The Estevan Miners may have lost their third straight game on Saturday, but they had a reason to celebrate.
The atom football squad scored its first touchdown of the season in a 47-6 loss to the Regina Kats.
Cameron Janssen ran more than 60 yards into the end zone for the Miners.
"It was like we won the Super Bowl. Everybody was cheering loud," said Miners head coach Garth Dietz.
Dietz said his squad again had some "first-quarter jitters" but picked it up in the second half.
"When the other team started to laugh at us, that was when we picked it up and it was like, 'Yeah, we can play with these guys.'"
The Miners were a little shorthanded, fielding a roster of 34 players due to injuries and the long weekend.
Regina's first play from scrimmage was an off-tackle run for a touchdown.
"Their quarterback was really good, probably the fastest kid on the field. When he got to the outside he was gone," said Dietz.
But the Miners' offence also produced some memorable plays, completing about half of their passing attempts.
"We had some absolutely gorgeous passing plays, diving catches. Even their team was giving us applause. We threw some new stuff at them too," Dietz said.
"It was a nice game to watch and be involved in."
He added that the Kats' coach and the referees thanked the Miners for playing a clean game and not getting frustrated when the points-allowed column started to pile up.
"Even though we were down quite a ways, we didn't quit playing and we didn't start fighting and getting dirty," Dietz said.
The Miners' next game is Saturday at home against the Regina Thunderbirds. Game time is 11 a.m.
