Coaches will tell you that every win is equally important, but in a short six-game season, the claim becomes even more significant.
The Cochrane Lions are off to the right start, as running back Ryder Stone had three rushing touchdowns to lead the team in its 22-0 win over the Northern Raiders in both teams’ opening game of the 2011 Calgary Midget Football League season at Calgary’s Shouldice Park, April 6.
“A win is a win and it goes in the right column for us,” said Lions’ head coach Ed Quillian. “Stone was a big part of the game. He stepped up and did his job.”
“He’s a guy that you’ve got to grab onto and hold onto,” said Northern Raiders’ head coach Steve Kemp. “He doesn’t stop. I thought we had our guys in the right spots, but we just missed tackles.”
Stone ran one in from 41 yards out on Cochrane’s first drive just 4:30 into the first quarter, then followed it up with touchdowns from six yards out, with 32 seconds left in first quarter, and one yard out with two minutes remaining in the game.
The Lions’ offence was more efficient than that of the Northern Raiders, although both teams showed signs of early-season sluggishness, with plenty of turnovers and penalties throughout the game.
“Our guys played really well, especially considering we’ve been inside the gym for the last three weeks – it’s nice to get outside and play,” Quillian said. “We played our game plan and they played right into it.”
“I thought we didn’t show up for the first half of the game,” Kemp said. “Then, offensively, we’d start to get something going and would shoot ourselves in the foot. Our execution was nowhere near where it needs to be. Cochrane had a solid game plan and they executed it.
Levi Jackson started at quarterback for Cochrane, while the Northern Raiders made a change from starter Scott McKenzie to Vic Primeau before the end of the first half.
“We switched them a little bit before half to try and get a spark,” Kemp said. “We kind of have two No. 1’s and we were trying to feel it out and see who was going to run with the job. We’ve still got some work to do.”
McKenzie had two first half interceptions, but the Raiders were able to generate some offence with running back Landon Bayda accounting for several decent gains.
“We need consistency out of everybody on offence and we need to get rid of the penalties – the offsides, especially,” Kemp said. “We’re not all gelling at the same time and that hurt us tonight. We’ve only got three seniors, so there’s going to be some growing pains. Once we figure it out, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
The Northern Raiders played the Calgary Broncos its second game, April 11, and will face the Calgary Wildcats April 15 at 8 p.m. at Shouldice’s Hellard Field. Cochrane will play the Calgary Cowboys at Hellard Field at 6 p.m. on April 15.
