The Calgary Colts put in another gutsy effort Sunday but couldn’t overcome some mistakes and dropped a 35-24 decision to the Edmonton Wildcats at McMahon Stadium.
The Colts were within a touchdown in the fourth quarter but fell to their fifth straight defeat this season in the Prairie Football Conference.
Jeremy Long scored a pair of touchdowns and Ben Hnatiuk had a nice touchdown catch to account for the Colts major scoring.
“It’s a re-accurring theme that we make too many mistakes in the first half and we make a comeback in the second half and show a lot of heart and a lot of courage to do that,” Colts head coach John Stevens said.
“In the final analysis we made too many mistakes to win. We had three penalties that cost us 14 points.”
Two big passing plays put the Colts in position for two touchdowns. Kiefer Olson to Richard Sawatsky for 39 yards — with a facemask penalty against the Wildcats added on — set up Long’s one yard run in the second quarter to close the gap to 21-7.
Hnatiuk caught Olson’s toss and scampered 71 yards to the Edmonton one yard line early in the third quarter and again Long was brought in to push it in from the one. It made the score 28-14 but the Wildcats drove on the next possession to get their 17 point lead back.
The Colts fought back to 31-24. Marshal Broom kicked a 16 yard field goal and Hnatiuk jumped and grabbed a tipped ball for a nine-yard TD catch with just over nine minutes remaining.
“If we come out in the first quarter like we did in the second half, it would be a completely different game,” Hnatiuk said.
“We have everything we essentially need to proceed as a team and win games. We have to capitalize more in the first quarter and stop taking penalties.”
Hnatiuk had a huge game with seven catches for 171 yards. Sawatsky had three catches for 56 yards.
Olson was 14 of 24 in passing for 256 yards and led the Colts in rushing with 46 yards on seven carries.
Linebacker Chris Frieson led the Colts defence with four tackles and four assisted tackles. Greg Hannah had four tackles and two assists. Vince Greco, Richard Pilkington and Stephen Dereniwski each had three tackles, with Dereniwski added four assists.
The Colts continue their four-game homestand next Sunday (Sept. 22) with a visit by the Regina Thunder at 1 p.m. at McMahon Stadium.
They have a bye the following weekend before playing their final home game Oct. 6 against the other Edmonton squad, the Huskies.
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