Thursday’s showdown for second place in the metro Edmonton league’s Carr conference was close until the opening kick off.
But once the game got underway, the Salisbury Sabres did a major number on the Bellerose Bulldogs en route to a convincing 30-0 decision at Riel Park field.
“It was our fault that we lost,” said Grayson Baker, the only effective offensive weapon the Bulldogs had going against the ninth-ranked 4A team in the province. “We came out flat. That was basically the gist of it. We also took some selfish penalties.”
The loss left the Bulldogs (2-2-1) stuck in third place in the six-team conference. In Tuesday’s opening playoff round they are up against the Archbishop Jordan Scots (0-4-1 league; 1-4-1 overall). Kickoff is 5 p.m. in St. Albert. Admission is $5.
The winner will play Salisbury (4-1 league; 5-2 overall) in Friday’s semifinal. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Clarke Park.
“We can’t be expecting to play Friday. We have to win Tuesday. We’ve got to have good practices with lots of focus and determination,” said Baker, 17.
In the Sept. 9 season opener the Bulldogs and Scots played to a 6-6 draw. It wasn’t a vintage performance by either team.
“We’re going to want revenge for sure after that game,” Baker said. “We’re going to have to expect Dexter [Brown, the Scots’ playmaker] to be in their line-up, even though he’s been injured off and on. They’re going to put their best team on the field and we have to be ready to play.”
Thursday’s disappointing showing by the Bulldogs was their first game after a bye week following their historic 7-0 victory over the St. Albert High Skyhawks (2-3 league; 3-4 overall) Oct. 7 in front of the largest crowd to watch a high school football contest in St. Albert.
“The bye week was nice to heal up but I guess it wasn’t enough to put us on top today. We just weren’t focused enough,” Baker said. “Of course the SACHS game was a huge game for us. It was a great win but it’s not the end of our season. We’ve still got a lot to play for.”
The 30-point margin of defeat left head coach Chad Hill shaking his head in disbelief.
“Let’s gear up to be winners,” Hill urged his Bulldogs during an animated post-game address. “We’ve got to play way better than this.”
It was the second time in league play they were shut out by a Sherwood Park-based team.
The vaulted Bellerose defence also took it on the chin as the Sabres scored a converted touchdown in the first quarter and led by 13 at halftime. There was no scoring in the fourth quarter.
“We had a game plan coming in and it would’ve worked but we just didn’t do it,” Baker said.
The Sabres made it into the end zone on their second offensive series, a three-yard TD with 3:41 left until quarter time. The Sabres took over the ball at the Bellerose 31 after punter Tayler White was tackled short of a first down. Clever running by quarterback Matt Bonaca produced a couple of first downs leading up to the score.
On the last play of the quarter, a great individual effort by Ben Graunke broke up a TD catch behind the posts. The Sabres would go on to kick a 30-yard field goal as Eric Potter split the upright.
The next time on offence the Sabres settled for a 23-yard field goal by Potter.
The best field position for the Bulldogs in the first half was at the Salisbury 43 with 67 seconds remaining but they eventually lost a yard while going two-and-out.
The second half started with the Sabres tracking down a short kickoff that worked to perfection. Operating from the Bellerose 25, they needed only three plays to crack the goal line, culminating with a three-yard TD.
After the kickoff, the Bulldogs went two-and-out. In punt formation, White made a leaping one-hand stab at a high snap from centre, and was quickly tackled at the Bellerose 50. The Sabres moved the ball into field goal range as Potter connected from 27 yards out to make it 23-0 with 3:07 left in the quarter.
Another turnover on downs as White was caught running out of punt formation gave the Sabres the ball at the Bellerose 50. The quarter ended with a 23-yard TD.
In the fourth quarter Bellerose unveiled its wildcat package and Baker showed lots of promise running the plays. When the Grade 12 Bulldog wasn’t helping out the defensive secondary, the midget spring league product of the St. Albert Storm lined up in various positions on offence in a bid to make things happen. Devin Kondro, a punishing Grade 12 fullback, was held in check by the Sabres. Baseball player Ryan Ozunko was throwing fastballs at quarterback for Bellerose but most of the passes fell incomplete.
“It wasn’t so much what they did, we just didn’t execute,” said Baker, ranked second on the team in rushing yards prior to the match, with 150 on 39 carries.
