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Cougars send longtime rivals Lacombe Raiders back home scoreless

Young and inexperienced or tough and battle-hardened, it did not matter for Stettler’s bantam football team as they sent one of their longtime challengers back home without a single point on their scoresheet: Cougars 48- Lacombe Raiders 0
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Unstoppable - Cougars’ formidable offense proved too much for Raiders’ new defense line-up. No matter how hard they tried

Young and inexperienced or tough and battle-hardened, it did not matter for Stettler’s bantam football team as they sent one of their longtime challengers back home without a single point on their scoresheet: Cougars 48- Lacombe Raiders 0

As the game started, the announcer said it was yet another game in one of the most prominent rivalries in Central Alberta bantam football; yet as the game progressed the Cougars flexed their muscles and dominated in both offense and defense.

The Raiders put up a respectable resistance to stop the waves of Cougar attacks and in the last few minutes of the last quarter, they even struggled to put some numbers of the scoreboard, but their effort came too little too late.

Cougars head coach Mike Roach said after the game that his team was lucky in having so many effective offensive players. “My three first-year players have been opening big holes in their defense,” said. He added that Lacombe had lost seven players from their last year’s roster and that they were in the process of adjusting their game.

Coach Roach later gave the following summary of the game:

“On Saturday, September 12th, the Stettler Cougars hosted the Lacombe Raiders in Central Football League action. Stettler overpowered a young Raider team 48 - 0.

“Morgan Loshny opened the scoring on a quarterback keeper and scampered 44 yards into the end zone. Nicholas Baharally converted and the Cougars led 8-0. The first-half scoring was completed with two touchdowns by Braden Nelson and one touchdown by Mark Forrester. Baharally was good on one of the three converts.. The Cougars led 28 - 0 at halftime.

“Mark Forrester started off the second half by hauling in a Morgan Loshny pass and running in for the major. Nicholas Baharally converted and Stettler led 30-0. Four minutes later, Forrester bulled his way into the end zone for another TD. Braden Nelson finished off the scoring when he took a Mark Meyer hand-off and dashed 24 yards for the major. Overall, Stettler amassed 437 yards of offense.

“The defense played an awesome game. In the first three quarters Lacombe managed only four first downs. Parker Cassidy and Mark Forrester combined for 11 tackles. Other top tacklers were: Bryce Fisher, Tyler Stewart, Brandon Wintringham, Nick Baharally, Devon Woelk, Theren Churchill, Ryan Greene, Riley Anderson, and Ryan Gerl.

“The coaching staff was pleased with the blocking of the offensive line. Matt Kirk, Riley Anderson, Dallas Bosma, Tyler Greiner, Jordan McCallum, and Cody Ell all did a great job opening holes for the running backs and protecting the quarterback. The Cougars had fewer penalties, but there were three fumbles. The Cougars travel to Sylvan Lake to take on the Sylvan Lake Lions this Saturday. In pre-season action the Lions defeated the Cougars, so it should be a good game.”