Anyone following the progress of the YRHS football program should now have a copy of the standings in front of them and keep their eyes glued on the top two slots in the standings.
The YRHS took on the Central Collegiate Institute Cyclones (CCI) of Moose Jaw in what was also a showdown between the top clubs in the Moose Jaw High School Football League.
According to both of the head coaches involved in that game, there is a chance of a rematch between them near the end of the month.
"There is a very good possibility," says Colin Belsher, of the CCI Cyclones following their 24-20 victory over the Yorkton Regional High School (YRHS) Raider seniors in the second annual night time football game at Century Field.
"We're hoping to finish in second place (in the league standings) and if we do, we'll meet them (again) in the final," said YRHS Raider head coach Roby Sharpe.
The teams currently sit 1-2 in the standings as Central now lays claim to #1.
The YRHS turned the ball over five times.
"I can't even say how much I want to get them back for that," offers YRHS running back Zach Kais.
"It was awesome. It was a good experience."
It was estimated that over 1,200 people took in the game that night.
"This is our first night game," coach Belsher told the media.
CCI got on the scoreboard first after a safety touch. CCI quarterback Bren Forbes scored a touchdown himself.
Yorkton responded with a touchdown of their own and trailed 8-6 at that point.
Forbes would carry the ball himself, again, before throwing a 40-yard pass to Jonathan Phillips for another major score and that put the Cyclones up 22-6.
Coach Belsher noted that the YRHS had a couple of big plays and were able to score, plus they recovered the ensuing on-side kick and they scored again.
"These guys put on a hell of a show. Our guys played with a lot of heart."
Tyson Haas was the Raider who came up with the onside kick, said the ball bounced off someone and he jumped on it.
"That was one of the best feelings ever."
He said the whole game was "really up and down".
Those touchdowns moved the YRHS to within a couple of points.
"As soon as we got the second TD, we knew we weren't out of the game," suggests QB Dalton Fichtner. The Cyclones earned a safety and then were forced to hang on for dear life in the game's last two minutes due to taking a pair of pass interference calls.
The Raider TD hopes were gone after a missed attempt on a 3rd-and-5 and CCI stormed the field like they had won the national championship.
"For us," continued coach Belsher, "This was way more than just another road game. This was a great kind of football. Our guys played with a lot of heart."
Fichtner made several pass attempts from just outside the red zone but a batted-down pass as time expired sent the visitors into a celebration only seen when a championship is won.
"Now, we know we're good," said coach Sharpe, referring to the results on the scoreboard after the game had come down to the last play with 0.08 seconds left on the clock and the entire Moose Jaw team poured out onto the field.
Sharpe blamed this loss on the five turnovers, saying you can't give the ball away five times in one game and still expect to win.
"Turnovers killed us."
He suggested that turnovers are like a game within the actual game.
"You have to win the turnover battle. We had turnovers five times.
With the win, the CCI Cyclones remain perfect with their record of 4-0. The YRHS slip into a tie for second spot with Moose Jaw's Peacock, both hold records of 3-1.
Next up for the YRHS Raiders is a road date with the Swift Current Colts coming up on Thursday. Game time is slated for 4 p.m.
