The Sacred Heart Saints' defence has struggled mightily all season long, surrendering 211 points in six games; second highest in the SHSAA Nine Man Conference Three and fourth most out of the 21 nine man programs in the province.
But on Thursday against the Esterhazy Warriors the Saints defence stood tall when it needed to most, holding the Warriors to just nine points en route to the Saints first win of the 2014 season, 21-9 in front of a jubilant hometown crowd in arguably the most important game of the season.
"It was a must win game for us," offered defensive captain Brody Kormos following the Saints first victory of the year; a win that moved the Saints out of the conference cellar and into the fourth and final playoff spot in Conference Three with just one regular season game remaining. "We knew we could beat them after our first game against them.
"Actually we probably should have won that game too, it was their big Friday Night Lights game, but it was nice to get retribution on our own field here."
The Saints indeed earned retribution, hammering the visiting Warriors into submission with a combination of suffocating defence and a ground and pound offence highlighted by running back Christian Flaman and quarterback Tannum Wyonzek, the latter of which ran over a Warrior defensive back forcing the Esterhazy player to the sidelines for the remainder of the game late in the third quarter.
But the Warriors aren't the only team that has felt the ferocity of the Saints this season. The Melville Cobras, Sacred Heart's final regular season opponent, also know that the Saints aren't a pushover, escaping Yorkton with a 20-10 win on September 18 in a game that Kormos believes should have went the way of the Saints. "We should have beat Melville," suggested the five year veteran. "We were just one yard away from beating them, so we know we can upset them."
Kormos also feels that, with the way his team is jelling late in the season, they could turn some heads come playoff time. "Against Foam Lake, well we've had good quarters and halves against them.
'I think we can do some damage in playoffs."
Up next
The Saints (1-6) have one more game before they can think of playoffs, however, as they travel to Melville tomorrow (Thursday) to face the 6-1 Melville Cobras in their final regular season game.
Sacred Heart's junior team was also in action on Thursday, October 16 against the Junior Warriors. The Junior Saints ran roughshod over the visiting Warriors, marching to a 42-6 win to improve their record to 3-2 on the season.
