It wasn't a win, but for the Estevan Lions Club Steelers, it may as well have been.
In a season that began with five straight losses, four of them blowouts, the bantam club broke through with a 38-38 tie against the Regina Sun Devils on Monday.
The game was moved to Regina due to issues with officials after originally being scheduled for Estevan on Saturday.
Both teams now sit at 0-5-1 on the year.
Steelers head coach Phil Zajac said it was a nice change to play a team more on their level, after facing some top teams earlier this season.
"It gives the team some confidence and to realize when you consistently don't win, you have to learn to win as well. It's a real young team with lots of new kids this year. When you aren't able to win a game, the psychology of it is difficult on you. Now we know we can play and the score reflects it."
Estevan trailed 22-14 at the half and needed a late touchdown to earn the draw. After fumbling the ball inside the Regina 10-yard line, the Steelers' defence stopped the Sun Devils and got the ball back with 1:41 to play.
The Steelers marched down the field, with Marshall Delorme - pulling double duty at running back and linebacker -running the ball to the 10, followed by a touchdown for Levi Pick, one of three for him on the day.
"That's consistent with him getting better each week health-wise," Zajac said of Pick, who was hobbled by an ankle injury earlier this year.
Cameron Rioux was among the other players to break into the end zone for the Steelers.
Zajac added that quarterback Andrew Kehler "had a great game, throwing the ball well and doing a good job of leading the offence."
He said better execution was a big reason the Steelers' offence was able to put up 38 points.
"It was them scoring and us answering. This is consistent with what we've tried to accomplish all year: try to get better each week and play your best football when the playoffs come.
"We didn't add any plays. We had good success with the big package, with Marshall and (Troy) Leptich in the backfield, which gave us good ball control and kept the other team's offence off the field."
The Steelers have two regular season games left. They visit the Yorkton Raiders on Saturday.
