Settler Cougars won handsomely and Ponoka’s Junior Broncs on Saturday, Sept. 6 with a score of 37-0, demonstrating strong offensive and defensive capabilities and good team discipline.
Cougars got onto the scoreboard immediately after the kickoff with a touchdown with Steele Nichols delivering an early shock to hosts. Although the Ponoka side quickly regrouped and solidified their defense line-up, Cougars offense kept attacking with repeated first downs. Just seconds before the end of the first quarter, using an opportunity created by a fumble by the Broncs defense, Cougars scored a second touchdown through Kam Bainbridge taking a 12-0 lead.
When the second quarter started, there appeared to be renewed motivation among the hosts who got three consecutive first downs to make it deep into the Stettler territory. But Cougars kept finding holes in the Broncs’ defensive line and scored two touchdowns in the last three minutes of second quarter and with the conversion after the second touchdown, the first half ended with 26-0 for Stettler boys.
Two minutes into the second half, Cougars struck once again and converted the kick after the touchdown to make the score 34-0. The last score of the game came from a field goal from the Cougars four minutes from the end of the game sealing the final score 37-0.
Head coach Ernie Shirreff was quite satisfied with the performance of his team. “Stettler had strong running games from Noah McKay, Kam Bainbridge, Steele Nichols and Austin Jacobson. Nichols also kicked two converts and a late field goal,” he said.
“The defense was solid and caused havoc for the Ponoka offense.”
Cougars play their next game at home on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m.