Both North Battleford-based high school football teams took to the field Thursday.
In North Battleford the John Paul II Crusaders were home to the Meadow Lake Spartans in nine-man football, and the Crusaders were hoping for a repeat of their dominating performance against the Spartans earlier this season on the road.
They did better than that, winning by a 52-7 final.
The Crusaders exploded to a fast start on their very first drive of the game. A great run by Jacob Stynsky and then a pass to Riley Loeppky put the Crusaders on the board immediately with a touchdown. The two-point convert made it 8-0 Crusaders.
On the next drive, a 34-yard run by Stynsky set up the Crusaders at the goal line. It took three tries but Stynsky ran it in to make it 14-0. The two point convert attempt was incomplete, and that would be all the scoring in the first quarter.
Early in the second, another Stynsky run plus a two-point conversion made it 22-0 Crusaders.
Narcisse Mbwebwe's catch and the resulting convert made it 30-0. Another major score made the score 38-0. Stynsky scored again on a passing play to make it 44-0, and the first half was not even over.
It took until the third quarter for the Spartans to get on the scoreboard, but by then the game was totally out of reach.
The Crusaders are now 3-2 on the season with three wins in a row, and head to Martensville for their next game Thursday, Oct. 8.
Meanwhile, the North Battleford Comprehensive High School Vikings were on the road facing P.A. St. Mary in Prince Albert. Unfortunately, the Vikings ended up on the short end of a 38-35 final score.
The Vikings had trailed at the half 24-21, but eventually tied the game at 35-all in the fourth quarter.
But a St. Mary field goal in the final minute, followed by a late interception, sunk the Vikings' hopes.
Next action for the NB Vikings is back at home this Thursday against Bishop Mahoney. Game time is 6:30 p.m.
