Spartans Win Defensive Battle Versus Lions
It was a low scoring defensive battle as the U12 Division rivals the Lions faced the Spartans in game two of the Gladiator Bowl.
The Gladiator Bowl is one of the new annual Bowl games initiated this season to help create rivalries between local teams in the Kinsmen Moose Jaw Minor Football League.
“It was a fun game. It’s alway fun playing the Lions,” said Spartans head coach Brock Montgomery.
Spartans quarterback Leo Montgomery tries to evade Lions Ryder Darroch - MJ Independent photo
“Of course it was defensive,” Montgomery said adding “it’s not that the offence played bad it’s just that they have a good defence. I’m certain it’s the same thing echoing from there,” he said.
The showdown and rivalry between the two teams is well known and been on-going for multiple years.
The games between the two teams has resulted in some tight fought matchups that Montgomery described as fun to play.
Moving in for the tackle - MJ Independent photo
For Lions assistant coach Jaxson Bowerin the game was hard fought, a crowd pleasing game that unfortunately resulted in a slim Lions’ loss.
The game saw no scoring in the first quarter.
In the second quarter Hayes Hetherington scored with 0.5 left in the half. The Spartans failed to convert the touchdown.
There was no further scoring in the game.
The game was one where the defence on both sides managed to shutdown their opposing offensive squad and get back the ball.
Lions Dawid Alberts evades a would be tackler - MJ Independent photo
Bowerin, a former Central Cyclones great, said the close game was expected by the Lions.
“It was a super close battle. We knew it was going to be close going into it. We tried to (get around it),” he said.
Bowerin said he hadn’t attended practices leading up to the game but he knew at practice they were “scheming up stuff just for them. They just couldn’t get anything rolling.”
“They’ve got a strong defence you can’t afford to make any mistakes. Every time we did they pounced on it and made us pay for it.”
Spartans Roman Huseini (right) and RJ Lamey on the bench - MJ Independent photo
The last few minutes of the game opened up the opportunity that anyone could have won the game. Something not lost on Bowerin.
“On that last play with Bollinger along the sidelines just fingertips away from going to the house.”
Asked about the type of game for the fans Bowerin called it an awesome game.
“I wish to have won. This is a great game to be part of as a coach but I would just like to watch as a fan.”
