It was opening night under the lights for the Yorkton Regional High School Raider football team Friday.
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In front of a larger crowd, bolstered by many back in the city for the 50th anniversary of the school, the Raiders struck on their opening drive, and never looked back.
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Jordan Rusnak would throw a touchdown pass to Matthew Mandziuk on the play, and from there the Raiders would go on the maul visiting Weyburn 56-0.
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鈥淚 knew we were good, but you don鈥檛 know how good 鈥榯il you actually play,鈥� said Raider coach Roby Sharpe.
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Sharpe said the win may not be indicative of how good the Raiders are, Weyburn are not a league听powerhouse, but he said his team was strong in all facets of the game.
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The domination included the line where the Raiders were constantly pressuring the Weyburn pivot.
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鈥淚t鈥檚 more than size. It鈥檚 the speed,鈥� said Sharpe. 鈥淭he speed we鈥檝e got on our team; we鈥檝e got guys that fly.鈥�
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As an example Sharpe pointed to defensive end Zach Fleury. While just under six-feet his coach said he has quick feet that allow him to burst through the line.
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It helps the Raiders have Rusnak at the controls of the offence too.
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鈥淥h my, he鈥檚 a good player. He鈥檚 fantastic,鈥� said Sharpe.
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The key to Rusnak鈥檚 prowess at the position is experience. While only in Grade 11, Sharpe points out his quarterback has come up through the local minor football program which runs the same basic offence.
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鈥淲e run the same system all the way through,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e just tweak it here and there as you go up a level.鈥�
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Add in various camps attended, and Rusnak 鈥渉as played lots of football,鈥� said Sharpe, adding the experience is noticeable when his quarterback gets in trouble and makes good decisions under pressure.
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It鈥檚 much the same with Mandziuk and Matthew Balysky at receiver, both are Grade 12s, and the football experience shows.
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鈥淭hese guys are football players now,鈥� said Sharpe, adding he is already fielding calls from Canadian universities on them.
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The Raiders, who had the opening week bye in their league, are now under the gun, with a game scheduled for Estevan yesterday (Tuesday), with results not available by press time.
The team will be back in action Saturday hosting Swift Current at 1 p.m.
