The Stettler Wildcats ran their record to 5-0 with a 33-20 victory over the Sylvan Lake Lakers in Central Alberta High School Football League play last Friday night at Sylvan Lake.
Braden Nelson, who had been sidelined with an injury suffered in Week 1 action, made a triumphant return to the Stettler lineup. He scored two touchdowns, rushing for 240 yards on 27 carries. Nelson added a two-point convert.
Parker Cassidy and Austin Cherewko also scored touchdowns for the Wildcats, who remain the top Tier 3 team in the latest Football Alberta high school rankings.
Stettler rookie Frank van Ommeren contributed two field goals and a convert.
Wildcats veteran Cassidy added 84 yards on 12 carries, while sophomore quarterback Stephen Zuk made good on three of six passes for 101 yards. Cherewko grabbed two of those passes for 74 yards.
Tyler Ledwos started at quarterback for Sylvan Lake in place of Chase Hoffman, who was out with a thumb injury. Ledwos, Trent Kondor and Morgan Drews scored touchdowns for the Lakers, and Drews added two converts.
Ledwos and Nelson, along with Stettler’s Bryce Fisher, were teammates last spring with the inaugural edition of the Red Deer-based Prairie Fire midget football team.
Sylvan Lake, with a 3-3 record this season, is ranked 10th provincially among Tier 3 schools.
Up next for Stettler is a Thursday home game against the Camrose Trojans, who are coming off a 42-34 victory over the winless Ponoka Broncs last week.
Thursday’s game is set for 4 p.m.