The Calgary Colts are only scheduled to play the Saskatoon Hilltops once this season. Try telling that to the Calgary Colts.
“We’re going to see ‘em again” come playoff time, vowed Colts quarterback Clayton Masikewich (3rd year, Calgary, John G. Diefenbaker HS).
“And we’ve got some work to do between now and then,” added linebacker Stephen Dereniwski (2nd year, Medicine Hat, Alta., Medicine Hat HS).
Sunday afternoon at McMahon Stadium, during a highly anticipated, first-place Prairie Football Conference showdown, the Hilltops shaded the Colts 22-15. Quarterback Chase Bradshaw’s 49-yard ramble up the middle for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter was the telling blow for the ’Tops, who improve to 5-0 while sending the Colts (4-1) to their first loss of this junior gridiron campaign.
The Colts knew they needed to play virtual error-free football against the defending Canadian Junior Football League champions to win, and “we sure didn’t get that,” offered veteran head coach Keith Kendal, pointing to Calgary’s three fumbles and one interception.
The hosts made a couple of critical errors in the final eight minutes that sealed their fate. With eight minutes left, after the Colts forced a fumble by Saskatoon’s Brendon Gryba and drove 40 yards to the Saskatoon 10, running back Cuong Thai Lieu (3rd year, Nanaimo, B.C., John Barsby HS) fumbled the ball and the Hilltops recovered, keeping the score 22-12. And with 1:18 left and the Colts down by a major, Doug Long (4th year, Calgary, Bowness HS) fumbled a punt return at the Calgary 45, all but erasing any Colts chances at a comeback.
The usually rock-steady Andrew Fabian (2nd year, Tilley, Alta., Brooks Composite HS), meanwhile, only connected on one of four field-goal attempts for the Colts, missing tries of 37, 40, and 41 yards.
All was not doom and gloom for Kendal’s posse, though. Masikewich and the offence were able to move the ball fairly consistently in the second half, opening the third quarter with an 84-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard touchdown strike to Mac Sarro (2nd year, Calgary, Notre Dame HS).
“The little things. That’s what this game really came down to,” said Masikewich. “We do the little things right, we’ll be successful. (The Hilltops) do the little things very well, and they always have. That’s what we need to take from this game.
“We showed today that we can play with these guys — if we play.”
The Colts are now alone in second place in PFC standings — two points up on the Winnipeg Rifles (3-2), who fell behind 31-9 in Regina Sunday and lost 31-29 to the host Thunder.
The Colts and Rifles will play each other twice in the final three weeks of the regular season, with the first clash coming Sunday, Sept. 25 at Winnipeg’s Canad Inns Stadium.
The Hilltops really made hay during Sunday’s second quarter, while the Colts’ offence sputtered to six straight two-and-outs.
Running back Regan Schuler, the PFC’s leading rusher, crashed over from one yard out 1:20 into the second stanza to make it 7-4 Saskatoon. And 11 minutes later, after Calgary safety Pat MacDonald (3rd year, Calgary, St. Mary’s HS) nearly intercepted Bradshaw in the end zone, and a Calgary unnecessary roughness penalty kept the drive alive, rather than forcing Saskatoon to settle for three, Bradshaw found Chad Braun for an 11-yard strike and a 15-4 advantage.
The Colts’ defence threw a blanket over the ’Tops through the third quarter, in particular, holding Saskatoon to that lone Bradshaw major over the final 30 minutes.
“We felt the game coming into our hands in the second half, but a couple of big plays completely turned the game around,” said Dereniwski. “But like the coaches said, they’re the defending national champs and they beat us by seven points.
“We’re going to absorb this loss, but Tuesday we’ll be back at work with our eyes on the prize again.”
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