After the first season of football at John Paul II Collegiate in 2011, the coaches and players are back for year two.
The Crusaders played mini scrimmage games Friday at Beaver Lions Stadium against Delisle and Kindersley and now have less than a week before the regular season starts.
Delisle won 20-0 while the Crusaders beat Kinderlsey in the second game 27-7.
Head coach Bruce Yockey was impressed with his defence against both teams. Had the special teams not put the Crusaders in difficult positions against Delisle it would have been a much closer score.
Yockey said he expects Delisle to be strong again this year and it was good to see how the Crusaders measured up against them.
Along with the strong play from the defence and improved play from the offence in the second game, Yockey was impressed with the younger players, the Grade 8s, as they saw some action on Friday.
Yockey said he can already see the impact Battlefords Minor Football has had on those players. He is hopeful that besides having them practice with the team the young players will see some fifth quarter action against other schools' younger players this season and a possible junior football jamboree.
Expectations for this season are that the Crusaders make the playoffs, as the top four of six teams in the Northwest 9 Man Football League make it to the post-season. Anything after that would be a bonus, said Yockey.
The Crusaders start the season Friday in Kindersley and the team's first home game will be Sept. 13 against Meadow Lake.
