Cyclones Handily Win Home Opener Under The Lights

Led by four first quarter touchdowns by receiver Keaton Belsher the Central Cyclones went on to easily defeat the visiting Estevan Elecs 60 - 8 in South Rural 5A Football action on Friday evening.

Belsher’s catches were tossed by his younger brother and quarterback Hudson Belsher. Reminiscent of the brothers tossing the ball back and forth in the back yard over the years.

Despite the one - two Belsher blitzkrieg in the first quarter Cyclones head coach Colin Belsher (Keaton and Hudson’s dad) focused on the game’s atmosphere as the most major thing.

“I thought the atmosphere was great. Playing the Friday night lights game is something you don’t have very often. So you need to cherish them. For these grade 12s it’s their last time to play on Elks Field so it’s sort of nostalgic for them,” Belsher said.

The game was one where after the Belsher storm other players took to the field to get game time while others were moved to the bench.

Central Cyclones linebacker Draven Smith (right) grabs Estevan Elecs quarterback Hugh Ross - MJ Independent photo

Asked if he saw the crowd being light given it was the home opener coach Belsher did not see it that way.

“I thought the turnout was pretty good. I saw the kids in the end zone and having some fun out there. It’s a little colder that I thought it would be that may have deterred people. But I’m pretty happy with the turnout.”

Asked about how impressed he was with the win Belsher said “the boys were firing on all cylinders. One of the great things about football if you get your starters out there doing their role, you get your younger kids out onto the field.”

It’s something that happened for the Cyclones on Friday evening. The bench got circulated onto the field.

“It allows those young guys to get on the field and learn.”

Being last year’s league champion and highly favoured to repeat this year the Cyclones have a target on their backs he said.

“Because we’re the defending champions we kind of have a label on our backs,” Belsher said.

“We’re aware we hunted for that championship for years and now we are the hunted.”

Central Cyclones quarterback Traeton Potvin (left) hands the ball off to running back Ryder Seiferling - MJ Independent photo

He is pleased with the players who came back this year, plus all of the new players who are part of the team.

The team has relied upon veterans returning from last year and stepping up often in new positions plus at the same time acquiring a great and broad swath of first year players.

There were challenges from the start of the season with the heat in the early practices, but they worked around it by ensuring hydration and having plenty of fluids on hand for the kids.

Anyone coming out to catch the Cyclones will be welcomed to a balanced attack by the team both on the offence and defence.

Central Cyclones running back Ryder Seiferling (center) carried the ball extensively in the second half of the game - MJ Independent photo

“I have to thank my brother (Hudson) for throwing me those passes. It wouldn’t have turned out the way it did without my brother throwing me those passes. I have nothing more to say,” Keaton Belsher said about his first quarter scoring breakout.

Keaton said scoring the four touchdowns was similar to throwing the ball around over the years with his younger brother in the backyard. But it also allowed the team to take some heat off the other players so they could get out and play as well.

“You have to get everybody else out. You have to get them the ball and into the end zone. It’s kind of like share the love with everybody,” he said.

He said with Friday Nights Live it was great to put in a show for the fans.

Friday Night Lights is an American football innovation where high school teams play under the lights on Friday nights. The innovation has helped grow large followings for US high school football as student bodies flock to the games.

Estevan Elecs linebacker Truman Ciepliski (right) takes off on a run to score Estevan’s only touchdown - MJ Independent photo

Belsher points to the same thing high head coach father does how the team has a strong return of seniors but also there are many new members of the team.

The integration of all groups is something which is going to play out well this season and be highly attractive to fans who come check out he said.

The Central Cyclones offensive line gets instructions as they line up from the center - MJ Independent photo

In other league news, the Peacock Tornadoes defeated the Swift Current Colts 22 - 21 under the lights in Swift Current.