Gators And Raiders Grind it Out

The first meeting between the U14 Moose Jaw Raiders and the Moose Jaw Gators can best be defined as a grinder.

Last season’s champions the Gators wanted to continue their win streak to two straight games. While the Raiders wanted to make up for last year.

The game was predicted to be a close one the only thing missing was how low scoring it would be as the Raiders shut out the Gators 12 - 0.

The Raiders had to adopt to a short bench.

“It was good. It was gritty. We only had 24 kids today. We had a couple at a rodeo, a couple at a family reunion so we just had enough (players) to play. We had a couple of injuries so the team was short today,” Zachary Klyne head coach of the Raiders said.

The game for the Raiders was a game based upon two different stories - one story in the first half and one story in the second half.

“The first half was ugly and the second half we all brought it together.”

Klyne said the Raiders were not surprised by the toughness of the Gator’s defence.

“No we knew they had guys. They had a couple of guys we knew were going to. E flying around. We knew two names we had to pick up. We really didn’t do a great job picking them up in the first half but in that second half we found them. We did enough to get around them,” he said.

Klyne said the Raiders’ defence was key to the Raiders’ victory.

“Our defence is always strong. Our defence worked hard. They keep us in games most of the time.”

He said the Raiders’ offence in the second half saw the offensive line turn things up and started blocking.

The Gators turned up the heat with a minute and a half left in the game. They managed to strip the ball from the Raiders’ quarterback and recover it on their goal line to stop a touchdiwn and force a turnover.

“It happens. Our QB (quarterback) came off the field kicking his butt after that one but I told him when he got off the field to keep his head up. He had just ran with probably 40 yards alone.”

“If they score 12 points in the last minute and a half we’re losing that game anyway,” he said.

“Adversity is always good,” Klyne said about the game as the team develops more than if it was a blowout.

“As a coach like winning the games, they’re closer because your kids are learning more and they’re more engaged.”

Klyne said he wanted to give a shout out to the Raiders’ quarterback Griffin Audette for having a good game.

“He’s a little guy but he plays like he is six foot two.”

“It was a heck of a football game. These are the kind of games you want to be in right. Competitive football games right down to the last quarter,” Jordan Taylor head coach of the Gators said.

A big play for the Gators was forcing the fumble on the goal line and then recovering on the goal line with a minute and a half left.

“I’m so proud of our defence. They didn’t give up. There was no quit they played right up to the last minute and that’s what you want to see out of your team,” Taylor said.

The Fators had problems when they aired the ball out.

“I think we were getting to where we wanted to be it’s just the catches weren’t there. There were some unfortunate misses but I don’t think anybody was out of position too much,” he said.

The Gators defence played a good game.

“They came out and kept us in this football game.”

The Gators need more work on their passing game, he said.

Taylor said he would like to give a shoutout to the Raiders for playing a good game and he felt the two teams would meet again later in the season.