Gators Win U14 Wild Card Game That Included A Cat Crossing Break
Friday evening’s U14 wild card playoff game in the Kinsmen Moose Jaw Minor Football League had a bit of everything.
There was football.
A blocked convert.
Nineteen. The number of players a very short Estevan Oilers bench were able to mount.
A wild first quarter of hard core football.
A temporary suspension of play to allow the game medic to carry Caibou - the Co-op Agro Centre’s cat - across the active playing field and back home for the night.
In the end the MJ Gators won 44 - 7 versus the Estevan Oilers.
But it was all rounded off with a group photo of both teams - together being buddies.
Everything.
The game seemed to have everything.
Moose Jaw Gators’ Liam Oakes gets ready to toss the ball to a teammate - MJ Independent photo
The Estevan Oilers did what they had not done all season versus the Gators and that was the Oilers held the Gators in the First Quarter.
The score was 7 - 0 for the Gators after the First Quarter.
The Gators had missed a field goal to score a single point and they additionally missed a convert on a touchdown scored with less than ten seconds remaining in the quarter.
“We were not executing in the first quarter. We made a few mental mistakes. Our discipline was not that great. We took some bad penalties and our tackling wasn’t great,” Gators head coach Corey Harkness said.
“They ran hard. Their offensive line is massive. When they push hard our defensive line has their hands full,” Harkness said.
The Gators would gain their composure in the second quarter but at the same time the Oilers managed to break through coverage and block a convert attempt.
The Gators “got clicking” especially on defence which he described as “the heart of our team this year” in the Second Quarter.
The score at halftime was the Gators leading 28 - 7.
The Third Quarter saw the Gators - after missing one of many converts in the evening - increase their lead to 32 - 7.
The Final Score was the Gators 44 and the Oilers 7.
Moose Jaw Gators‘ Hudson Caine runs for the sidelines trying to get outside - MJ Independent photo
Harkness complimented the Oilers for playing with a short bench all season.
“Kudos to them for showing up with a small squad. They played with a small squad all year and to play through injuries and playing two ways some of those guys are warriors.”
Estevan showed up with 19 players for the game out of their small 24 player roster.
For Estevan Oilers head coach Christian Pfeifer the low numbers have been challenging.
“That’s been the story of the whole season. We’ve had some pretty rough games and low on numbers this year. We have a very young team. The biggest takeaway I can take from his entire season is throughout all of the games is the kids who have been on this team,” Pfeifer said.
As far as the Gators go the defence is good but there are some things that need to be worked on offensively before the anticipated rematch against the Raiders next weekend.
Harkness admitted he has expected the Oilers convert blocking.
“The way we were kicking yesterday I did. They were getting pressure up the middle and our kicks were low. That turned into a block ultimately which was kind of funny to watch…they got some guys to the middle and we’ll try to fix that for the Raiders next week.”
The game score allowed the gators to swap in players into different positions, including changing out the quarterback during the game.
The switching the positions happen both on the defensive and offensive side of the ball.
“We got some guys to eat some touchdowns who haven’t had touchdowns all year,” he said.
Estevan Oilers’ Karsen Kerslake is left on the turf after missing a tackle in the Fourth Quarter - MJ Independent photo
Despite the loss Estevan Oilers’ head coach Pfeifer was walking on Cloud Nine at the final whistle.
The Oilers had held up. They had scored seven points on a much stronger team and the First Quarter was the best football the Oilers had played all season.
“The effort that they gave tonight knowing we were shorthanded on the sidelines and on the field is the best thing I can say about these kids is they don’t quit no matter what,” he said.
‘That first quarter is probably the best football we played all year. I’m so proud of these kids as far as they have come from the first practice it’s been an absolute pleasure to coach these kids, just like it is every year’ he said.
“Our season high in points is seven (points) so it is really nice to see it against a team as strong as these guys.”
He said that a major reason for the Oilers struggles this season was having a young team.
For next season the Oilers have the opportunity to flip the experience factor over as only seven out of 24 will be graduating off of the team.
“Next year we’re gonna have an old team just like we had last year so hoping to see a little more success like we had back then.”
Retention is key to the future.
“We’ve got a lot of talented players on this team and hopefully we can take them all and bring them back for a really fun season next year,” he said.
Estevan Oilers’ quarterback Casey Kitz (right) hands the ball off to Riley Tokarchuk - MJ Independent photo
The group photo with the Gators was something Pfiefer said the kids loved and was something great to see.
“They go through the wringer and they play against each other year after year. It’s great to see them move on and build friendships with players from other centres,” he said.
The Oilers also posed for a group photo in Weyburn.
