The Chestermere Cowboys ushered in its new stadium lights – and hopefully a new chapter for its football team – last week.
The Cowboys defeated the Bert Church Chargers 36-15, Oct. 14 at the newly-renovated Utley Stadium (see related story on page 21), for its first win in nearly four years. Head coach Brian Utley said he was thrilled with the outcome.
“I’m really happy for our guys, as our seniors had never won a game in three years,” he said. “We’ve been close. We just really believed that we were a good team and so we just proved by going out and making the plays today.”
“I think our defence was very slow to start the game,” said Chargers’ head coach Andy Kirk.
“We started the game with a single, and then got a couple touchdowns scored against us quickly. They were really fired up because it was the big grand opening of the stadium here, and we came out a little bit flat.”
“Our guys have been looking forward to this for a long time,” Utley said. “It worked out great for us that it was tonight. We had the band going and a pretty good crowd. We couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
The Cowboys scored twice in the first quarter, as quarterback Brad Taubert marked on a scramble, then threw a pass to receiver Hunter Karl. Chestermere added to its lead six minutes into the second quarter, when defensive back Andrew Killoran intercepted Charger quarterback Jacob Schaff and returned the ball 90 yards into the end zone.
“We just got off to a great start, as we scored on the first drive,” Utley said. “Their first play, we intercepted, drove and scored again.”
“We had a couple of real nice drives towards the end of the half, but then it was either a penalty or a pick for a touchdown the other way,” Kirk said. “Mistakes on our part, but a lot of those were because they were fired up. We knew they were going to come out hard, because a lot of our guys watched them against McDougall last week.”
Bert Church rallied in the fourth quarter, as Karl Louder’s 20-yard run set up a one-yard touchdown run by Dionn Smith with six minutes left. The Chargers tried the onside kick, and recovered, but the play was called back on penalty.
Chestermere took advantage, used the shorter field and capped it with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Taubert to Jesse Seddon. The Chargers scored again on its next series, as Jahlal Pottinger ran in from 44 yards on a reverse. The onside attempt was once again called back on a penalty.
“I know we had a very average week of practice and I think that very much reflected in our play today,” Kirk said. “I think our Grade 12s are certainly starting to feel it. They know that the playoffs are here now and that at any time their season, and football careers, could be over.”
Chestermere played at the George McDougall Mustangs in Airdrie, in a Rocky View Sports Association Tier 2 football semifinal on Oct. 22, after the Rocky View Weekly went to press. Bert Church visited Springbank in the other semifinal.
