The Yorkton Regional High School Raiders football team is off to the provincial championship.听
A very close semi-final game last Saturday saw the Raiders come out victorious over the Greenall Griffins in Regina. The score was 24-22.听
鈥淚t was a crazy, crazy football game,鈥� offered Raiders head coach Roby Sharpe.听
It was the closest game of the entire season for the Raiders, who dominated the Moose Jaw High School Football League. This was the first game that they鈥檝e really been tested.听
鈥淲e scored early, which was awesome, but they just kept hanging around,鈥� said Sharpe.听
By half time, the Raiders had a 10-6 lead over the Griffins. Sharpe said the half time speech in the locker room was given with the purpose of calming the team down.听
The second half would be another long and close battle. Sharpe credited the other team for being a strong match up against his Raiders.
鈥淭hey were extremely tough. I mean we pounded them. We hit those guys and a couple of times I thought they weren鈥檛 going to get back up. But they鈥檇 slowly get up, get into the huddle, and make the next play,鈥� he said.听
In the end it was the Raiders who were victorious. The Raiders had possession of the ball in the final seconds, and quarterback Jordin Rusnack took a knee to run down the clock. 听
鈥淭hose guys dug deep. I鈥檝e never seen high school players play that hard. And the other team, too,鈥� added Sharpe.
听
Moving on without Mandziuk
While the win was a huge accomplishment, it didn鈥檛 come without a loss. Raiders鈥� safety/receiver, and star player, Matthew Mandziuk dislocated his shoulder in the first quarter of play. This means he will be out of the championship game this weekend.
Sharpe said they鈥檝e got a team full of talented players, and different weapons that they鈥檒l use, but he knows the loss of Mandziuk to his line up is huge.
鈥淲e have to move forward, we just have to forget it,鈥� the coach said. 鈥淏ut he鈥檚 not just one of the best players in the province, he鈥檚 probably one of the top ten high school football players in the country. He鈥檚 an unbelievable athlete.鈥�
With Mandziuk out of three quarters of last Saturday鈥檚 game, Sharpe had to rely on some younger players to fill the hole.
鈥淲e said someone鈥檚 got to step up. A young guy who really stepped up was Tyler Harasamyuik. He played safety, and he played really well. So that helped us,鈥� he said.
This week during practices, the coaching staff will work on filling Mandziuk鈥檚 role for the upcoming game.
鈥淗ow do we replace him? We don鈥檛. We just have to shuffle stuff around.鈥�
While Mandziuk stands out on offense with his incredible speed and ability to catch almost anything, Sharpe said he鈥檚 just as important, if not more so, on the defensive line.
鈥淥n offense, we couldn鈥檛 go vertical anyway, cause Jordin鈥檚 hands were frozen and there was a little bit of a wind,鈥� Sharpe said regarding Saturday鈥檚 game. 鈥淏ut on defense, [Mandziuk] is crazy. So we lose him there and it鈥檚 almost worse than on offense.鈥�
Sharpe said that understandably, the grade 12 player is crushed to be missing Saturday鈥檚 championship game 鈥� on the field at least. But he鈥檒l be there on the sidelines to cheer for his teammates.
The Raiders will face North Battleford, who were the winners of the Saskatoon league.
North Battleford beat Tommy Douglas in their league championship 26-15. In the regular season, they finished in first place in the league with a 5-2 record.听
The football game itself will be a challenge, and the weather will make it that much harder.
At time of print, the projected temperature for Saturday in North Battleford -8 degrees.
But with ten wins under their belt and just one more to go, the Raiders don鈥檛 plan to let a little snow and ice get in their way of their championship trophy.听
鈥淛ust being prepared for the weather conditions, and keeping their hands warm is the main thing,鈥� said Sharpe. 鈥淲e鈥檝e gotta be tough.鈥澨�
