With a crushing 41-0 victory over the visiting Vegreville Vortex on Oct. 6, the Westlock Thunderbirds are one step closer to a first-place ranking heading into playoffs.
The win game put the T-Birds back in the win column after a crushing defeat last week against the Athabasca Pacers.
“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. “The guys have been working hard and we’ve done a few new things on offence and defense.”
Coming off the first loss of the season the week prior, the T-Birds faced a tough challenge, Kramer said.
“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,” he said.
Despite the odds, the T-Birds reigned victorious with mental and physical toughness, he said.
“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,” he said after the game.
The wet and cold conditions led to a handful of injuries for the team. Kramer said he doesn’t think the night’s injuries will have an effect on future games and that the players sat out only as a precaution.
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 Sparling will be back at it next week.
“It’s tough for a lot of the Grade 12’s, like 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 done,’” Kramer said.
Despite the negative aspects associated with the injuries, it gave lesser-played team members a chance to test their skills in front of a home audience.
“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 did minutes and they all contributed.”
On top of the 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.
“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.
Another player that stood out to both coaches was line backer Royce Hadley, who has been successful throughout the season so far.
With the win against Vegreville, the T-Birds sit 4-1 in the season and are at the top of the leader board, but this could all change next week when they face the Vermilion Marauders.
“Next week, we have a bit tougher of an opponent. We’re out to Vermilion on an away game and we know we’re going to have a bit harder of a game,” Kramer said.
The T-Birds took on the Marauders once this season, and beat them in a close match of 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 win. If we don’t win next week, we don’t know if we’re even hosting a playoff game.”
The Thunderbirds will battle the Vermilion Marauders on Friday, Oct. 14, which is the last regular-season game for both teams before heading to playoffs.
