman Cole McEwan was also a force up front all night.
Centaur’s Head Coach, Dino Geremia, commended his team and opponents post-game.
“A good win for us overall. Seaquam showed great toughness and played hard all night. I was proud of our team’s ability to come up with plays in all 3 phases of the game. We need to get better as we face a tough football team in STM”
That matchup between two talented rosters will take place at Burnaby Lakes at 7:30 next Friday.
Ravens upset Hyacks with fifteen unanswered points in final quarter
Upset alert! The Terry Fox Ravens, sparked by an eleven-point fourth quarter comeback, defeated the New Westminster Hyacks 24-20.
The Ravens were sparked by quarterback Zac Golab and his receiving core in a comeback to remember for Terry Fox. The Hyacks were able to stop the run and keep the Ravens one-dimensional, but Golab stepped up big-time when his team needed him. Golab went 24-29 for 212 yards, one touchdown, and a two-point conversion. Gus Borthwick, and Russel Arinaza helped the star quarterback out by also finding the endzone.
The Hyacks defense, which played well for most of the game, missed out on too many game-changing plays and wasn’t able to execute to a high enough level to win, according to Hyacks defensive coordinator Chad Oatway.
“We had three opportunities for interceptions but didn’t come up with the ball. Overall, I was proud of how the D played, but we need to continue to grow mentally in communicating, aligning, and executing as a defense together.”
Through three quarters, everything looked good for the Hyacks. Quarterback Antonio Hageleit Started the game with a 60-yard touchdown run. Hageleit added a 16-yard strike in the 2nd quarter to Eli Smith for six to close out the first half for the Hyacks.
Josh Delacruz scored in the third, and the Hyacks led 20-9 in the fourth quarter. With everything going the Hyack’s way, the Ravens battled both sides of the ball and scored 15 unanswered points in the final frame for a big win.
Ravens Head Coach Tom Kudaba was happy with the complete game from his team, specifically his defense.
“The defence was stingy and played a great game, with kudos to Lachlen Bruce, Gus Borthwick, and the rest of the front six linemen and Linebackers. We played the entire four quarters this time, and there are signs of good things to come.”
Hyacks head coach Andrew McKechnie commended his opponents post-game but thinks his own team’s performance left much to be desired.
“Full credit to Terry Fox. They were the more disciplined team, executed their game plan well, and deserved the win. They have some good football players and have been competing hard all year, except for Mouat, they have been right there in every game.
That said, this was a disappointing showing by our football team. We have caught an injury bug and it’s slowly been growing weekly. We are at a point where we were down 8 key contributors. On top of that, penalties, dropped passes, turnovers and some poor decisions earlier today by some of our players led to even more players unavailable for large chunks of the game. With all that said, we were still in a position to win the football game at the end with our 2 minute offense, we just couldn’t overcome it all.”
The Hyacks were missing three of their top four running backs on top of other key players offensively. Josh Dela Cruz impressed the coaching staff by stepping up in a difficult position.
Hyacks Offensive Coordinator Darnell Sikorski was happy with aspects of his unit’s performance but knew they made far too many mistakes to beat a good team like the Ravens.
“Both QBs Antonio Hageleit and Gavin Rai did some really good things for us through the air and on the ground. Eli Smith (WR) rebounded well after a drop early in the game, and our Offensive Line did a good job for us tonight. But when you have two fumbles and five key drops offensively that would have led to touchdowns or huge gains down the field, in addition to all the unavailable players tonight, you’re not going to win many football games.”
Mckechnie says it’s gut-check time for the team next week.
“Our team can be a great football team, but we can’t beat the other team and ourselves at the same time. We hope to have some guys back next week, but we have to decide who we are going to become as a football team. We’ll find out a lot about ourselves starting on Monday as we prepare for a great team in Lord Tweedsmuir”
That game kicks off at 3:30 at Lord Tweedsmuir.
Never say never; Crusaders storm back to beat Falcons in enemy territory
The Holy Cross Crusaders extended their winning streak to four games as they defeated the Sardis Falcons 29-21 in front of a ruckus Falcons crowd.
“This was an incredible game to be a part of. The atmosphere was awesome. Sardis had their drumline there and they were absolutely incredible and created an atmosphere nothing like anything we’re used to.”
Crusaders Head Coach Conrad Deugau said about the atmosphere on Friday night. The loud crowd didn’t phase the Crusaders; rather, they were fueled by it, starting from the opening kickoff.
Running back Kalel Dizon took that kickoff to the house and silenced the crowd momentarily. Deugau commended his opponent’s ability to fight back from an early momentum killer.
“Often that type of play and the emotion behind it can sink the opposition, but full kudos to Sardis they fought back. And they really fought back.”
The Falcons are no pushovers. They shook off that return touchdown and responded by scoring twice before the half and then again in quarter number three and had the Crusaders hanging on by a thread, as they lead 21-8.
With the momentum completely flipped in the Falcon’s favor, Deugau knew it was time for the Crusaders to test their mental toughness and to call on their star.
“That also could sink a team, but we dug deep and fought our way back. We had key offensive possessions with Kalel Dizon once again getting scores both on the ground.”
Feeding off the energy of their star, the Crusader’s defense made critical plays, getting key stops and stifling the Sardis O in the second half. The Crusader’s special teams didn’t want to be left out either.
Late in the 4th quarter, a game-changing fumble recovery by Crusaders defensive end Adam Rashad on a muffed punt gave the Crusaders the ball back with the game tied at 21.
With under a minute to go, quarterback Xander McCrone found Paulo Emata in the endzone for the game-winning score. 29-21 Crusaders was the final.
Deugau and his staff were impressed with their team’s ability to never say never.
“All of us coaches are proud of the resilience that our boys showed and our ability to over come adversity.”
The Crusaders will play Nanaimo District next Friday at Burnaby Lakes.
Jugglers win nailbiter in biggest win of year
The feeling of joy when finally defeating a program you just can’t seem to figure out can’t be measured. The Notre Dame Jugglers kicked off their long weekend by getting revenge on a team that’s had their number, the Carson Graham Eagles, with a 7-6 victory.
This was one of the biggest wins for the Notre Dame program in the last few years. Carson Graham has dominated the Jugglers in their last three outings. This time it was different as the Jugglers controlled the Eagles’ vaunted attack, allowing only an early second quarter touchdown.
Relentless pursuit, gang tackling and limitation of big plays characterized a Notre Dame defense composed of nine two-way starters. Defensive co-coordinator Nic Sorace and defensive backs coach Jerry Mulliss put in a game plan, which was executed flawlessly.
The Eagles opened the scoring with a Matt Brackenbury rushing major in the second quarter. After that, the Jugglers defense would make stops in any way possible. Forcing three-and-outs, bending but not breaking in the red zone, and forcing turnovers, Notre Dame’s defensive unit refused to let the Eagles get on the board again.
Interceptions by corner Michael MacLeod and safety Peyton Awde proved to be pivotal plays. Two-way lineman Nick Almeida and linebacker Klyde Tan put tremendous pressure on Eagles quarterback Jack Shih all afternoon.
Down 6-0 midway through the third frame, quarterback Caleb Parrotta broke off a tackle and ran it all the way for a 30-yard score. Grade nine kicker Matthew MacLeod kicked what turned out to be the winning conversion.
Parrotta also threw eight key completions, five to wide receiver Jeevyn Rattan, two to wide receiver Michael MacLeod, and one to tight end Sayj Gill to keep drives alive, especially in the third and fourth quarters.
Defensive tackle, center, and team captain Aiden Perizzolo had his best game of the season. The offensive line is making new line coach Matt Kingsley very proud these past two weeks, according to Jugglers Head Coach Dennis Kelly.
Kelly was beaming with his teams performance postgame.
“This was a huge signature win for our team as we have recovered from some early season losses and now have our sights set on the remainder of our league schedule. I can’t stress enough the work of our guys on defense, led by Coach Sorace. Offensively, quarterback Parrotta is showing his tremendous pass/run ability, and the offensive line continues to improve.”
Kelly says next week’s game is about more than football for the Jugglers.
“Next up for us is Handsworth next Saturday on Juggler Field, starting at 1:30 pm. We will be honoring the 44-year coaching commitment of Mark “Bubba” Burchak, who passed away this past spring after a battle with cancer. All Jugglers, especially those who knew Bubba, were invited to attend the game and ceremony.”
Hawks win despite slow start vs Grizzlies
It’s not how you start it’s how you finish. The WJ Mouat Hawks overcame a slow start from their explosive offense in a tough 31-14 victory over a solid G.W. Graham Grizzlies team.
Defenses ruled the game early on after an early Grizzlies touchdown made the score 8-0. Mouat’s power spread attack struggled early against a physical Grizzlies defense. With their offense struggling, the Hawks turned to Joel Muller.
The star halfback’s 19 carries for 121 yards, and the Hawk’s first touchdown of the game late in the first half paved the way for a momentum change. That score proved crucial as despite still trailing the Grizzlies 8-6 at the half, the Hawks would receive the ball to start the third quarter.
Mouat took that second-half kickoff and dove down the field with tough runs by Muller before an Elijah black touchdown pass to Santiago Llarena capped off the drive.
On the ensuing kickoff, the momentum would change for good. The Grizzlies fumbled the ensuing return, and the Hawks recovered deep in Graham territory. The drive stalled out, but the Hawks were able to get an FG from kicker Owen Turner.
After the Grizzlies went three and out on their next drive, Mouat increased their lead on a long 60-yard catch and throw from Black to receiver Max Pratt, the wideout’s first of 2 scores on the day.
The Grizzlies wouldn’t go away without a fight. Graham scored on the ensuing drive, cutting the lead to 24-14. As we know from a couple of weeks ago, the Grizzlies are never out of a game.
Mouat, having seen what occurred when their opponents played Carson Graham, wasn’t having any of the Grizzly’s late-game heroics this time around. Elijah Black found Max Pratt for his second score to put the final dagger into the Grizzlies for a 31-14 final.
Elijah Black continues to be Mr. Consistent and makes huge throws when his team needs him most, finishing 17/23 for 174 yards and three touchdowns. Max Pratt had six receptions for 89 yards to go along with his two touchdowns.
Hawks Defensive Coordinator Daniel Mills was pleased with both the team and the rest of the Hawk’s coaching staff.
“That was a big, tough GW team that came ready to play today. Credit to our boys for bouncing back from an early deficit and turning it on in the second half. Our Oline coach Rick Pennell had our line blocking well both on the ground and in pass pro to give our offence the best chance to win. We now turn to another tough game up in Kelowna against Rutland Secondary, who are very talented in all 3 phases of their game. Should be a great game to watch and we look forward to the challenge they pose”
That game Kicks off at one next Saturday.
Irish back to dominant ways
The Vancouver College Fighting Irish once again showed why they’re the number one team to beat in the province with a resounding 52-0 over the Handsworth Royals.
After being tested against by the South Delta Sun Devils last week, The Irish returned to their dominant ways this afternoon. Despite another adamant effort by the Royals, the Irish’s star power was too much to handle.
The Irish leaned on their one-two punch in the backfield early. Ryder Quintana opened the scoring with a 15-yard rushing touchdown. Not to be outdone by Quintana, Tristan Perdido ran one in from 16 yards out on the Irish’s next drive, and it was 14-0 VC.
The rest of the half was Irish quarterback Declan Damgaard’s time to shine. First, he rolled to his left and avoided a Royals Blitzer who was free of the edge before hitting Luan Lam in stride for a 20-yard score through the air to make it 21-0 Irish.
In the second quarter, Damgaard dropped back to pass and threw a moon ball into the left corner of the endzone. Nate Lowden out-muscled his defender for the ball, and the Irish extended their lead to 28-0.
The Irish’s defense also had an outstanding performance. The Royals continued to try to air the ball out all afternoon, being down big. VC’s defensive backs showed discipline in their coverages and suffocated the Royals’ receivers all game long.
With a great performance for a full four quarters on both sides of the ball, when the clock hit zero, the scoreboard showed 52-0 in favor of the Irish.
VC Head Coach Bryan Chiu was pleased with his team’s win, with a tremendous effort on both sides of the ball and getting a plethora of players on the field after the first quarter.
“Very happy that all our boys got a chance to play. Most importantly, we came out of the game injury-free. We still have so much to improve on fundamentally. Ultimately, we accomplished our goal for the week by going 1-0.”
The Irish will head to the Island next week to take on the Belmont Bulldogs.
BCSS REDZONE WEEK 5
Eagles take home Buchanan Bowl in convincing fashion
The 37th Annual Buchanan Bowl took place on Saturday. The storied event between the Carson Graham Eagles and the Handsworth Royals fell in favor of the Eagles this year with a 50-15 victory.
After a devastating loss to G.W. Graham last week, the Eagles rebounded this week with an offensive explosion. The Eagles scored on seven of their eight offensive possessions to win going away.
The Eagles set the tone early defensively when Jude Parry stepped in front of a pass on the game-opening drive and returned to the Royals 22-yard line. The Eagles scored three plays later to open the scoring and never looked back.
The Royals had no answer for the Eagle’s air-raid attack. The Eagles proved they don’t just have to throw the ball to be successful. Running back and Game MVP Jonathan Tougan was unstoppable on the ground, rushing 148 yards on ten carries.
Jack Shih had another strong performance through the air, going – 25/32 170 yards through the air, 40 yards on the ground, and three total touchdowns. Running back Matt Brackenbury also had a strong showing, with 53 yards on four carries and two scores.
The offensive explosion had the Eagles up 36-7 at the half and 44- 7 after three quarters before the Royals would show fight as they have all year, playing hard to the final whistle despite the score line of 50-15 by the end of the game.
Eagles head coach Brian Brady was happy with his team’s resolve after last week’s loss.
‘I’m proud of how our guys executed in all 3 phases. We needed a bounce-back game and got it.”
The Eagles will look to continue their momentum into next week when they head to the road to play a very scrappy, well-coached Notre Dame Jugglers squad.
The Royals will have another challenging game next week when they host the best team in the province, the Vancouver Fighting Irish.
Irish remain the team to beat within the province
By: Jacob Mallari (VC ‘24) (VC Football Communications)
In a much-anticipated Week 5 matchup, the Vancouver College Fighting Irish won a gritty 31-10 victory over the South Delta Sun Devils on O’Hagan Field.
The Irish (6-0) faced a resilient Sout Delta team led by the Dumas brothers that came in undefeated (4-1) and determined to challenge the reigning champions, making this a clash of the titans that did not disappoint.
The game kicked off in dramatic fashion as Vancouver College fumbled on the opening kickoff, handing the Sun Devils a golden opportunity to strike early. However, the Irish defence, as it has so often this season, stepped up in the clutch.
Senior defensive back Ryan Livingston delivered a crucial sack on fourth down, stopping South Delta in their tracks and setting the tone for a defensive battle in the first half.
“We started out flat,” Head Coach
Bryan Chiu admitted post-game, “and it’s never good when you start off the game with a fumble on a kickoff
return. But credit to South Delta—they played tough.”
Special teams were key early on for the Irish, with kicker Luan Lam converting a 42-yard field goal to give the home team a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter. From there, both teams struggled to gain any offensive momentum.
With punts and turnovers on downs defining much of the second quarter, the game seemed destined to remain a
defensive grind. South Delta managed to even the score with a field goal just as the first half expired, sending the teams to the locker room tied 3-3.
“All credit to South Delta,” said Assistant Head-Coach Regen Oey. “They
came out well-prepared and physical. I thought we responded in the second half, but we need to bring that same energy from the start.”
The second half saw South Delta come out firing, taking their first lead of the game after a 3-yard touchdown run by Damian Dumas midway through the third quarter, putting the Irish on the back foot for the first time in several games.
But the Fighting Irish would not be denied. Late in the third quarter, running back Jaxson Farac powered through for a 7-yard touchdown pass, bringing Vancouver College within one point at 10-9 after the extra point was blocked.
The blocked kick could have shaken the Irish, but instead, it lit a fire in the team. “We built up energy in the second half and played our style of football,” reflected senior lineman Will Curtain.
The fourth quarter saw the Irish take control of the game for good. A gutsy fake punt attempt by South Delta was taken down by an explosive hit from Chucky Black, stopping the play cold and shifting the momentum squarely in Vancouver College’s favour.
Moments later, Perdido struck again with his second touchdown of the day, capping a 7-yard run to give the Irish a 17-10 lead after a successful two-point conversion.
From there, Vancouver College never looked back. Ryder Quintana, who had been a force all game, added a 12-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 24-10, while the Irish defence tightened the screws.
Ryan Livingston and Noah James both recovered key fumbles in the final minutes, and Perdido sealed the win with his second touchdown of the game, a 5-yard burst into the end zone that brought the final score to 31-10.
“It was a little bit of a slow start for us in the first two quarters, but we changed the tempo in the third,” noted Running
Backs Coach Rob Parmar. “We like to think of our backs as thunder and lightning, and they controlled the rest of the game.”
After the game, Coach Chiu reflected on his team’s resilience: “I’m proud of the boys—they responded in the second half, executed, and got back to fundamentals. You could see the results at the end of the day.”
Looking ahead to their next matchup against Handsworth, he emphasised the basics: “Fundamentals, ball security, tackling, blocking—that’s what it comes down to.”
The Irish rushing attack was particularly impressive, with Ryder Quintana racking up 127 yards on 15 carries and Perdido adding 104 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.
The offensive line, praised by Coach Parmar for “opening up big holes in the third and fourth quarters,” played a pivotal role in turning the game around.
As the team prepares for their next game on October 11th against Handsworth at William Griffin Park, the
message from the coaching staff is clear: stay focused, and build on the momentum of this hard-fought victory.
“It all starts in practice,” said Coach Oey. “We need to stay focused, eliminate distractions, and get the job done.”
Sun Devils Head Coach Ray Moon is hoping for a rematch this postseason.
“With over 10 players on this VC team from Tsawwassen these guys know each other well and battled extremely hard. If they meet again this year it would most likely be deep in the playoffs and it will be a game that you would not want to miss.”
The Sun Devils will get back to work and prepare for their game against the Belmont Bulldogs next Friday.
Knights and Seahawks play bully ball on a Friday night
We had a good old-fashioned shootout between the St. Thomas More Knights and the Seaquam Seahawks on Friday evening. In a battle of talented running backs who both sport number 33, the Knights managed to hold on for a 35-26 win.
Those talented backs wearing 33 for their respective squads are Kayden Chan of the Knights and Seaquam’s Remy Grewal. Both players are true throwback power runners. Running over one defender at a time, both backs wore down their opposing team’s defensive units and racked up yards in the process.
The Knights really needed to lean on their star running back as the team was missing multiple players for a multitude of reasons.
“Between illness, injury, and player suspension, we were down multiple players and had to gut-check their adversity.” STM’s head coach, Jared Power, said post-game.
The Knights started hot despite all the advesity. STM scored two quick touchdowns in the first quarter. first, Nico Pallares scored on a 5-yard run to cap off a long drive. On the team’s next possession, Kayden Chan ran for his first of two scores on the day, and the Knights led 14-0.
Down two scores, Grewal and Seaquam’s ground game went to work. Grewal ran over defenders and fell forward for extra yards as The Seahawks drove the field and crossed the goalline to cut the lead to 14-7.
Both teams continued to lean on the ground game and exchanged majors in the second quarter to go into the half, with STM leading 21-14.
In the final two frames, every time The Seahawks would strike and attempt to claw back, the Knights would answer with a score of their own. Neither team’s defense had much of an answer for their opposition’s ground attack, but when it mattered most, the Knights got one more stop than the Seahawks and took home a 35-26 victory.
Standouts for the Knights included Chan, who ran for over 100 yards, and quarterback Nico Pallares, who had 150 all-purpose yards on the day.
Defensively, Grade 10 safety Liam Golding had seven tackles, and Pallares continues to be a two-way stud for the Knights, adding six tackles of his own.
Power was proud of how his players responded but knows going forward, the team needs to play with intensity on every play.
“We got up and had a lull in intensity and it almost cost us. I’m happy with how we responded in the second half and kept fighting. We need a complete effort if we want success against Lord Tweedsmuir next week.”
That game against Tweedsmuir kicks off at 1:30 next Saturday.
Hawks return to flying high in win against Owls
The WJ Mouat Hawks bounced back after a close loss in South Delta last Saturday as they defeated a scrappy Kelowna Owls team 28-14.
The Hawks’ power-spread attack got back on track, scoring on four of six possessions on the night. Running back Joel Mueller was once again a force on the ground with 133 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Quarterback Elijah Black continued his steady play with 14 completions 176 yards 3 passing scores.
Hawk’s head coach, Andrew Harder, was happy with his stars and his offensive unit as a whole.
“Offensively, I thought we were solid. Elijah Black was efficient with the offense, and workhorse Joel Mueller had another great game on the ground for us. Our offensive line was great tonight, picking up some blitzes from a very aggressive KSS team. Coach Rick Penell had our boys dialed in this week being prepared for it.”
Mouat opened the scoring on the first drive of the game. Black led the offense down the field with ease and found receiver Max Pratt for a 24-yard major.
Late in the second quarter, with Mouat leading 7-6, the Owls had the ball. Led by quarterback Chase Witzel, the Owls had a nice drive and got into field goal range. Unfortunately for the Owls, ‘s The attempt was blocked by Mouat, and they took over with 3 minutes left in half.
With newfound momentum and the ball, the Hawks moved quickly downfield as they pounded the ball with Mueller. With the Owls stacking the box in hopes of containing Mueller, Elijah Black took full advantage by catching the Owls off guard and hitting Santiago Llarena for a score through the air, and the Hawks held a 14-6 lead going into the half.
In the third, Witzel would drive the Owls downfield for a score and give the Hawks all they could handle; the one problem? they couldn’t stop Joe Muller. The running back would add another score in the third, this time through the air to extend the Hawk’s lead.
The Owls would fight with the Hawks till the final horn, but ultimately, a fourth-quarter score for the Mouat would put the game away for good. Despite the win Harder knows his team has plenty to work on next week in practice.
“It was a hard fought game. Credit to KSS and their O-line combined with their shifty running back. They were able to beat us up front and establish a solid run game. Too many missed tackles and players not getting in their run fit on defense. Its something that needs to get right quick with us travelling into Chilliwack next week and a tough GW Graham opponent.”
Kickoff for that game will be at four next Friday.
Stars finally align for Sullivan in first victory of season
Many individuals give up when things aren’t going how they want them to. The strongest-willed individuals refuse to give in during these times. They persevere, and they believe that with effort and some luck, things will change.
At 0-4 before this afternoon’s game, nothing has been going the Sullivan Heights Stars way this season. In a game where, once again, it seemed like the Stars would let a game slip away, belief never left this team as they fought till momentum finally changed on the way to a 14-7 victory against the Abbotsford Panthers.
The Abbotsford Panthers have a clear vision for their offense. The Panthers want to pound the rock and play smash-mouth football. Running behind their physical line are running back Abraham Okunlola and quarterback Gurprasad Grewal.
The Panthers will both spread you out to run zone read options and quarterback counters, and they’ll play heavier personal sets and hammer the ball inside with Okunlola.
Stars head coach Gord Randall said this plan almost worked to perfection for the Panthers.
“Abby came out ready to play and tried to grind us down all afternoon. Through three quarters, it looked like they’d done that.”
Late in the third quarter, the Panthers scored the first points of the day on a demoralizing long drive where they converted multiple fourth downs. The Star’s energy was starting to fade, and the Panthers appeared to be about to pull away.
The Star’s offense had struggled all game, and defensively, the Stars had bent all afternoon but had finally broken. The team’s belief was hanging on by a thread.
The Stars needed to punch back after being hit multiple times by the Panthers. The young man who took that upon himself was Tyler Steele.
On the ensuing kickoff, the ball fell end over end into Steele’s hands deep in Stars territory. Steele broke to the middle of the field but had no daylight in sight. He cut back against the grain and took off down the left hash mark. As Steele raced down the hash he was met by a Panthers defender.
Steele lowered his shoulder into the Panthers defender at the fifty-yard line. Crack ! The sound of shoulder pads hitting one another rang out across the field, and as Steele stood over the defender, he had just run over, the Stars sideline was alive again.
Despite giving his team a great field position, the Stars were unable to capitalize. Despite this, the Stars were playing with a newfound intensity. Getting a quick stop on defense shortly thereafter, the Stars had the ball again, and with this drive, they looked like a new team.
A couple of plays into the drive, receiver Josiah De Jesus took a jet sweep and sprinted outside to his left. De Jesus got to the hashmark and made a quick fake right, getting two Panthers defenders to bite on the inside move, and then took off down the sideline. After breaking two tackles, De Jesus was in the endzone, and the Stars were within one point with five minutes to go in the game.
On the ensuing two-point conversion, a perfect pass by Quarterback Logan McEvoy was dropped in the endzone. With all that momentum gained, the team still trailed with just under five minutes to go.
As the Stars lined up for an onside kick, it was time for the team to channel their inner belief once again. De Jesus kicked the ball off the tee, and it bounced right at ten yards into the hands of a Panther. As the Panthers player tried to fall to the ground and give his team possession back, Jaxson Hamilton had other ideas.
Hamilton went flying in and dislodged the ball with a thunderous hit. The Stars hopped on it and had the ball once again with a chance to take the lead.
Late in the fourth McEvoy had the ball back in his hands with the pressure of leading his team to a victory. McEvoy probably didn’t anticipate this moment coming, as he’s been playing receiver all year.
Late in the second quarter, McEvoy was forced to fill in for starter Nick Baxter after an injury. Losing their starter and a key player on both sides of the ball was a massive loss for the Stars, but Randall wasn’t worried about McEvoy in the slightest.
“He’s such a gamer. Our staff had full faith in him to get the job done. He’s so instinctual on the field he can pretty much play everywhere.”
Now, in Panthers territory, Mcevoy faded back to pass. As he hit his third step in his drop, he let go of a beautiful pass that hit Steele in stride into the endzone on a post route, and the Stars had the lead.
After a stop on fourth down, the Stars bled out the clock, and belief became a reality for the team. Finally, in the win column, Randall was impressed with his team’s display of mental fortitude.
“I’m really proud of our guys for buckling down when it mattered most, having a great 4th quarter, and taking over a game we absolutely had to have. Our guys made a series of momentum-changing plays to turn it around. I also have to give a ton of credit to our guys for digging in defensively, especially late in the game. This is a good first step for us in getting the season back on track.
The team looks to carry their momentum into Salmon Arm next Friday.
Pipers head home happy after tight win against Whalers
The Argyle Pipers traveled to the island to take on the Ballenas Whalers on the road. The long trip will be worth it for the Pipers as they’ll head back to the mainland victorious after winning a nail-bitter 25-23.
Both offenses took a while to get going in this one. The first half was short on scoring as both team’s defensive units had a great plan going into the game.
Despite the early struggles, both teams managed to put together a scoring drive each, and with a two-point conversion, the Whalers took an 8-7 lead into the half. Both team’s offenses headed to the whiteboard during the break, and whatever adjustments were made certainly worked.
Both teams battled back and forth in an explosive third quarter. First, Piper’s quarterback, Daniel Dykema, connected with wide receiver Noah Noordmans for a 20-yard score through the air.
Ballenas promptly answered with a score of their own. The Piper’s Offensive unit got back on the field and grinded for every yard on a long physical touchdown drive. Tobin Letnes-James capped that drive from the one-yard line late in the third quarter.
Ballenas would answer again, but because of the Piper’s ability to convert two-point attempts after their scoring majors, they remained in the lead 25-23.
The Whalers desperately tried to get into field goal range in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for them, the Piper’s defense returned to its first-half form and shut them down on multiple occasions.
When the clock hit zero, the score remained 25-23 Whalers. Ballenas now falls to 1-2 despite an adamant effort and will look to rebound next Friday against Windsor on the road.
With the win, the Pipers now improve to 2-1. Argyle will take the weekend to enjoy their road victory before they begin preparations for their matchup next week against Mount Doug back at home.
BCSS REDZONE WEEK 4
Can you believe it? Grizzlies come back down twenty points and shock Eagles
The best teams never believe they’re out of a game, no matter how bad things look. The G.W. Graham Grizzlies rallied together and showed how, with mental toughness and perhaps a bit of delusion, anything is possible with their 36-32 victory over the Carson Graham Eagles.
The first quarter and a half of this game belonged to the Eagles. Their offense drove up and down the field effortlessly. Quarterback Jack Shih led the Eagle’s air raid attack to three scores on the team’s first four possessions and had his team-leading 20-0 in the first quarter.
With the score 26-7 late in the second quarter, the Grizzlies finally came out of hibernation. First quarterback Lincoln Boyd drove the team downfield before the half. Boyd completed passes to his targets, showing poise in the pocket and precision accuracy on his throws before the Grizzlies ran the ball in from a yard out, cutting the lead to 26-14 Eagles at the half.
Coming out of the half, the Grizzlies changed their mentality on both sides of the ball. On offense, they started pounding the rock and utilizing jet sweeps to attack the outside of the Eagles’ defense. The Grizzlies would then fake those sweeps and hand the ball inside to running back Denver Adam for tough yards.
On defense, the Grizzlies started bringing heat. Likely feeling like Shih had far too much time to get the ball to his targets, the Grizzlies started blitzing an extra linebacker, sometimes two and affected Shih’s timing in the process.
After Michael Blair made a ridiculous catch in double coverage to cut the lead to 26-21, the Eagles responded right back and led 32-21. With time running out, the Grizzlies didn’t panic.
They pressured Shih, got the stop they needed on fourth down, and pounded the ball on consecutive drives, and as Ridley Mastin took a jet sweep into the endzone and the Grizzly’s sideline erupted, the team had its first lead of the game with just 47 seconds to go.
With one last chance to avoid an epic collapse, the ball was back in Shih’s hands. The quarterback threw four strikes in a row and had the Eagles on the Grizzly’s fifteen-yard line for the game’s final play.
Shih dropped back to pass and faced immediate pressure. He escaped the pocket and sprinted to his right. Shih delivered a ball on the money to an open receiver at the five-yard line. As the ball was corralled near the endzone, multiple Grizzly defenders swarmed and kept the Eagles out of the endzone, and the comeback was complete.
The Grizzlies showed what’s possible when a team has belief, relentlessness, and the utmost mental toughness and fortitude. This group will never forget this surreal comeback from a twenty-point deficit against a very strong Eagles team.
Hyacks execute gameplan and Homecoming in front of a massive crowd
The New Westminster Hyacks do Homecoming right. Students, Alumni, and community members flood the stands at Mercer Stadium for one of the best atmospheres in all of BC High School football. In return for all the support, the Hyacks showed their appreciation with a 49-12 victory over the Handsworth Royals.
Hyacks head coach Andrew McKechnie thanked the lively crowd post-game.
“Another excellent crowd for Homecoming with over 2000 people in attendance. We appreciate the support from the students, school staff, community, and especially our alumni. Our kids are extremely hard-working, and we are glad they performed well in front of a special crowd.”
Benny Hageleit had the crowd up on their feet only 26 seconds into the game. As a Royals pass flew through the middle of the field, Hageleit broke on the ball from his free safety position, darting in front of the intended receiver for an interception.
Hageleit proceeded to weave through Royals on his way to the endzone for six. This started yet another strong showing for the Hyack’s Defense.
“Solid performance by our defense for the fourth straight game. We still need to clean up the finer details to prepare for this season’s upcoming games. Overall, we are learning to play team defense, and I am excited to see what we can do in a tight game.”
Hyacks’ defensive coordinator, Chad Oatway, said about his unit.
The Hyacks used a balanced attack again to put up points in bunches while leaning on the big boys up front. Offensive coordinator Darnell Sikorski says the team was seeing how much their line could handle in pre-game preparation this week.
“I’m overall happy with how our offensive line played. We challenged our offensive line this week to have a great week of practice. Tonight, we had guys play at different positions to develop depth, which we hope will pay dividends down the road.”
Despite the scoreline, McKechnie and the Hyacks have a lot of respect for the Royals.
“Full credit to Handsworth. They have some outstanding players and have played an extremely hard schedule this year. To play the top AA program in Washington State plus three top 10 ranked schools in BC. They’re not afraid to take on anyone. They should be commended for that.”
Next week, things get real for the Hyacks. McKechnie and his staff know the challenge they are in for.
“Things get tougher for us from here on out. Centennial presents many challenges and have great players all over the field. We’ll have our hands full and will need an excellent practice week.”
Kickoff will be at 7:30 at Mercer Stadium.
Crusaders, Deugau defeat former alum Fujimura's Panthers
A game just means so much more when there’s a history between programs. The Holy Cross Crusaders’ second straight 21-6 victory at home will be even sweeter for head coach Conrad Deugau as his team didn’t just beat anyone. They defeated his friend and former Crusaders Alumni Jay Fujimura’s Abbotsford Panthers.
Fujimura went to Holy Cross and later taught at the school in the early 2000s. Deugau says the connection between him and the Panthers staff runs even deeper than that.
“I’ve taught his kids. Not to mention, we’re friends in general. Their OC, Carson Williams, coached at Holy Cross for a year with me. They also have other coaches who I know well. So with all that, there’s always a bit more emotion tied to it.”
The Crusaders channeled that emotion into playing fast, physical, and sound defense for a second straight week. Stopping the Panther’s Spread option attack early and often and making them try to move the ball through the air instead.
This played right into the hands of Paulo Emata. The senior linebacker had two interceptions, one that he took back for a pick-six to put the Crusaders up 7-0.
Deciding that dominating on only defense wasn’t enough, Emata later scored a receiving touchdown on offense to make the score 14-0. Emata’s playmaking ability really changed the complexion of the game.
Deugau was elated with Emata post-game.
“He had the best game of his high school career today. He really stood out for us today, and I’m so proud of him for how he’s developed as a player.”
The Panthers would respond in the second half and cut the lead to 14-6. Midway through the final frame, it was time for quarterback Xander McCrone and receiver Kaleb Orellana to make a critical play for the second week in a row.
McCrone faked left to his running back and then rolled right; as he did, Orellana came out of his break with a step on his defender toward the sideline. McCrone put the ball right on the money, and Orellana fell into the endzone, and with that, it was 21-6 Crusaders.
With the Panthers back with the ball looking for a miracle, Crusaders cornerback Kalel Dizon intercepted a fifty-fifty ball to put the game away for good.
Deugau was happy with his team’s performance for a second straight week.
“Our special teams were solid today as well. Both our kick-off and punt teams forced fumbles, and we were able to recover. Overall, it was a solid performance, and we will keep building for next week’s Saturday game vs Earl Marriott, another crosstown Surrey rival.”
The Panthers will look to rebound next week against the Sullivan Heights Stars.
Home sweet home. Centuars win big back on home soil
The Centennial Centaurs returned to home soil this week after a game south of the border last Friday. Being back Home has never felt sweeter for the Centaurs as they soundly defeated the Belmont Bulldogs 37- 14.
The Centaurs knew the key to this game was their defense. Belmont runs a Gun-T attack that can drive a defensive staff crazy. With a downhill run attack centered around pulling guards, the Centaurs knew their defense would have to be disciplined in their gap control to stop the run.
Led by linebacker Harry Lobay’s six tackles, the Centaurs defense was up to the task. Cole McEwen, Amir Ghambaru, and Adam Teglasi were stout on the defensive line, which allowed the tackle machine that is Lobay to stay clean, scrape across the formation, and follow the pulling guards to the ball carrier all night.
When Belmont went to the Air, the Centaur’s secondary was prepared for the Bulldog’s passing game. The Centaur’s back seven ran both their man and zone coverages effectively and prevented Belmont from making many big chunk plays.
Doran Geremia crucial pick in the third quarter for the Centaurs helped put away the Bulldogs for good. As good as the Centaur’s defense played, their offense also continues to impress.
Jaspar Baron barreled his way to another two rushing touchdowns. Receiver Ediri Ena Laqui scored a rushing score and then added a receiving touchdown through the Air. Isaiah Lescene also ran one into the endzone for the team as well.
Head Coach Dino Geremia had lots of positives to say about his team’s performance.
“Overall we are pleased with our effort in all phases of the game. Our goal is to simply continue to get better and work on the little things which will have the greatest impact on our improvement. We will need to get better this week vs. New West.”
That game vs New West next week is bound to be an exciting one. With elite playmakers on both sides of the ball for both teams, the matchup will be a can’t-miss for BC High School Football fans. Kickoff at Mercer Stadium will be at 7:30.
Sun Devils stay perfect with return of Dumas
A battle between the undefeated W.J. Mouat Hawks and the South Delta Sun Devils came down to the wire this afternoon. The X factor in a big 31-21 Sun Devils victory was the return of Dumas.
The return of Dominic Dumas, that is. The star quarterback returned to the field only having missed two games with a broken wrist. With his cast heavily padded on his non-throwing hand, he took the reigns of the offense back from his brother Damian.
With both brothers in the backfield, Damian and Dominic led the Sun Devils to victory against a Mouat team that had been running other teams out of the building for the last couple of weeks.
Damian, who’s leading the province in rushing as a quarterback, showed he’s just as dangerous when he’s at tailback. Damian had another spectacular day with over 200 yards rushing against a physical, sound 3-4 Mouat defense, which is built on stopping the run.
The Devils got off to an early 9-0 lead after a safety and then had a 35-yard connection from Dominic Dumas to Holden Hunter threw the air.
That 9-0 lead didn’t last long as Mouats explosive power spread offense scored the next two touchdowns and it was 14-9 Mouat at the half. To start the third quarter, it looked like Mouat was about to extend their lead further.
Driving inside the Sun Devils ten-yard line, South Delta’s defense forced a fumble and recovered. It was time for the Sun Devils to turn the tide in their favor.
The very next play it was Damian Dumas’s time. The province’s leading rusher received a handoff and sprinted right down the middle of the field, leaving Hawk’s defenders in the dust for a 90-yard score. After a 2-point conversion, the Devils were up 17-14
After a big defensive stop and another Touchdown from Damian from five yards out, it was 24-14 South Delta. Mouat regrouped with a long scoring drive of their own and, with the score 24-21, had the ball back in their own territory with a chance to take the lead.
With the Sun Devils perfect record on the line they called on their secondary to save the day. With the ball in the air, Sun Devils’ defensive back Anthony De Albuquerque jumped the route and stole the ball from Mouat.
Securing his second pick of the day, Albuquerque put the game away for good, taking the interception to the house for an incredible pick-six.
Sun Devils’ head coach Ray Moon was very impressed with their team and the quality of football that both teams showcased today.
“It was a fantastic showcase of high school football today as both teams showed why they came into the game 4-0 and had a great start to the regular season. it was a team win by us. Our defense played phenomenal against a team that has scored at will this season and was coming off a 62-17 win against Terry Fox.”
The Sun Devils will put their perfect record on the line again next week when they play the Vancouver Fighting Irish on the road.
BCSS REDZONE WEEK 3
Welcome to week 3! check in throughout the evening for post-game updates.
Happy homecoming for Crusaders
Two-time Super Bowl champion Tom Coughlin once said, “Football comes down to six or seven plays within a game. The problem is you never know precisely when those plays will happen. “
In the Holy Cross Crusaders’ 21-6 homecoming victory against Cross Surrey rivals, the Sullivan Heights Stars, those crucial plays were won by the Crusaders.
After the Crusaders opened the scoring in front of their home crowd, midway through the first quarter, defense ruled the rest of the first half.
Both team’s units played physical and disciplined, giving each other’s offenses trouble in the process. For the Crusaders, defensive end Prince Davidson gave the Stars trouble all day.
Davidson didn’t allow backs to get outside in the running game, was disruptive as an edge rusher, and even batted a pass away on a crucial passing down for good measure.
For the Stars, Xavier Khinda was incredibly disruptive inside. The Defensive tackle threw away blockers multiple times while wrapping up ball carriers for a loss of yards.
With both defenses not giving an inch, the score remained 7-0 to start the second half. Down only one score with the ball to start the 3rd quarter, disaster would strike for the Stars.
On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, the Crusaders recovered a bad exchange on a handoff deep in Stars territory. Two plays later, Crusaders quarterback Xander McCrone found Kalel Dizon in the endzone on a corner route for six, and after an extra point, it was 14-0.
Later in the quarter, not satisfied with just one passing major, McCrone threw a deep ball over the middle on a key third down. As a Stars safety broke perfectly on the ball, it looked like a sure interception. Instead, the ball sailed straight through the Stars defender’s hand into the waiting arms of Kaleb Orellana, and it was 21-0 Crusaders.
The Stars fought to the end, adding the game’s last score, but the Crusaders proved too much to handle in a 21-6 loss. Crusaders Head Coach Conrad Deugau was very impressed with his team’s effort, particularly his defense.
” Any time two Surrey schools play each other in anything, there is always extra intensity and focus. Defense today was an all-around team effort. Our DLine was outstanding keeping contain and not making it easy to advance the ball. Our LBs made the plays they needed to and our secondary was really good overall, knocking the ball down and getting a key interception by Safety Luc Fillion. It was A great effort by both teams overall and we were able to secure the victory.”
The Crusaders will enjoy this big homecoming victory before they start preparations for their next game against the Abbotsford Panthers at Cloverdale Athletic Park.
Stars head coach Gord Randall was pleased with his team’s effort but knew they left too many plays on the field.
“I was happy with the effort level from our guys. I thought we were focused and put ourselves in the position to make plays and win the game. We just didn’t make them. A few key drops, a bad turnover at a bad time and we put ourselves in a hole we couldn’t get out of. That’s a good team over there, and they will not let you get away with mulligans – we had to be our best and we weren’t quite up to it today.
We still felt like today was a good effort to build on, so our job is to correct the errors and be on the other side of the next week.”
The stars will look to correct those errors before a tough matchup against the Robert Bateman Timberwolves next Friday.
Panther's defense overwhelms Timberwolves
If you like watching creative defensive football, the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers are the team for you. The Panthers showcased their versatile scheme in a gritty 21-7 win against the Robert Bateman Timberwolves.
The Panthers defense does a little bit of everything. They show heavy-pressure looks and send the house; they play base defense and rush only four; their corners will play press coverage and other times, they’ll play off with a cushion.
It’s hard enough to run one, maybe two of these looks as a high school defense. The Panthers run all that soundly while flying around the field, making life miserable for opposing offenses.
This dominant unit would play a huge part in the team’s early 14-0 lead. First, forcing and recovering a fumble deep in Bateman territory before quarterback Chase Thurston punched the ball in from Inside the ten-yard line.
On the next drive, after the Panther’s defense forced a three-and-out, Bateman was forced to punt. Panthers defender Kal Basra flew by Batemans punt protection team and got his hands on the ball, blocking the punt. Peyton Mansfield would scoop up the ball and take it in for six. Before you could blink, it was 14-0.
Bateman would show excellent mental toughness. With everything going against them, they managed to collect themselves and answered with a score before halftime to cut the lead to 14-7.
In the third quarter, the Panthers started to pound the rock. Wearing down Batemans front seven, the Panthers would drive the field behind their offensive line before Peyton Mansfield would cross the plain to extend the Panther’s lead to 21-7.
In the fourth quarter, Bateman would Battle and come close to scoring twice before interceptions by defensive backs Mathew Reid and Tristan Ford ended any hope of a Timberwolves comeback.
Panthers Head Coach Michael Carter had this to say on his team’s big win.
“We are happy to leave Abbotsford with a win against a very strong Bateman team. Bateman gave us some real challenges in certain areas, and we’re excited to dive into the film in preparation for regular season games starting next week.”
The Panthers will showcase their multiple defensive scheme against the number one ranked Vancouver College Fighting Irish next Saturday.
Hawks soar over Ravens
The W.J. Mouat Hawks showed why they’re ranked number four in the province with a resounding 62-17 victory over the Terry Fox Ravens.
The Hawks’s offense was unstoppable all night, quite literally. The Hawks scored on all nine of their possesions in this ball game. Despite the lopsided score, this contest was close early.
After the Hawks opened the scoring, the Ravens Awnsered right back on a long drive as Ravens quarterback Zac Golab spread the ball around to multiple targets.
The Hawks responded on their first play from scrimmage after getting the ball back. Quarterback Quarterback Elijah Black dropped back to pass and hit Petreyus Lollard for a 70-yard score.
Black went 20/24 303 yards and 3TDs for a dominant performance through the air. Terry Fox drove down once again field but settled for a FG to cut the lead to 14-10.
With the ball back, the Hawks again made quick work of Raven’s defense as two plays into their drive, running back Joe Muller found the endzone from 25 yards out for one of his three touchdowns on the night.
From that point on, it was all Hawks. Mouat ran and threw the ball at will; the Raven’s defense couldn’t get off the field in a tough 62-17 loss.
Despite the big win, Hawks defensive coordinator Daniel Mills wanted more out of his defense earlier in the game.
“I was not pleased with how our defense played in the first half, but we came out of the break fired up and were able to put a halt to the Ravens high powered offense. They have athletes that we needed to cover and credit to them for making plays on us. Also, credit to our offense for being able to pick us up when we allowed points. That was big to have our offense rebound after allowing scoring drives.”
The Hawks will be in for a battle next Saturday when they take on the South Delta Sun Devils.
Sun Devils win Delta Cup over Rival Seahawks
The Battle for the Delta Cup is a fierce rivalry game between the Seaquam Seahawks and the South Delta Sun Devils. In this year’s matchup, the Sun Devils can hold bragging rights over their inter-city rivals after a 42-0 blowout victory.
Last week, I talked about how explosive a runner Sun Devil’s quarterback, Damian Dumas, was. This week, the converted running back showed us his arm is as good as any other quarterback in the province, throwing for over 250 yards and four touchdown passes.
Spreading the ball around to multiple targets, Dumas looked very comfortable and polished; you’d never know he was a former running back.
With Dumas making a position switch, Anthony De Albuquerque is filling in for Dumas at running back. De Albuquerque had 2 touchdowns on the night, including an 85-yard swing pass he took to the house. On that play, he showed explosive speed, something South Delta’s coaching staff was excited to see.
The Seahawks didn’t quite have the same level of explosiveness. They had their moments offensively where they looked like they were poised to score, but each time, the Sun Devils defense was able to tighten up at the right time and get multiple big stops.
Helping the Sun Devil’s Defense get those big stops was defensive tackle Jun Choi. The interior lineman made life miserable for the Seahawks, finishing with two sacks and constantly disrupting the Seaquams’ run game by shooting upfield and getting into the backfield.
Seahawks head coach Kevin Phillips had high praise for the Sun Devils Postgame.
“We were in tough against a very talented South Delta squad. Seeing them in person it’s hard not to view them as a contender. Even though we had many of our boys play extremely hard it just wasn’t enough against South Delta. We will go back to work Monday and get better.”
The Seahawks will try to recollect themselves and be ready for their battle next Friday against Langley.
The Sun Devils will savor their Delta Cup victory this weekend, but then it’s right back to work Monday as they host the Red hot W.J. Mouat Hawks Saturday Afternoon.
Wolves Upset Eagles
Upset alert! The AA Windsor Wolves entered enemy territory and won their battle against the AAA Carson Graham Eagles 27-16. The Wolves made a big statement, showing they’re a force to be reckoned with in AA.
Windsor is led by a trio of stars on offense, Quarterback Emmet Ward, running back Brady Smith, and wide receiver Xavian Washington. The trio left an excellent Eagles defense looking for answers all afternoon.
Just two plays into the game, Ward completed a 44-yard touchdown pass to running back Brady Smith to open the scoring. Smith is an incredibly versatile weapon for the Wolves. Smith cannot only run the ball between the tackles and pick up tough yards, but he’s also an exceptional pass catcher out of the backfield, as he proved with his 94 receiving yards on the day.
Windsor’s offense may be their strength, but their defense, led by linebacker Samson Sachter, isn’t far behind. Sachter is the kind of backer that coaches would love to have as the heart and soul of their unit.
Sachter’s physicality shows in the run game. He knifes around blockers and blows up running backs as they try to advance the ball downfield. In the passing game, he’s fluid in coverage, has the athleticism to cover receivers one-on-one, and shows great awareness in zone coverages.
Sachter would also showcase his playmaking abilities, forcing a Carson fumble on the Windsor ten-yard line to end a promising Eagles drive. Later in the game, Sachter would make another huge play on 4th and three from the Windsor 5-yard line, making one of his team-leading 14 tackles short of the first down marker for a huge stop.
In the middle of the 2nd quarter, it was Ward’s turn to shine. First, Ward would connect with Xavian Washington from 6 yards out for a score. On the ensuing kickoff, Ward would recover his own onside kick attempt.
Two plays after getting the ball back for his team, Ward threw a dart and connected with Washington for an 84-yard score, capping off an incredible sequence for the Wolves’s Starting pivot.
In the fourth quarter, with Windsor’s lead cut to 20-8, the Eagles had the ball and were driving downfield. As Eagles Quarterback Jack Shih released a pass in the middle of the field, Brady Smith jumped right in front of Shih’s intended target for a massive interception.
With the ball back, Ward put away the Eagles for good, connecting with his favorite target, Washington, this time from 55 yards out for another score. This Capped Ward’s massive day going 17/21 for 330 yards and 4 TDs.
The Eagles would add a late score, but time had all but run out; the final was 27-16 Wolves.
The Wolves coaching staff was ecstatic with the team’s performance, including Xavian Washington, who had six catches for 165 yards and three scores.
The Wolves will look to carry the momentum for this massive upset victory into a pivotal matchup against Argyle next Friday.
Eagles Head Coach Brian Brady commended his opponent’s performance post-game.
“The Windsor coaching staff had a great gameplan, and the players outexecuted us at every level. This was a great learning experience, and we look forward to regrouping over the next week.”
Carson is at home in their first league game against GW Graham next week.
Hyack's defense picks up slack in win against Jugglers
The New Westminster Hyacks continued their success Friday night, defeating a scrappy, prepared Notre Dame Jugglers Squad 27-10. Despite the victory, Hyacks head coach Andrew McKechnie says his team didn’t play to their high standards.
“Notre Dame is an extremely well-coached team, and like we said last week, they put their kids in favorable positions to make plays. That said, we are not thrilled with our performance tonight. Lots of errors can put a sour taste in your mouth despite the win.”
With Notre Dame possessing the ball for the majority of the game, possessions were at a premium for the Hyacks. Early on, the Hyack’s usually crisp, explosive offense had trouble finishing drives and holding on to the ball.
“We struggled to make the most of our possessions. Two fumbles on their end of the field were absolute killers for us,” said Hyacks Offensive coordinator Darnell Sikorski on his unit’s difficulties.
Luckily for the Hyacks, their defense continues to get huge stops at the most important times. Interceptions by Daniel Penalver, Eli Smith, and a huge 4th down stop on the 1-yard line gave the Hyacks offense time to get going.
Hyacks defensive coordinator Chad Oatway knows how important getting those big stops was for his defense.
“Defensively, we still have quite a few things to clean up, but the kids are gaining more and more belief. Those stops and turnovers inside the red zone will create even more confidence. We need to be more consistent, but when it mattered most, we buckled down and made plays.”
With their backs against the wall, the Hyacks turned to the Hageleit brothers. Antonio found his brother Benny six times for 119 yards and finally got the Hyack’s offense going in the process. Despite the unit’s tough day, Sikorski raved about his star wideout.
“If there was a bright spot for the offense, it was Benny Hageleit. He’s a confident player who runs great routes and has excellent hands. He can make great contested catches and played an excellent game again tonight.”
Behind the star, the Hyacks were able to pull away for good in the final quarter 27-10. The Jugglers had the Hyacks on the ropes and have to wonder if a couple of critical plays ended differently and what the final score could have been.
The Juggler’s top performers were running back/ linebacker Chris Torresan, who had 86 yards on 22 carries and had 11 tackles on defense. Quarterback Caled Parrotta with 13 carries for 75 yards as well as 87 yards passing and had seven tackles on defense. Wide receiver Michael MacLeod stood out with five catches for 65 yards.
Notre Dame starts league play with a game next Saturday against Kelowna.
McKechnie says things need to be different for the Hyacks moving forward.
“We are going to need a much better week of practice from an execution and focus standpoint. Everyone needs to do a much better job this week, starting with our coaching staff. This being a crossover week, it now all counts for real in terms of standings.”
The Hyacks will look to be crisper at home next Friday when they host the Handsworth Royals.
BCSS REDZONE WEEK 2
Welcome to week two! check in throughout the afternoon for post-game updates.
Centaurs hold on for win in late comeback bid by Timberwolves
Football is a game of inches. In today’s matchup between the Centennial Centaurs and Robert Bateman Timberwolves, the old cliche reared its head in a critical moment, helping propel the Centaurs to a 21-13 victory.
Both teams’ red zone defenses were on display early. The Centaurs and Timberwolves drove downfield on their first drives, continually moving the chains before being stonewalled inside the twenty-yard line.
During the Timberwolves’ second drive, a pivotal moment unfolded. As quarterback Luke Hall prepared to punt the ball away, Centaurs lineman Pierre Suarez executed a remarkable play, flying off the edge and managing to get his fingertips on the ball.
As the ball bounced high in the air after the block, it fell right into the hands of Adam Teglasi, who proceeded to take the ball back 40 yards to the house for the game’s opening score.
That touchdown was the only six points scored in the entire first half. A big part of that was the Centaur’s physical front four. Bateman tried time and time again to run the ball inside, but when they did, ball carriers were met by a sea of Centuars defensive linemen in the offensive backfield.
On passing down, the Centaurs mixed up, dialing up well time pressures with inside linebackers Harry Lobay and Ediri Ena-Laqui, or rushed just their front four, making Hall’s life extremely difficult.
Bateman’s defense did a masterful job themselves, throwing off Jacob Cusker and the Centaur’s aerial attack. Playing aggressive press coverages, Bateman was able to affect the timing between Cusker and his receivers just enough on critical downs to get off the field.
Both teams headed to the locker room with the score 6-0 Centaurs. It was time for both offensive staff’s to make some adjustments to get their respective units going, which they most certainly did.
Having first possession of the second half, it was ground and pound time for the Centaurs. An offense that threw the ball around the yard last week completely changed their mentality.
Running back Jasper Baron and the Centaur’s o-line grinded out a physical drive. Taking the ball all the way downfield, one carry at a time. Baron finally punched it in from ten yards out, and after Cusker threw a perfect pass on a slant for a two-point conversion, it was 14-0 Centaurs.
With the ball back in Bateman’s hands, it was apparent they had made some adjustments of their own. Struggling to run the ball inside, Bateman started attacking the edges of the Centaur’s defense using jet sweeps and screen passes.
Not only was that working to move the ball, but the threat of those plays slowed down the pass rush of the Centaurs and finally gave Hall time to get the ball out in rhythm.
Hall had some impressive completions in tight windows and had Bateman at the 5-yard line poised to get to within just one score. Hall completed another wide receiver screen on the left side of the field. As his receiver cut inside and reached out to the endzone at about the one-yard line, the ball was knocked loose. The Centaurs fell on it and regained possession.
Bateman was inches away from cutting the lead to seven but had nothing to show for it. The Centaurs got the ball roughly midfield before punting the ball back to Bateman, flipping field position in the process.
The game appeared to be over after a stalled drive by Bateman and another touchdown for Baron and the Centaurs in the fourth quarter. Hall and stud receiver Dante Meyer said not so fast.
Hall dropped back to pass, rolled to his left, and hit Meyer on a wheel route. Meyer broke a tackle and took it to the house for a sixty-yard score. Just like that, there was life.
After forcing a Centaurs three and out, Bateman regained possession. Hall first threw a beautiful pass on a skinny post route to receiver Logan Grozell for a big gain. After hitting multiple targets to get Bateman downfield, he hit running back Jackson Kliewer on a screen pass, and the Timberwolves were within a score.
After a last-ditch desperation onside kick failed, time ran out, and the Centaurs held on for a 21-13 win.
Centaurs head coach Dino Geremia was very pleased with his defense’s play led by linebacker Harry Lobay, who had six tackles on the day, a sack, and a knockdown. The Centaurs will travel to Mt. Baker, Washington, next week for a matchup south of the border.
Bateman will look to rebound from a devastating loss when they host an undefeated Lord Tweedsmuir team next Friday.
And they can pass!! Hyacks dominate Panthers
Last week, I talked about how the New Westminster Hyacks were using an old-school approach, bringing the fullback back to relevancy, pounding the rock inside, and putting up loads of points in the process. Well, this week, the Hyacks had a similar scoreline in a 49-0 win against the Abbotsford Panthers, but they put up the majority of their 450 offensive yards through the air instead.
Don’t get it twisted. The Hyacks can still pound the rock at will, finishing with 200 yards on the ground tonight. The Hyacks coaching staff knows they need to be able to execute the passing game at a high level as well.
“We had some huge plays in the run game last week but missed on a few opportunities in the passing game, so that was a point of emphasis this week,” said offensive coordinator Darnell Sikorski.
That emphasis lead to 250 yards through the air for the Hyacks. Quarterbacks Antonio Hageleit and Gavin Rai were able to distribute the ball around to their playmakers. “Both QBs threw the ball very effectively, especially Antonio Hageleit. We have some solid weapons outside for them to throw to,” stated Sikorski.
One of those weapons is star wideout Benny Hageleit. He showed precisely why he’s regarded as one of the best receivers in the province, reeling in 3 touchdown passes for 150 yards on the night. Sikorski raved about his star: “Hageleit has some of the best hands of any receiver I’ve ever coached and he made some great plays tonight”
The Hyacks defense is also playing lights out. In the unit’s second straight shutout, linebacker Julian McFadden, defensive lineman Alex Dall, and safety Kai Stewardson flew around the field, making plays all night long.
Abbotsford had some success moving the ball. However, when it mattered most, the Hyacks made stops defensively, including in the final seconds of the 2nd quarter, as Abby had the ball in the red zone.
“Our defense is playing great football right now. We are playing with a high motor, intensity, and speed. Abbotsford’s QB and RB presented some challenges and are quality football players, but two straight games with zero points by our defense is a great start for us.” Head Coach Andrew McKechnie said, commending his defensive unit.
The Hyacks staff is already thinking about next week’s massive matchup against Notre Dame. “Notre Dame is so well coached and they are a very good football team. They are aggressive defensively and they will present challenges offensively with motions and putting their best players in positions to be successful. This will be our first four quarter game of the year and we will need to be ready for that challenge.” regarded McKechnie.
The Hyacks will be back in their stadium next Friday for that pivotal game. Kickoff is at 7:30.
The W.J. Mouat Hawks are so back
The W.J. Mouat Hawks are quietly establishing themselves as one of the best teams in the province. Their balanced spread offense and physical 3-4 defense were on full display as they defeated the Mt. Douglas Rams on the road 42-6.
Watching the Hawks’ offense, the first you’ll notice is Hawks stud running back Joel Mueller, who finished the day with 15 Carries for 115 yards and three total touchdowns. As Mueller weaves his way through defenders, picking up chunk plays, he follows his very physical, versatile offensive line.
The versatility of that o-line was shown early and often on Friday. Mauling the Ram’s defensive line on zone schemes or pulling into space and leading the way for Mueller on counter runs. In pass protection, a brick wall was formed around quarterback Elijah Black, allowing him plenty of time to deliver the ball to his receivers.
Black showed his gratitude to the big guys up front, going 11-16 for 127 yards and two touchdowns despite the pouring rain all afternoon. Black is a joy to watch himself. He’s capable of throwing the ball on time and in rhythm to his targets, but when things break down, he’ll calmy escape pressure, keep his eyes downfield, and deliver the ball on the money to his open playmakers.
Defensively for the Hawks, their three defensive linemen eat up blocks and let their linebackers flow freely to the ball. The Rams couldn’t get their run game as they continually struggled to get any movement on the Hawk’s front.
When the Rams finally started to find some momentum at the end of the half, down 21-0, it was time for the Hawk’s secondary to show their playmaking abilities.
As the Rams dropped back to pass and let the ball go into the endzone, Max Pratt had the ball fall right into his hands for an interception. Not satisfied with just a pick, Pratt made a house call, taking the ball back 100 yards, and it was 28-0 at the half.
The Hawks put up a couple more scores before Mount Douglas got on the board late. As the final whistle was blown, the scoreboard read Hawks 42, Rams 6.
Defensive Coordinator Daniel Mills liked his unit’s effort. ” I was happy with how our defense played today. That was a big, tough physical team that we went up against, and we proved that we were up for the challenge.”
The Hawks will head home and prepare for next Friday night’s matchup against the Terry Fox Ravens. The Ram’s will look to regroup for their upcoming matchup with Ballenas.
Eagles Grounded in Yakima
The Carson Graham Eagles headed south of the border to Yakima, Washington, taking on the 4A Eisenhower Cadets in Friday Night Lights action. In a tightly contested battle, the Cadets slowed down the Eagle’s air raid attack in a 19-14 victory.
The Eagles struggled early and were down 13-0 in the second quarter. The Cadet’s defense disrupted the Eagle’s timing and rhythm early and often moved their front post-snap and sent creative pressures with cleverly disguised zone coverages behind them.
The Eagle’s usually explosive attack finally found their rhythm midway through the second quarter. Quarterback Jack Shih capped off a long drive with a 4-yard run to make it 13-6 at the half.
The Eagles’ defense stepped up early and often Friday night. In the second half, trailing 19-6, a goal-line stand followed by an interception by Connor Henry on consecutive drives kept the Eagle’s chances alive.
The Eagle’s offense paid back their defense’s tremendous effort with their best offensive drive of the game. A long 10-play 95-yard drive had the Eagles within one score.
Grade 10 receiver Henry Ryan played an instrumental part in the drive. Ryan had four crucial grabs, an eight-yard touchdown, and the ensuing 2-point-convert to cap off the drive.
With a score of 19-14 Cadets and a score of 1:30 left in the game, the Eagle’s last hope was to recover an onside kick. The ensuing onside kick bounced around and fell right into an Eagles player’s hands. Unfortunately for Carson Graham, a player was offside, and the recovery was nullified.
The second attempt was scooped up by the Cadets, and the game was all but over. 19-14 Cadets was the final.
A great defensive effort from the Eagles was led by Kaon Kang with 5 Tackles, Celyan Vermeulen, who finished with 8 Tackles, and Griffin Runnels, who had 7 Tackles, two of those for a loss of yards.
The Carson Graham Football program would like to thank the Eisenhower Cadets for the competitive game and their Boosters for feeding the players and coaches afterward.
Carson is at home next week when they take on the Windsor Dukes.
To go, or to not go for two
The South Delta Sun Devils have one of the most exciting quarterbacks in all of high school football, Damian Dumas. Dumas not only excited fans, he played a huge part in the Sun Devils 21-20 victory over The Terry Fox Ravens on Saturday.
Dumas is the definition of a dual-threat quarterback. He can sit in the pocket and deliver the ball to his targets as he did on the game-opening touchdown, but his ability to run makes him truly special.
Dumas looked like the most explosive runner on the field yesterday. He showcased that explosiveness when he got to the edge of the defense and sprinted down the sideline, leaving defenders who seemingly had a good angle on him in his dust for a 50-yard score.
That long run was just one of Dumas’s three scores—two on the ground and one through the air. Those three touchdowns had South Delta up 21-6 at halftime.
The Ravens desperately needed a shift in momentum. That shift would happen at the second half’s opening kickoff. As the Sun Devils Kicked off to start the final half, the ball fell into the waiting arms of Woody MacRae.
The Raven’s return man took off along the right hash marks, found the seam in the Sun Devils cover team, and hit the gas for an 85-yard score, cutting the lead to 21-14.
Late in the game, the Ravens had one more chance to even things up. Raven’s quarterback Zac Golab led the Ravens downfield, completing passes to multiple targets. After the Ravens capped the long scoring drive by punching the ball in from ten yards out, it was decision time.
Do you kick the extra point and head to overtime? Or do you go for the two-point conversion and win the game on this play? The Ravens chose the ladder and rolled the dice.
The Ravens emptied out the backfield for Golab. He sent a receiver in motion from left to right as the ball was snapped. The Ravens had the perfect pick play called as it appeared one of the team’s receivers was wide open in the front corner of the endzone. Golab let go of the ball on time, but much to his dismay, a Sun Devils defender fought over the pick and dove as the pass was released, getting his hand on the ball in the process. Incomplete pass. Sun Devils win 21-20
The Ravens will try to get over this heartbreaking defeat and move their attention to getting ready for next week’s game against W.J. Mouat.
The Sun Devils will be on the road when they take on the Seaquam Seahawks under the lights next Friday.
Maroons win big despite slow start
Sometimes, it’s not how you start. It’s how you finish. That saying was ever so true in the Clarence Fulton Maroon’s 41 -6 victory against the Shas Ti Kelly Road Grizzlies.
The score may look one sided but that doesn’t tell the full story. Maroon’s head coach, Mike SCheller was not impressed with his offenses play early on.
“Our offense did not play well for most of the first half. We had some penalties, and some dropped passes that cost us. We lacked a killer instinct in the first half offensively when our defense put us in a great position.”
Luckily for the Maroons, football is a team game. While their offense struggled, the team’s defense was able to pick up the slack.
“I was super happy with the way our defense played. With the exception of the first drive, our defense was the difference in the game. WE put their offense under a lot of pressure with 3 sacks. WE created 6 turnovers, 3 picks and 3 fumbles which put our offense in great field position. I liked the way our defense hustled and gang tackled.” Said SChellar.
Midway through the second quarter, The Maroons finally got it going. Sparked by running back Caden O’dwyer’s tough running and the right arm of quarterback Gabe Adam. The team was able to rebound from that slow start and take a 21-0 lead into halftime.
In the second half, the Maroon’s killer instinct finally kicked in, as they put away the Grizzlies for good in a 41-6 victory. O’Dwyer finished the day with ten carries for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Adam completed 11-16 for 137 yards and two scores of his own as the dynamic duo was on full display.
“Coach SChellar was very impressed with his stars. I thought Gabe Adam at QB had a great game. He moved well in the pocket and read the defense well. He threw some nice shots. O’Dwyer ran hard and had a couple of great long runs.”
Even better, there was a big man touchdown! With the ball inside the five-yard line, the Marrons handed the ball to left tackle Ammo Mann, who rumbled in for a three-yard score.
When Mann wasn’t living every offensive lineman dream, he was busy paving the way for O’Dwyer and keeping Adam upright in the pocket.
Mann wasn’t the only lineman that impressed. The Maroon’s staff liked the play of both center Jacob Glover and guard Rylan Stadnyk.
SChellar spoke very highly of his defensive unit, which allowed their offense the time to figure things out. “The defense was great. Noah McINtyre was a force at the defensive tackle. CB Caleb Buffie had two nice picks and was solid all day in coverage. Logan Keetley and Max Hammell both had solid second halves for us defensively.”
Fulton is now 2-0 on the season and begins preparations for a big game vs. Westsyde on September 20th at 7 pm.
Knights cap successful homecoming with big win vs Crusaders
Ah, homecoming. No one ever forgets the packed crowd, the pregame festivities, or, in St. Thomas More Collegiate Knights’ case, their 21-12 victory over The Holy Cross Crusaders.
In what is starting to be a rebirth of an old Catholic School rivalry from the eighties and nineties, the two teams played in front of a packed crowd of over a thousand people on STM’s campus.
The Knights’ Triple option attack scored first on just their second offensive play of the game. Steven Nicklin burst through the middle of the defense on a dive for a 44 yard touchdown run.
Early in the second quarter, Grade ten pivot Patricio Leon kept the ball on a Triple Option run and broke a 50-yard scamper for the score. Only in grade ten, Leon is doing a masterful job running the Knight’s option attack.
The triple option requires quarterbacks to make fast, decisive decisions at full speed. For a grade ten to be running the scheme at the varsity level and excelling in it is a big deal.
The Knights have a luxury: they have two capable quarterbacks. Not only do they have Leon, but quarterback Nico Pallares can also make big plays for the team.
He showed that playmaking ability on the opening drive of the 2nd half, throwing an absolute dime down the right sideline for a 46-yard score to wideout Kareem Mohammed.
Holy Cross would adjust and score the next two majors with tight end Paulo Emata and QB Xander McCrone finding the endzone. Unfortunately, the Crusaders ran out of time, and the Knights were able to hold on for a 21-12 homecoming victory.
Knights head coach Jared Power was happy not only with his team’s effort but homecoming as a whole.
“Today was a great event. The community was out in full force. We had a Volleyball game earlier, the Pep Band was going all day and our boys put on a good show for their community. I liked the way our Offensive Line controlled the line of scrimmage and loved the mentality of our guys constantly looking to build each other up throughout the game. We have lots to clean up as a team, but today was definitely a step in the right direction.”
Standouts for the Knights included Steven Nicklin with 83 yards rushing and a touchdown on Offense, as well as 7 tackles and one sack on defense.
Nico Pallares was dangerous all day running and passing as a quarterback and had 5 tackles and one interception on defense.
Alex Jaspar was a force at center and Defensive line, making 4 tackles (3 for a loss).
The Knights hope to take the momentum of this win to their matchup next Friday against the Kelowna Owls.
For the Crusaders, head coach Conrad Deugau was happy with his team’s effort but knew they needed to get going earlier in the game.
“It was a tale of 2 halves. They beat us in the first half and we were the better team in the second half. Unfortunately, that first half was the big difference-maker. STM is a well-coached team, and they had a good game plan. We fought hard, and I’m proud of my kids.”
The Crusaders will look to earn their first victory of the year next week against the Sullivan Heights Stars.
BCSS Red Zone Week 1
New Westminster Hyacks football proving the fullback position isn't dead in big win against G.W. Graham Grizzlies
The way offenses are run in BC High School Football has changed a great deal in the last couple of years. Most teams have steered away from old-fashioned smashmouth football to now “Basketball on grass.” With getting athletes into space being the primary focus of most teams, the New Westminster Hyacks are sticking to their guns with the power run game, and it helped lead them to a 47-6 victory over the G.W. Graham Grizzlies Friday night.
When discussing the Hyacks historically, it doesn’t take long to mention their vaunted Wing-T offense. This scheme is predicated on misdirection and based around off-tackle runs, play-action passes, and just enough inside traps and isolations to keep a defense honest.
Offensive coordinator Darnell Sikorski says their go-to run play, which hits off tackle, may not be their staple this year. “I think the players have leaned into us pounding the ball inside and getting tough yards up the middle.”
The benefactor of this mentality? Fullback Tyson Godspower. As the Hyacks hosted the Grizzles on a hot Friday night, Godspower didn’t give them a warm welcome. Living up to his nickname “T-Train,” Godspower could be seen making his best Mike Alstott Impression running over Grizzle’s defenders, stiff-arming them to the ground, and even showing breakaway speed to finish multiple long yardage runs.
The Grizzlies have a very different offensive approach. Running a spread attack, the Grizzlies try to use the width of the field to create matchups for their athletes in space. If you send extra defenders worrying about those said athletes, they’ll try to run the ball inside with star running back Noah Sandau.
Unfortunately for the Grizzles, not only does the Hyack’s defense have the Athletes with the ability to cover one-on-one, but their defensive line explodes off the ball, penetrating up the field and blowing by offensive linemen trying to block them. If you manage to slow them down for a play, look out for middle linebacker Julian Macfadden flying around and laying the lumber on opposing running backs.
With the score 7-0 Hyacks off of a Godspower rumble late in the first quarter, the Grizzlies looked to gain some momentum. On the ensuing kickoff return, Ridley Mastin caught the ball on the right hash mark, made a sharp cut outside to the left, and took the ball back to about midfield. Not long after, Sandau broke two tackles from Hyacks backers who seemingly had him dead to rights in the backfield and powered on for a gain of about 15 yards.
Moving into New Westminster territory quickly, the Hyacks contained the run and forced a short completion, bringing up fourth and four. As Grizzlies quarterback Rylan Parks faded back to pass, a well-timed pressure made Parks get rid of the ball before he wanted to, and the ball fell incomplete for a turnover on downs.
Back with possession, the Hyacks gave the ball to Godspower. He burst through the middle on a trap play for a massive gain, but as he was finally brought down, the ball popped loose, and a Grizzlies defender fell on it. Momentum was back with the Grizzlies.
With the Grizzlies struggling to run the ball, minus a couple of incredible individual efforts by Sandau, they were forced to air the ball out. Hyacks Defensive coordinator Chad Oatway was fully ready for it. Sending one well-designed blitz after another, Oatway got his Backers running untouched into the backfield, forcing Parks to miss throws toward the sidelines or take sacks.
New West capitalized on those pressures and Forced the Grizzlies to punt. After a bad snap flew over the Grizzlies’ punter’s head, New Westminster was starting in prime real estate. After backup quarterback Gavin Rai threw a pass-off play action for a 25-yard gain, Godspower Bludgeoned his way to another score, and it was 13-0 Hyacks.
With New Westminster looking like they were about to put the game away, Ridley Mastin had other ideas. Catching the ensuing kickoff inside his ten-yard line, Mastin took off to the right, showcasing his blazing speed as he left Hyack defenders in his dust for six. The Grizzlies had life with the Score 13-6 in the second quarter.
The Hyacks may be bought into pounding the ball, but they also have one of the best receivers in the province. Benicio Hageleit showed his skills early on the next drive catching a pass from his brother Antonio on the right sideline then cutting back across the grain making defenders fall in the process for a massive gain.
What followed? A trap play to Godspower up the middle, which the Grizzlies had no answer to all night. After that play, the Hyacks were inside the Five. Antonio Hageleit punched it in for the Hyacks on a quarterback sneak, and it was 20-6 Hyacks.
After that, it was all New Westminster. Whether it was converting a fourth-and-twenty the next time they had the ball, Kah’ri Johnson running off tackle for a 50-yard score, or Nigel Derasp intercepting a Parks Pass, the Hyacks could do no wrong, dominating the rest of the game.
With an impressive 47-6 victory, it appears the Hyacks may be a team to look out for this year. Knowing Head Coach Andrew McKechnie, the team will enjoy the victory tonight, but then the focus will shift to next week’s matchup on the road against the Abbotsford Panthers.
Mouat attacks through air, soars past Timberwolves
There is nothing quite like a rivalry game. Both sides can’t stand one another and are willing to do anything to hold bragging rights over their counterparts. There’s just a different level of intensity that these games bring.
In a heated Friday night showdown, the WJ Mouat Hawks soared past their cross-town rivals, the Robert Bateman Timberwolves, with a hard-fought 25-6 victory.
The first half was a scrappy defensive battle. After Mouat took the lead 6-0 in the first quarter, defenses ruled the first half. The Timberwolf’s offense started to push in the second quarter but was thwarted by the Hawks’ defense.
Led by Eddie Geelhoed’s eight tackles on the night, the Hawks constantly disrupted Bateman’s offensive rhythm up front. Not to be outdone by their front seven, Defensive backs Cole Shanks and Jayden Dhillon showed off their ball-hawking prowess, both recording interceptions.
The second half started, and finally, the Hawks’ offense was able to gain some traction. Quarterback Elijah Black led the Hawks’ downfield, throwing for one of his three touchdowns on the day, putting Mouat up 13-0.
Still in the third quarter needing a big play, Bateman got just that. With the ball deep in Mouat territory, Bateman recovered a fumble. Soon after, Bateman running back Jackson Kliewer punched the ball in to make it 13-6.
With Bateman within one score, it was time for Black and the Hawk’s aerial attack to shine again. Mouat scored two unanswered Touchdowns to finally put Bateman away.
Black spread the ball around to his playmakers all game, looking very impressive in the process. Santiago Llarena made the most of his three catches for 78 yards, pulling in a highlight reel 37-yard catch for a touchdown. Max Pratt also played a pivotal role, grabbing six catches for 94 yards and adding a score of his own.
With a tough loss Bateman’s head coach David Mills knows his players are capable of more.
“We really need to me more consistent on both sides of the ball. We had moments when we looked good and moments where we completely lacked focus. Mouat is a very, very talented team and you cannot lose focus against them or they will make you pay. We have some work to do as we have another tough opponent this week in Centennial. We are excited for the opportunity to prove we are better than showed tonight.”
As for the victorious Hawks they’ll try to take their momentum to the island next Friday when they take on the Mt. Douglas Rams.
Eagles don't take it easy on Ravens
If you like watching teams that sling it around the field, the Carson Graham Eagles are the team for you. Running their vaunted “Air Raid” offense, the Eagles showcased their high-flying attack in a 36-21 victory over the Terry Fox Ravens Friday.
Holding the reigns of this air raid attack is quarterback Jack Shih. Shih is living every quarterback’s dream by playing in the system. Shih Finished with 18 completions on 26 attempts for 302 yards and four touchdowns carving up the Ravens secondary in the process.
You know who’s also living the dream? Shih’s receivers. Charlie McLeod caught three passes for 95 yards and two scores. Not to be outdone, Daniel Julio added two scores of his own to go along with 49 yards receiving.
The Eagles jumped out to a 20-0 lead until late in the second quarter. The Ravens finally found themselves In scoring position and kicked a field goal as time expired in the first half to cut the lead to 20-3.
With the Eagles seemingly in control to start the half, all hell broke lose. First the Ravens caught a long touchdown reception that defected of an Eagles defender into the waiting arms of a raven to take it in for six.
On the ensuing drive, Shih made one of his few mistakes on the day, throwing a pick-six. With twelve points in just over a minute, the Eagles’ 17-point lead shrunk to just five in the blink of an eye.
Facing adversity, the Eagles refused to fold. They scored 16 unanswered points and held the Ravens off the board until late in the final quarter, securing a 36-21 victory. Critical in holding the Ravens at bay were Connor Henry and Kaon Kang, who had 6 Tackles apiece.
Looking to Build off their decisive victory, the Eagles will play Eisenhower in Yakima, Washington, next Friday night.
Geremia and Centaurs get revenge on Deugau and Crusaders for last years defeat
The impact of a kind, caring coach can’t be measured. As coaches teach their athletes the game, the best ones find a way to correlate the lessons of sport to everyday life. This impact leaves players and coaches with a special relationship that lasts a lifetime.
Centennial Centaurs head coach Dino Geremia and Holy Cross Crusaders coach Conrad Deugau know all about this. “Dino Germeia was my DL coach when I played at SFU (99-04) so we have a great friendly rivalry and obviously a lot of care and respect for each other,” said Deugau.
That friendly rivalry was showcased Friday night as the Crusaders were on the road against the Centaurs. It was time for Geremia and his team to return the favor in a rematch from last year’s week one game, where Deugau’s squad defeated his former university coach.
In a resounding 34-0 victory, the Centaurs and Geremia avenged their loss from this time last season. Not only did the Centaurs win big, they may have seen a star blossom right before their eyes in quarterback Jacob Cusker.
Cusker picked the Centaurs apart through the air. He made one quick, decisive decision after another, finishing with four touchdown passes on the day.
After an initial stop by the Centaurs on the games opening drive, it took just two plays for Cusker to find Isaiah Lescene underneath. As he caught the ball just five yards up the field, Lescene spun to the right, breaking a tackle in the process, and proceeded to fly down the right sideline, showcasing his blazing speed in the process for a score.
With the Centaurs up 7-0 and with possession of the ball, it was time for Cusker to attack through the air again. On a third and long just inside Crusaders territory, Cusker dropped back to pass. Facing a two-safety look, Cusker threaded a ball on a crossing route right between those two defenders to receiver Ediri Ena Laqui for a forty-yard score, putting the Centaurs up 14-0.
With the score 21-0 Centaurs, the Crusaders kicked off to start the second half. That kickoff landed in the hands of return man Jasper Baron. Starting from just outside the right hashmark, Baron patiently worked back to the middle of the field. As he worked his way left, a small crevice opened between two Crusaders’ defenders. Baron stuck his foot in the ground, exploding through the hole, and took off down the left sideline untouched for another Centaurs score. Just like that, it was 28-0.
The Centaur’s defense took over from there, continuing to hold Holy Cross off the scoreboard the rest of the night. Harry Lobay and Adam Teglasi stood out on defense in the Centaur’s shutout performance.
Despite the lopsided win, Geremia showed admiration for his former player’s team: “Holy Cross displayed great resilience all night fighting hard.”
Deugau knows that despite the difficult loss, there were still positives to draw from. “A few bright spots for us were the play of our two veteran O and Dlinemen, Fateh Dhatt and Tariq Ali. Our LB Paulo Emata had a late interception to help stem the tide a bit.”
Deugau and the Crusaders will use the hard-earned lessons from Friday night going forward. “We’re going to learn from this and improve on the little things as we head to STM and play in front of a raucous crowd that always provides great energy to all players and coaches regardless of team.”
The Centaurs will head to Robert Bateman Secondary next Friday to take on the Timberwolves.