Perfect !!
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Sabres
go undefeated in 2006
with a 31-14 win over Raymond
in the Provincial Final
Third Time's a Charm!
For their third consecutive trip to the Provincial Finals, the Sabres once again took on the Raymond Comets. The results 1996 and 1998 finals were not overly desirable, but the outcome of the 2006 final was to be different.
The story written for Sabres’ offense was a Tale of Two Halves. The Comet defense did well to keep Sal’s gains modest for the first half, but could not contain the Sabres in the second. On the other side of the ball however, the Sabres’ defense added their final and concluding chapter to their textbook on season-long domination. Some of the best backs the Sabres have seen all year were in the backfield for Raymond. But time and time again the Sabres held the Comets to short gains or losses when they tried to run the ball. The fabled Comet speed would be matched and surpassed by the Sabres in 2006. With their running attack stymied, the Comets had to take to the air. Some success came through the air as Raymond’s two touchdowns were the result of pass plays. However, the Comets paid the price as tremendous collisions occurred to receivers on deep or crossing routes. The most telling stat of their playoff run is that the Raymond touchdowns were just the second and third scored on the Sabres’ D since the end of the regular season, a month and a half ago. Also, two of the three TDs occurred late in games without the full compliment of first team players on the field.
The first half for the offense was frustrating. The Sabres’ running attack was well scouted and Sal had trouble getting through the Comets’ 8-man front. The Sabres’ pass attack could not counter due to the frigid temperature and a poor choice of hand-ware by the Sabres QB. The only scoring of the first half was a 15-yard field goal that was set up by a botched snap on a Comet punt.
Two things happened during half time: 1) Adjustments were made and 2) The Sabres’ QB’s hand thawed. The result? Three offensive touchdowns with a fourth thrown in on a punt return. The Sabres would not look back in the second half. The first offensive play of the second half was a 55-yard pass and run up the seam to the Sabres’ slotback. The next series, the Sabres came back to the same slot on a crossing route from 20 yards out. The Sabres kept attacking the Comets with passes up the middle until Raymond finally got the picture and dropped a safety to stop the bleeding. Once Sal had
Raymond out of their 8-man front, the Sabres’ immediately attacked with their running game. The result was almost immediate, as a simple running play was turned into a 50-yard scamper by the Sabres’ tailback to take a commanding 24-0 lead. The Comets would counter once in the third quarter on a long pass and run of their own. The score going into the fourth quarter was 24-7.
Sal punt return team would add to their lead in the fourth quarter with yet another return for a TD. This one from 55 yards away from the endzone. With under a minute to play, Raymond would get their second major of the game, but that would be as close as they would come. The short kick-off was smothered by the Sabres, ending the hope of all the Raymondites encircling the field in their pick-up trucks. The final score: 31-14.
It had been 20 years since the last time the Sabres won the Tier 1 Provincial Title. Many good teams have come close since 1986, but not until 2006 has there been a team great enough to get the job done.
Congrats men on your perfect season!
Deja vu of 1998? Not Quite as the 2006 Sabres Roll Shep 46-7 in Northern Final
There was a great deal of hype this week about how the 2006 Northern Final was a replay of the 1998 Northern Final. However, the similarities ended with the schools that were facing each other. Unlike the game in '98, where the Sabres won a tough battle 21-14, this year's game wasn't even close.
The game started well for the Sabres who drove the ball into Shep territory on their first possession. Unfortunately, an interception ended the Sabres' first drive. However, Sal's defense would soon have the ball back in the offense's hands with the T-Birds punting after a quick two and out. Sal would make good on their next possession, after a one yard QB plunge was set up by a 40 yard dash by the Sabres' fullback. On their next possession, the Sabres would have to settle for a single off a missed field goal. That would be all of the scoring in the first quarter.
The second quarter was the end for Shep. The Sabres scored 4 touchdowns including a 22 yard fumble recovery by the Sabres' defensive halfback/wide out. The two of the the three other majors
were scored by the Sabres' slotback, one off a quick hitch that turned into a 35 yard run and another on a crossing route from 30 yards out. The fourth TD was another 1 yard QB sneak. The score at the half was 36-0.
In the second half, things slowed down a bit as Sal started getting their second team players some playing time. However, the second team still managed to add 10 more points to the scoreboard, with the major coming off a 45 yard keeper on an option play by Sal's grade 11 QB.
The 46 points Sal's offense put up against what Shep proclaimed the best front 7 in the province was impressive. Though what was more impressive was the play of the Sabres' defense. Since the Metro League playoffs began, the Sabres' defense has allowed only 1 touchdown and that was with 8 seconds to go in the Carr Final against Facey. Shep broke the shut out with a punt return for a touchdown, but failed to score any points on the stingy defense of Sal. The days work included 5 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, and a few sacks.
With the victory, Sal advances to the Provincial Final against Raymond in one week. The game will be hosted by Raymond at their home field.
The two other appearances in the Provincial Final in the last 10 years were both against Raymond. Third time's a charm?
Sabres make amends for loss to Grande Prairie two seasons ago
There was very little room for the field conditions to be worse than they were in Grande Prairie for the Northern Semi-Final. A record snow fall for the region was the reason that the snow piles along side the playing field were higher than the bleachers, why the field was only 63 yards wide, and why most of the the endzones were only 15 yards deep. That said, the field staff did a remarkable job clearing a space for Sal to walk into town and grab a spot in the Northern Final.
Things got off to a quick start with Sal returning the opening kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown. Sal's next offensive touch of the ball came quickly, as the Warrior offense was no match for the Sabres' red hot defense. In fact, the only time the ball was in Sal's side of the field during the first half was when Grande Prairie's punts would barely cross the center line.
On Sal's second possession, a few quick running plays had the ball placed on the Warriors' 5 yard line. From there, the Sabres' QB called is own number on an option and sauntered into the endzone untouched to extend the lead to 14-0. Sal's only other point of the quarter was a single off a field goal attempt.
The second quarter was very similar to the first. The offense skated down the field with relative ease and the defense continued to crush the will to play from the Warrior offense. Both touchdowns of the second quarter were scored by the Sabres' speedy fullback. The first an 11 yard option toss and the second a 1 yard plunge. The convert on Sal's fourth touchdown of the half hit the upright, so the score after two quarters of play was 28-0.
While Grande Prairie's offense was never going to score on the Sabres' D, some life was provided to the Warriors by the special teams and defense. After Sal drove the field and scored on a 15 yard
hitch to their slotback, the Warriors broke the shut-out with a kick off return for a touchdown of their own. The Warriors then took advantage of Sal's second team quarterback who tried to force a pass to his wide receiver. The result was an interception returned for a touchdown. The scores cut the lead to 35-12. (The first convert was blocked and their 2-point attempt on the second major was stopped). Sal ended the scoring in the third quarter with a 10 yard counter to their tailback who slashed his way into the endzone.
After the Warriors' brief highlights in the 3rd quarter, things tightened up on both sides of the ball for Sal. Grande Prairie's attempt to go to the air were snuffed out by picks or didn't materialize due to sacks. As with most of the game, the Warrior offense was rarely on the field for more than a few plays. Since the defense didn't get to see the field very much in the game, the coaches started inserting linebackers into the second team offense in the fourth quarter. Both the middle and strong side backers were given a chance to play a little runningback, and as it turned out, both scored touchdowns. The first touchdown was an option toss from 5 yards out and the second a 3 yard dive. The second linebacker
touchdown scored by Sal's middle backer was set up by the efforts of their outside backer who included a 40 yard scamper down the sidelines moving the ball from inside the Sabres' half, deep into the Warriors' half. Their two touchdowns ended the scoring at 56-12.
The Sabres now join Ross Sheppard of the Edmonton Public League in the Northern Final. The T-Birds survived a physical game against Fort Mac, winning by a score of 21-7. So not only is a berth in the Provincial Final on the line, but the bragging rights for the Edmonton region are at stake. These two teams have not met since the 1998 Northern Final when the Sabres won 21-14 in an evenly matched thriller.
This unofficial Edmonton City Championship between the Public and Metro Leagues will played on Nov 18 at Clarke Stadium.
Sal runs the table in Metro - The Sabres go undefeated and win final 31-6
Normally the Sabres' offense gets most of the attention, even though the defense had only given up one touchdown all year. Against Facey in the Metro Final, the defense caught everyone's attention. It all started with the first series, where Facey's first two carries were stopped for a loss. The 2-and-out situation led to Sal blocking the Facey's first of many punts, giving the ball to the offense on the 6 yard line. The very next play, Sal's tail back waltzed into the endzone to give the Sabres a 7-0 lead in under two minutes of play.
The tough-nosed D would continue. The next two Facey possessions ended badly for the Falcons. Not able to move the ball at all, Facey had to give up two safeties as their punter was standing 10 yards deep in his own endzone both times. At the end of the first quarter, the defense had scored 4 of the 11 Sabres' points.
The second quarter saw the offense open up. Sal went after Facey with a series of offtackle plays, with most going for big yardage. The ball was moved down the field with relative ease and the
Sabres' soon found themselves on the Falcon 1 yard line. A QB sneak made the score 18-0. Six more points were added by the Sabres' emerging place-kicker. He connected on field goals from 33 and 30 yards. The other score of the half came of a deep post-corner that was caught in the endzone making the score at the half 31-0.
In the second half, the Sabres cooled their jets and set put their game into auto-pilot. Facey's offense put together a few long drives that ate much of the clock. But the Sabres' D kept the Falcons off the score sheet. Their efforts included sacks, fumble recoveries, and interceptions, one that was returned 60 yards the other way. Facey would finally see what it was like inside the Sabres' endzone with 8.01 seconds left in the game. Breaking Sal's shut-out bid was a small victory for Facey in a game dominated by the Sabres.
The victory is the Sabres' 8th Metro title since the inception of the league in 1988. And it is their 3rd title in 4 years. With the win, the Sabres now move on to play Grande Prairie in the Northern Semi-final. The game is in Grande Prairie on Nov 11.
Jordan is no match for Sabres in 2006
The last two times these time met in the playoffs, the Metro title was on the line. This year, the winner would go to the final. However, like the two previous games between the teams, Sal was again victorious. The biggest difference was that this year's Jordan squad was no match for the Sabres.
The game started slow for the Sabres. The only point of the first quarter was single off a punt. But things started moving for Sal in the second quarter. An interception was converted into an 18 yard field goal. During the next series, a second interception was converted into a touchdown on a 5 yard dive play off an option. An audible at the line of scrimmage lead to a 60 yard touchdown Sabres' tailback. Sal's tailback would add a second touchdown off a 6 yard dive to make the score at half 25-1.
The third quarter was similar to the second. The defense kept the Scots in their half and the Sabres offense continued to score. The score was increased to 32-1 with a 40-yard screen, the third
touchdown by the Sabres tailback. The second team backs would enter the game at this point, but the scoring would not stop. The second team QB would hook up with a slot for a 65 yard pass and run that nearly scored. On the next play from the 3, the Sabres would punch it in to make the score 39-1. A penalty on the convert allowed for Sal to kickoff from inside the Scot's half, which lead to another single. The final nail in the coffin was a 55 yard pass and run to Sal's other slot. With the help of the slots, the second team QB had over a 100 yards passing and a touchdown. With one other single for both teams, the final tally was 48-2.
Sabres Breeze Through O'Leary with 48-3 win to Advance to Carr Semi-final
Add another trifecta on the season for #21 as he and the rest of the Sabres end O'Leary's season in the Carr Quarter-finals. (The trifecta being three touchdowns with one on the ground, another on a reception and the third on a punt return.)
The Sabres started the scoring with a 28-yard field-goal that ended a crisp drive on their opening possession. The Spartans tied the game at 3-3 after a long pass play brought them within striking distance. In fact O'Leary had early success moving the ball, but as the game progressed the Sabres' D tightened their grip on the Spartans to end all future scoring threats.
Sal's first touchdown came on their next possession, with a 54-yard pass and run play involving their big slotback. On their third possession of the game, the Sabres drove the field to the O'leary 3 and from there, a simple dive play to their tailback increased the score to 16-3 (convert missed).
Any sort of running game was not an option for the Spartans. Sal's quick defense was quick to stuff any attempt to move the ball along the ground. And as the game wore on, the Spartans' pass attack was falling apart as Sal penetrated the line of scrimmage to rush or sack the QB.
Having the ball for most of the game, the Sabres offense continued to add to the score. In the second quarter, a simple dive to their fullback turned into a 55-yard sprint to the endzone to make the score 23-3. The defense added to the score when the forced O'Leary to concede a safety after pinning them on their one-yard line. The final major of the first half was a 25-yard tipped pass that the Sabres' tailback grabbed in the endzone to end the first half scoring at 32-3.
As usual, the second half belonged mostly to the second team. However, prior to them getting some reps, the Sabres' tailback completed his trifecta with a 40-yard punt return for a touchdown. The second team offense had to wait further because Sal's QB/safety returned an interception 40 yards for another touchdown on O'Leary's next possession. Once the second team was able to play, they managed to get into O'Leary territory far enough for a field goal attempt and a punt that both led to singles. The final score was 48-3.
The Sabres now move into the Carr semi-finals against ABJ who escaped a late charge from Ardrossan to win their quarter-final 22-16. The semi-final will be played at Clarke next Tuesday at 7:30.
Sal Clinches First... Barely.
Going into tonight's contest, both Sal and Facey were neck in neck in stats and both were undefeated. The winner of the game would finish first in the pool and get a top seed in the Carr playoffs.
Sal's first possession that ended with a Facey interception foreshadowed things to come later in the game. However, Sal seemed to dismiss the turnover and cruised to a 10 - 0 lead. The scoring came from a 23 yard field goal and a tailback pitch that went 40 yards for the first touchdown of the game. The offense seem to be clicking and the defense didn't allow a Falcon first down the entire first quarter. However, after Sal upped the lead to 10, Facey came to life and managed to change the momentum of the game with big special teams plays. Playing with a relatively short field for the second quarter, Facey managed to tie the game up at 10-10 before half.
The second half was more entertaining than the first. In the third quarter, Facey found a chink in the armour of the Sabres' D and was able to drive the ball two thirds the length of the field and punch the ball in from the 1-yard line. It took many attempts, but Sabres penalties provided the Falcons with all the attempts they would need. The drive and score ate up much of the third quarter and the Falcons were leading 17-10 heading into the 4th quarter.
Most of the 4th quarter was an exchange of possessions until under 2 minutes were left in the game. With Sal still trailing by 7, the Sabres started to drive the ball in a similar fashion as the first quarter. The Sabres drove the ball to the 16 yard line and from there, the Sabre's QB opted to keep the ball on an option and leapt through and over defenders to score to make it 17-16 for Facey. All Sal needed to clinch first place was a tie since their points for and against were superior to Facey's. However, the ball slipped from the holder's hands and the ensuing scramble play was broken up by Facey.
So with only 53 seconds left in the game, it appeared that an upset was at hand. But after Sal's attempt to recover the kick-off, the Sabres' D dug in and forced the Falcons to punt one last time. And then magic.
As mentioned above, normally names are not mentioned on the site. However, what Duncan Hankinson did to save the game was rather noteworthy. Why the Falcons kicked the ball to the most dangerous player on the field will remain a mystery, but Facey paid dearly. Hankinson returned the punt 65 yards into the endzone to win the game. With only 13 seconds left, Facey's attempt at their own miracle was snuffed out by an interception.
Despite the very sloppy field conditions and rain, the game was still very entertaining to watch. However, the excitement would likely be eclipsed should both these teams meet in the Carr final.
But before that happens, both teams will need to win two more games. Their opponents in the quarter-finals have yet to be determined, but the Sabres play next Tuesday at 7:30 at Clarke.
Aerial Battle Erupts as Sal takes out Leduc 42-8
A game between two teams that can throw the ball was sure to be entertaining. Sal's passing attack was matched up against Leduc's strong armed QB.
Both teams came out slow. Sal's early play calling was dominated by passing plays and they moved the ball down the field into Leduc's red zone on their first possession. However, a fumble on an exchange had the ball in the Tiger's hands. Leduc seem hesitant to use their passing attack at first and found themselves punting multiple times early in the game as the Sabres' D snuffed out the Leduc running game time after time. Offensively, Sal took a while to get going as passes were falling just out of the reach of the receivers. However, the rhythm would improve later in the game.
To rectify Sal's sputtering start, the ever reliable running game was set into motion. The Sabres used a pitch to their tailback to open the scoring from 50 yards out. The Sabres' D also helped kick the scoring into gear with a 55 yard interception return for a major by the Sabres' fullback/defensive halfback. Once the ball was in his hands, he had nothing but open field in front and would-be tacklers falling behind. With Leduc scoring a single off a punt, the score was 14-1 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, things really kicked in for the Sabres as thy put up three more touchdowns. The first was scored by the Sabre's QB when he chose to tuck the ball away and run on a roll out from the Tiger 5 yard line. The second touchdown of the quarter came from only 25 yards out, but as seen time and time again, Sal's tailback can run over 100 yards back and forth across the field to find the seam into the endzone. Finally, the third TD of the quarter was a fade to a wide-out from the 6 yard line, his first TD of the season.
With the game comfortably in hand, the second half was used to get the second team some more game experience. The third quarter was not very successful, as the Sabres failed to put up a point. Things got worse in the 4th quarter when Leduc punched the ball into the Sabres' endzone after getting the ball to the 2 yard line on a deep pass. However, the young offense would rally with a mix of run and pass to get the ball into Tiger territory mid-way through the fourth. Then from 35 yards out, the second team quarterback connected with a slotback who out-jumped his defenders and strolled into the endzone for his 3rd touchdown of the game. With the fourth quarter touchdown, the final score was 42-8.
So the Sabres' move into the final week of the regular season with a 4-0 record. It just so happens that their cross-town rivals at Facey are also sitting at 4-0. Therefore, the next game is not just for pride, but for the 1st seed in the quarterfinals the following week. The game should be something to see as both teams can run and pass and have speedy defenses. The game will be played at the Strathcona Athletic Park at 5:00 next Thusday, Oct 19.
Bye week has no effect - Sal rolls Beaumont 62-0
A nine touchdown performance was a happy ending to the two week layoff the Sabres had since playing St. FX back on Sept 21. Two weeks without game speed play could have stalled the Sabres somewhat; however, fewer mistakes were made in this game than during the one 14 days ago.
In a similar fashion to the other games, most of the Sabres' possessions ended with a score. They got off to a quick start a few plays into the game with Sal's fullback rumbling 65 yards for the first major. The Sabres' D made quick work of the Bandits' offense during most of the game, and would have the ball back in the hands of the offense soon after each score. The Sabres second possession was a sustained drive of passes and runs that brought the ball to the Beaumont 6 yard line. The drive was then capped with a pass to the back of the endzone to the Sabres big slotback for his 4th touchdown reception of the year. Soon after the subsequent kickoff, the Bandits were punting again and what followed was a 85 yard punt return into the endzone. Unfortunately, a penalty on the play negated the return and touchdown. However, the same back that had his touchdown nullified would score on the next drive via a 15 yard off-tackle where he went untouched into the endzone making the score 21 - 0 early in the second
quarter. Two more touchdowns would be added during the first half: Another 15 yard TD run, this time by the Salisbury fullback, and a 55 yard scamper off a pitch to the the Sabres' tailback both scoring their second touchdowns of the game. The convert on the last touchdown was missed and so the score at the end of the first half was 34 - 0.
Some miscommunications and sloppy play slowed the scoring down during the third quarter, though the pace picked up again in the fourth quarter. The only touchdown of the third quarter was a short pass and long run by the Sabres' slotback who went 85 yards with Bandits in chase. In the fourth quarter the 85 yard punt return that was called back was almost duplicated. This time, the returned "only" went 60 yards; however, the fact that he was chased back and forth across the field a few times, the total amount of yardage on this highlight reel of a return was probably over 100 yards. The score was now 48 - 0 and time for the second team to get to work.
With 7 touchdowns in the books by the Sabres' first team, the second team had some work to. The future looks bright for the Sabres, as the scoring pace continued on par with the rest of the game. Two more touchdowns would be added by the second team. The first a 15 yard run that capped off a drive that started on the Sabres side of center. The second was a demonstration that the option system the Sabres utilize will be in good hands as the their second team quarterback took the ball 40 yards into the endzone opting to keep the ball in his hands. With only seconds left on the clock, the scoring would end making the final score 62 - 0.
The Sabres D was steller again, adding another shut-out to the season. Big plays included sacks, a stuff on a 3rd down gamble that wasn't even measured, a blocked punt, and a circus interception on a Sabre-tipped pass.
The output of nine touchdowns was impressive; however, the Sabres left points on the table with 2 fumbles inside the Red Zone, and that called-back touchdown that came off the punt return. The Sabres appear to be improving each week, but now the opponents start to get stronger. Next week the Sabres have their last contest before taking on Facey. They play the Leduc Tigers at Clarke Park at 7:30 next Thursday (Oct 12).
Sabres take to the air and bomb St FX 48-6
Not happy with the run dominated game last week, the Sabres attacked the Rams through the air scoring 4 or their 6 touchdowns using their passing game. The Sabres moved the ball with relative ease against St. FX. Sal's first three Sabre drives were capped by endzone receptions by a single slotback, but it was a balance of runs and passes that moved the ball into scoring position. The touchdown receptions were from 2, 15 and 30 yards out. During the drives, receptions did well to spread the ball around between inside and outside receivers, as well as their runningbacks. What would have been a fourth first quarter touchdown was scored by the defense off a fumble recovery but it was nullified by an offside call.
The Sabres put two more touchdowns on the board in the second quarter. Both second quarter touchdowns were on the ground. The first a 15 yard QB keeper, that was followed by a 5 yard stroll into the endzone by the Sabres' fullback. The score at the half was 35-0.
It was determined that the second half would be an opportunity to get the second team some more game experience. The deeper into the second half the game went, the greater the proportion of second team players were in the game. The Sabres managed to add one more touchdown in the third quarter. The touchdown came with second team players on the field, but involved the first team
QB and the first team tailback getting reps at slot. On a scramble, the QB found his receiver streaking across the back of the endzone and delivered a perfect strike right at the sidelines. Also, in the third quarter, the Sabres scored their first field goal of the regular season. A 23-yard effort that made the score 45-0. The Sabres final three points came from a single off a missed field goal attempt and a safety conceded by the Rams when they were pinned inside their own 5 yard line.
Defensively, the game was almost perfect. The Rams only managed 1 first down the entire game, and that came off a punt fake. The defense were constantly sacking the St. FX QB when they tried to throw the ball, and managed to pick off one of the passes that managed to get out of the hands of the Rams' QB. The six points the Rams managed to score may have ruined a shut-out; however, the touchdown occurred during a bobbled punt return, thus the defense has yet to be scored on in Metro League play. It appeared the defense was rather ticked
by the loss of the shut-out during the convert attempt. By the time the Rams' kicker made contact, there was nothing but a red wall in front of him. Final score 48-6.
The Sabres now have a week off to prepare for their next opponent; Beaumont. Beaumont is already having trouble this season and are off to an 0-2 start. Game time is 7:30 at SAP.
Sabres beat Ardrossan 37-0 in monsoon
As Sal and Ardrossan sat in their dressing rooms, officials stood out in the pouring rain discussing whether or not the game would proceed or be postponed. In the end and because the field at SAP is in great shape, it was decided the game would be played. The players seemed anxious to get the game going for two reasons; a) to stay warm and b) to get the official 2006 season underway.
The game started off with a bang. The Sabres' kicker connected with the football and drove it over the Bisons' returner's head. The returner managed to get the ball out, but only just barely. The Sabres' D didn't allow the Bisons to get anywhere and Ardrossan were forced to punt from their endzone. In an attempt to get out of the tight situation,
Ardrossan gave up a safety that led to an early Sabres' lead of 2-0.
Normally, giving up a safety is a good move to regain some field possession. The ensuing kickoff saw the Sabres first possession of the game at the Bisons' 50-yard line. Unfortunately for Ardrossan, the Sabres scored on their first touch of the ball. A 50-yard dash from an off-tackle run by the Sabres tailback made the score 9-0 with under 4 minutes played. A series later the Sabres added a second rushing touchdown, this time by their fullback and this time from 60 yards out.
With the run firmly established, the Sabres tried to go to the air, but the rainy, windy and slippery conditions were far from ideal for any passing game and only a couple of receptions were made during the game. Ardrossan also tried to pass on the Sabres, but Sal's secondary would thwart all deep attacks. The Sabres would add one more touchdown in the second quarter. After sustaining a drive down the Bisons' half of the field, Sal capped the drive off with a 1-yard plunge by their fullback.
Unfortunately, the rain didn't stop in the second half, and so the Sabres kept the ball on the ground. The score would be expanded mid-way through the quarter with a QB sweep that scored from 20-yards out. The defense faced a couple of Bison threats to the shut-out their were pitching. The closest was when Ardrossan was within field goal range, but the Sabres' D caused the Bisons to turn the ball over on downs when Ardrossan attempted to convert their third and long situation.
The fourth quarter was an opportunity for the second team offense to break their own shut-out. They had yet to put the ball in the endzone throughout the Lazerte jamboree and in California. However, on their second possession, Sal's second-team tailback broke through the line and ran away from his tacklers enroute to a 35-yard touchdown, making the final tally 37-0.
Given that half of the Sabres touchdowns scored during the preseason came as a result of their passing attack, the limited playbook Sal used in the monsoon may have limited the score somewhat. Nonetheless, they still wracked up close to 40 points and the defense pitched their first shut-out of the year. Not a bad start for 2006.
U p next are the Rams from St. FX. The Sabres take on the Rams next Thursday at Johnny Bright Park which is as close to home turf as SAP is to Sal. Game time is 5:00.
The result in the Sabres' second game against Bonita Vista in southern California was a bit different than the result of the game two years ago. This year, the Sabres opted to play the 16 and 17 year old sophomores and juniors of the Bonita JV squad instead of the defending league champion varsity squad. Going into the game, the Sabres knew they JV team would not have the unreal speed, size and execution they witnessed from the varsity team two years ago; however, they had no idea at what level the American sophomores and juniors could play at. What they did know was this team beat Hunting Hills from Red Deer 34-7 the week prior.
The Sabres could not have asked for a better first quarter. After receiving the ball on the kick-off, the Sabres worked the ball down the field with a series of running plays. They only needed to get to the Barons' 40-yard line before the Sabres' tailback took the ball the rest of the way on a single run putting Sal up 7-0 early in the game.
Next up was Sal's defense. The kickoff was bobbled by the Bonita returner and the coverage team managed to pin the Barons deep in their end. The Sabres' D stopped the Barons from moving the ball up field and forced them to punt the ball. Unfortunately for Bonita, the punt only made out to the 35-yard line and was promptly run back into the endzone by Sal's starting tailback for a very quick 14-0 lead.
Still mid-way through the 1st quarter, the Sabres' defense demonstrated that their front 7 will be a force to reckoned with. Bonita managed to move the ball somewhat and soon found themselves facing a 4 and 1 situation on their own 45-yard line where they chose to gamble. A very impressive defensive surge by the Sal defense stopped the Bonita back in his backfield, forcing the Barons to turn the ball over on downs. The next play from scrimmage was a 45-yard dash by the Sabre's fullback to increase the 1st quarter score to 21-0.
After building up such a large lead so quickly, many of the starters were pulled from the game in the second quarter. A combination second team players on the field and a change in game plan for Bonita lead to a slight resurgence from the Barons. Bonita managed to move the ball into Sal's territory and scored on a 20-yard pass play. The touchdown was not converted and so the score at the half was 21-6.
The momentum was clearly shifting towards the Bonita bench during the end of the first half. The shift was completed on the opening kick-off in the 3rd quarter, which was returned for touchdown. An attempt at a two-point conversion was foiled by the Sabres and so the score was now 21-12. In order to regain the game's momentum, the Sabres sent their first team back on the field. The Barons clearly made some good half-time adjustments as the Sal had a tougher time moving the
ball in the 3rd quarter. However, the Sabres moved the ball through the air as well as along the ground and were soon knocking on the Barons' door at the 15-yard line. From that point, the Sabre's QB contributed to the score, optioning to keep the ball himself for the rest of the way. With the conversion, the score was now 28-12.
With the cushion re-established, the second team would finish the game. Bonita would add one last touchdown with another passing drive. Knowing Bonita had used up all of their time-outs, the Sabres killed the remaining minute and a half by taking knees. The final score was 28-18.
September 2, 2006
Sal opened the 2006 season on the right foot. The Sabres went 4-0 in the ME LaZerte Jamboree, a winning record that included games against Public League perennially strong teams in Scona and Parkland. The two other opponents were Peace River and Wetaskiwin.
The day opened against Scona. Much has been said about their running game, but it was their passing game that stung the Sabres on the first series. After a few plays the Sabres started to shut down the run, but a miss assignment on the defense allowed the Lords to score on a long passing play. However, after that touchdown, it was all Sabres. Scona was barely allowed to move across mid-field again and the Sabres' first team offense came storming back. During the shortened jamboree game, the Sabres' first team offense had the ball four times and scored on every possession. All four touchdowns came along the ground although the Sabres managed to take advantage of the Scona defensive alignment for a few big pass plays. The first touchdown came on Sal's first touch of the ball, a 65-yard untouched run. Three more rushing touchdowns included a 15-yard option keep, a 90-yard option toss, and a 60-yard toss.
The next opponent was Peace River. The Sabres played PR in last year's jamboree and were quick to conclude that they would probably win the Mighty Peace League title even though they were a Tier 3 team. They did just that, and they may just do it again. With a very solid backfield, they will be a tough opponent in the Mighty Peace. That said, Sal beat them 4-1. PR's touchdown was a long run up the gut. But again the Sabres' D did a fine job shutting PR down for most of the rest of the game. This game included two passing touchdowns of 30 and 45 yards. The two other TDs were a 35-yard scamper and a 1-yard QB sneak. Sal left one other TD off the board by fumbling on the PR 3-yard line.
The Sabres third game was against the Parkland Predators, a team Sal lost to 1-0 last summer. This year, it was mostly Sabres as they cruised to their third win of the day with a 3-1 score. Parkland's run was ineffective against Sal's D; however, the Preds gave the Sabres a run for their money with their passing attack. While they only scored once, Parkland managed a few drives that ate up time. So the Sabres offense only had time for three touchdowns this game. Once again Sal scored with their own passing game with 60 and 50 yard pass and run plays. The third touchdown was another QB sneak from the 2-yard line.
Thanks to a last-minute schedule change, Sal had to play all four of their games back to back. With temperatures getting into the mid-20's and three games played, the Sabres started to look a bit tired. They first-team offense and defense were only given two series a piece to finish the day. Defensively, Sal had no problem shutting down Wetaskiwin's offense, especially when they tried a few Fly-offense plays. Offensively, the first-team offense scored on both possessions. The first on a 35-yard scamper off a simple off-tackle and the second off another QB sneak that capped off a sustained drive that included a couple of 3rd and long conversions. The second-team offense struggled to move the ball, and the second-team defense allowed Wetaskiwin to score on the very last play of the day. Regardless, the Sabres walked off the field undefeated.
Overall, the day was deemed a success. The first-team offense and defense played very well considering it was the first game the Sabres have played since last year's playoffs. The touchdowns were scored by 4 individuals that included 2 runningbacks, a receiver and their QB. Defensively, the Sabres' front 7 will be extremely tough to run against. With their first test over and done with, the Sabres now have to prepare for their trip down to the an Diego area where they will once again meet up against Bonita Vista. That game will be on September 7.
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