The Yorkton Regional High School Raider Gridders like being the bad guys.
At least that is the view of their coacj Jason Boyda who said the team relishes the role in a game like the one they played Friday.
The Raider Gridders were is Estevan as the opposition in that team’s Friday Night Lights contest, one that always adds to the crowd and atmosphere.
“It’s really nice on the road, you’re just with your teammates. There’s less distractions,” he said, then adding like in wrestling road teams tend to end up the ‘heels’ coming out to boos when there’s a boisterous crowd. “... We kind of like playing that role as heel ... We just embrace it.”
With a good crowd behind them the host team scored the opening touchdown.
“Estevan did a good job,” said Boyda, who added the first ha;f was one of adjustment for the Raider Gridders.
“There were wet conditions. We had a few ball security issues.”
The situation was such that Boyda said he realizes the team needs some more focus on less than ideal conditions in practice.
“I think I’ll get a bucket of water and dump some of our older balls in in and let them practice with a wet ball,” he said, adding the later in the season the more likely conditions will be less than ideal.
On Friday though, the Raider Gridders adapted on their way to an eventual 53-24 win, the offence finally catching fire.
“With our no-huddle, up-tempo offence we’re able to push the pace,” said Boyda.
It helped too that the blocking by the Raider Gridders on offence was excellent, said Boyda, giving a special nod to the receivers who blocked on run plays.
“We always say ‘you want the rock, you’ve got to block’,” he said. “They (the recievers) really take that to heart. Their blocking is phenomenal.”
Next action for Yorkton sees them host Weyburn Thursday at 4 p.m. at Century Field in the city.
