The Westlock Thunderbirds broke out of a mini two-game losing skid with a 41-0 victory over the Vegreville Vortex that catapulted them into top spot in Tier 2 of the Wheatland Football League.
The Thursday, Oct. 6 game put the T-Birds back in the win column after a tough 16-6 regular season defeat last week versus the Athabasca Pacers. The club also dropped an exhibition tilt to Bonnyville on Sept. 27.
“I was really proud of the way the guys played. They came out and they played hard right from the start,” said head coach Jon Kramer.
“It was an important game to see how the guys would respond because a lot of the time when you lose a game, guys kind of get down on each other, down on themselves and you often see losing streaks happen.
“On a game like tonight, even when it’s all wet out and the weather gets colder, what it all comes down to is who’s going to grit their teeth and work hard.”
The wet and cold conditions led to a handful of injuries for the team, but Kramer said the injuries won’t be a factor going forward.
Defensive coach Shayne Frith-Smith, however, expressed concern over running back Damon Sparling, who injured his knee and sat out for the second half.
Despite his concerns, he said he is confident that Sparling will be back next week.
“It’s tough for a lot of the Grade 12s. A lot of these guys have been playing football for three to four years so there’s some of them who are kind of looking, saying, ‘Boy, we’re done. Football’s almost done,’” Kramer said.
On the positive side, the injuries allowed the youngers players a chance to get in the game.
“This was the first game we had kind of everyone contribute,” he said.
“In the first couple weeks, they didn’t get a lot of playing time at all because they were still learning the game and things like that. This game, we had everybody in and they all got minutes and they all contributed.”
On top of a win, offensive linesman Scott Franchuk celebrated his own personal victory. He caught his first pass of the season, which was a huge accomplishment, Kramer said. Another player that stood out was linebacker Royce Hadley, who has been outstanding all year long.
“It’s a really important game for a lot of the rookies to do something, so even if they were only out there for a couple of plays, if they got to make one play, that’s what they dream about all season,” he said.
With the win against Vegreville, the T-Birds sit at 4-1 on the season and need a win over the Vermilion Marauders this coming week to wrap up the division.
The T-Birds faced the Marauders earlier this season, and beat them 12-10. But the stakes have gotten higher with playoffs just around the corner.
“It’s a big game,” he said. “If we win next week, we get first place in our division, which means we get two home playoff games, so it’s a big game. If we don’t win next week, we don’t know if we’re even hosting a playoff game.”
The Thunderbirds battle the Marauders on Friday, Oct. 14, which is the last regular-season game for the teams before playoffs.
