By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)
Feature photo: Nathaniel King-Wilson with the game-tying fumble recovery for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter against DMCI.
In this week’s feature contests, the Spartans and Tigers climbed up in the standings while the Daniel McIntyre Maroons came from behind to tie the division-leading Murdoch MacKay Clansmen.
Division 1: Sisler Spartans (4-2) 38 – 0 Vincent Massey Brandon Vikings (4-2)
It was the Austin Balan show this past Friday, as he went off for a jaw-dropping 324 yards and four scores on 21 carries to spark the Spartans offensive attack.
“I had a bunch of great blocking up front, and Massey ran a 3-4 front so it really benefited our run schemes,” he said postgame. “They also double-teamed [division 1’s leading receiver] Steven [Koniuck] the whole game so once I got to the second level it was all open space.”
The other significant storyline coming out of this contest was the health of Massey’s powerful back Zane Anderson, who entered the game just behind Balan for the division’s rushing lead. He had been banged up the week prior against St. Paul’s 2 and only saw action in a few series against Sisler. When healthy, he is a game-changer for the Vikings and his presence may be needed in the season finale this week, as Vincent Massey looks to lock up second place in the Gustafson Conference when they take on the 2-4 Sturgeon Heights Huskies this Thursday.
Unfortunately for the Vikings, the control has been taken out of their hands, as all Sisler needs to do is beat the 5-0-1 Vincent Massey Trojans this Friday to secure the second seed in the conference. That task won’t be easy however, as the Trojans — who have sole-possession of first place — have only allowed 14 points in the past three weeks.
Division 2: Daniel McIntyre Maroons (3-2-1) 26 – 26 Murdoch MacKay Clansmen (5-0-1)
The Daniel McIntyre Maroons displayed their grit this past Thursday, battling to a 26-26 tie with the Murdoch MacKay Clansmen despite playing with just 25 athletes by game’s end due to injury.
Arguably the biggest loss to the Maroons roster was starting pivot Kieran Benson, who took part in the Winnipeg Rifles rookie and spring camps this year. He suffered an upper body injury last week in a 29-2 loss against the West Kildonan Wolverines and his status for this week’s game is up in the air.
Veteran Ethan Schnerch — who is typically a receiver — took his spot as quarterback and also played on defence as the team’s starting safety. He, along with fellow impact playmaker Nathaniel King-Wilson were instrumental in the game’s final score. The former had 121 all-purpose yards on offence and also added two critical fumble recoveries on defence, while the latter had 106 yards rushing and a score as well as the contest’s two biggest forced fumbles as a halfback.
King-Wilson’s two forced fumbles both occurred late in the fourth quarter, and were arguably the two most important plays defensively. The first came in the final minute with the Maroons down 26-20 and seemingly out of the game after a failed third down convert deep in Murdoch territory. He was able to wrestle the ball away from the Clansmen ball-carrier, and after multiple bounces on the ground, picked up the ball and ran it into the end zone to the tie the contest.
“I knew we needed a fumble and I didn’t grab it clearly, so it was just kicking around and I was like, I could pick this up, so I did and got in there somehow,” King-Wilson said post game.”
A few penalties resulted in the game-winning convert being re-tried on two separate occasions, with the third attempt being blocked by Murdoch defensive lineman Riley Burkett. The Clansmen would then get the ball back and drove the field, thanks in large part to some key plays from pivot Carter Kutzan, who finished the contest with 251 all-purpose yards and two scores. The visitors looked to have the game won on a big-time passing play down the sidelines, however King-Wilson was able to knock the ball free for a second straight possession to end the drive and ultimately the game.
Schnerch credited his team’s hard work in practice for the result, despite the depleted roster.
“We have such low numbers, but we find a way through conditioning in practice and just by practicing,” he said. King-Wilson echoed his teammate’s sentiments, saying “we don’t have a lot of guys but they all have heart and are hard working.”
The Maroons will look to maintain third place in Division 2’s Bramwell Conference this week as they take on the 5-1 River East Kodiaks on Thursday. The stakes are just as high for the Clansmen, who simply need a win over the 3-3 Crocus Plains Plainsmen this Friday to finish first. A loss, and victory by the Kodiaks however, would pull-vault the latter to the top seed.
Division 3: St. John’s Tigers (4-1) 21 – 13 (4-2) Fort Frances Muskies
Brady Meeks had 127 yards passing and a touchdown, however it wasn’t enough to topple the Tigers, who have a chance to finish first in the division with a win on Friday against Lorette coupled by a loss by the 4-1 Elmwood Giants — the only team to beat them this year. Elmwood faces Tec Voc this Thursday and controls their own destiny as the number one seed in the playoffs.
Fort Frances finishes the year at 4-2 and will now wait the results of this week’s games to determine their seeding for the division 3 playoffs. They currently sit in second place but could slip all the way to forth if St. John’s, Elmwood and Churchill all win.