The YRHS Jr. Raiders picked up one of their most impressive victories of the 2015 season in their final game of the regular season, defeating the previously 6-1 Regina Stampeders 30-22 at Regina鈥檚 Leibel Field.
Braden Kitchen led the way with two rushing touchdowns, while quarterback Jordin Rusnack also found the end-zone once.
Wide receiver Carson Sveinbjornson caught a pass for a Raider score in the second half, while the Jr. Raider defence was its usual self; holding the vaunted Stampeders鈥� offence to just one touchdown in the first half and two more in the second.
The Raider defence also came up big when it had to, ending both the first half and second half with touchdown saving tackles. 鈥淚t was tied at half-time 8-8 and that鈥檚 really thanks to our defence because they made a huge stop with no time left on the clock when they (Stampeders) had the ball on the two yard line to preserve the tie going into the half,鈥� offered Jr. Raider head coach Al Kyle. 鈥淭hen they did the same thing in the fourth quarter when Gabe Loster and Cole Pelletier were able to come and wrap up the ball carrier on the last play of the game to stop them short and preserve the win.
Kyle said that the game was a perfect example of what a playoff game will be like: raining, bad conditions and teams that just won鈥檛 give up. 鈥淚t felt like a playoff game out here. It was cold, it was wet, raining, all the things that are going to happen in playoff football. We went with a real ground and pound style and just wore them down.
鈥淭his is what playoff football is going to look like, so it was nice for us to get used to this weather and get used to the elements that we鈥檒l be facing in the next couple of weeks here come playoff time.鈥�
The win improves the Jr. Raiders鈥� record to 4-2-2 on the Regina Minor Football Bantam Division and gives them third place overall in the nine-team league, two points back of the second place Stampeders (6-2-0) and four back of the front-running Lakers (7-1-0).
The Greenall Jr. Griffins sit round out the top four with a record of 5-3-0, while the Lumsden Jr. Devils sit in fifth place at 4-3-1.
The Eagles (3-5-0) and the Sun Devils (3-4-0) are tied at six points each, however the Sun Devils have a game in hand and can surpass the Eagles with a win over the Renegades. Meanwhile the Packers sit in eighth place with a record of 1-7-0, while the Renegades hold down last spot, sporting a record of 0-6-1 for just one point.
The Jr. Raiders will now take some much-deserved relaxation time, using their first week of pre-playoff practice to rest up before getting back to full-time practices Tuesday, October 13.
