The Yorkton Regional Raider Gridders are league champs for the second year in a row.
Saturday the Raiders held on to the championship they won in 2017 with a convincing 46-17 win over the Central Cyclones to again top the Moose Jaw High School Athletics Association League.
It was Yorkton鈥檚 fifth visit to the league final in the seven years the team has been in the league.
The game, played in Moose Jaw, was close through the opening half, with Yorkton up 18-10 at the break.
鈥淭hey got a touchdown on a sleeper play,鈥� said Raider Gridder head coach Roby Sharpe.
Sharpe said in Moose Jaw the teams are both on the same sideline, so it鈥檚 not easy to see when players are running in and off.
鈥淚t was a fake field goal, a guy (the receiver) was just standing by the bench,鈥� he said, adding 鈥渋t was very frustrating how they got that touchdown.鈥�
But with a lead at the half, Sharpe said there was nothing but encouragement from the coaches that things were going Yorkton鈥檚 way.
鈥淎t the half it was 鈥榡ust stay the course, we鈥檙e going to make this happen鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not like we panicked or anything. We just stuck to the plan.鈥�
The Raiders came out for the third quarter with the wind at their backs, Moose Jaw having decided to take the wind in the fourth quarter.
With the wind, Raider quarterback Jordin Rusnack completed a long pass to Carson Sveinbjornson for a touchdown early in the second half and that changed the game.
鈥淲e got some momentum. Once we got that, forget it,鈥� said Sharpe.
The win advances Yorkton to the Provincial 3A football semi-final to be held this Saturday, with the Raider Gridders hosting Bishop Mahoney Saints from Saskatoon.
Sharpe said the Saints will be a tough challenge.
鈥淚 know they smashed everybody in their league, like we smashed everybody in ours鈥�,鈥� he said.
Sharpe added the Saints have played some 4A teams this year thorough a cross competition arrangement, so that experience against larger schools could give them 鈥渁 slight advantage.鈥�
On a quick look at game films, Sharpe, who focuses on special teams, noted 鈥渢hey have a very dangerous return man.鈥�
As for the other facets of the game, he said the team鈥檚 offensive and defensive coordinators will be going over the film and will run the Raiders through drills focused on Saint tendencies.
鈥淲e鈥檒l try to get the guys prepared for the 鈥榣ooks鈥� they鈥檙e going to see,鈥� he said.
