The Estevan Century 21 peewee Chargers special teams’ squad helped the football team to a regular season-ending 36-0 win over the Moose Jaw Bombers Friday at Dana Quewezance Memorial Field.
“It was something we were waiting on all season to break,” said Chargers head coach Jason Bresciani. “It was nice to see the special teams coming through.”
Chargers kick returner Hunter Eagles gave the good-sized crowd that came out to watch the team on a frosty Friday night under the lights a thrill when he returned a punt 40 yards to the end zone 2:23 into the game to put the home side up 6-0. Both teams then exchanged chances with no results on the scoreboard until a few minutes left in the second quarter when Chargers running back Kyle Mack ran the ball in from 12 yards out. After a convert from Alec Waldegger the team jumped up to a 14-0 lead.
A punt after the touchdown and fumble by a Bombers returner followed and Estevan found themselves within striking distance again when Chargers defender Hayden Neff picked up the ball on the Moose Jaw 30-yard line. Chargers quarterback Kaleb Bechtold then went to work and advanced the ball to the Moose Jaw one-yard line on two keeps and a 13-yard scramble by running back Keegan Merriman. Bechtold would be the one to get the score when he punched in the touchdown with 39 seconds left in the quarter, which was quickly followed by a Waldegger convert to put the score at 22-0 at the half.
The third quarter began in a similar fashion to the first with Eagles returning the opening kickoff 50 yards for the touchdown and 28-0 Chargers lead. After a Moose Jaw punt on their next possession, Estevan drove the ball from their own 40 to the Bombers 31-yard line. Bechtold then scored his second of the game when he ran in the ball with 3:29 remaining to put the score at 36-0 after the Waldegger convert.
Bresciani said the win is due to a full team effort from the strong play his defence exhibited to eliminate the Bombers run over to the great ability of his offence to move the ball with ease. He said the major thing that caused the good offensive effort is the great play by the Chargers offensive line.
“That was key,” he said. “For the running backs to run the way they did, if it wasn’t for the offensive line they wouldn’t have gotten the yards and the runs they had.”
With the win, the 5-2 Chargers finish in third place in the Moose Jaw Minor Football League and secure a home date with the 3-4 Weyburn Ravens Oct. 20 in the first round of the playoffs. The Chargers lost 20-14 to the Ravens on Sept. 30 in their only regular season match.
“Hopefully (we do) better than the last result,” said Bresciani. “I’m expecting a good hard fought and maybe close game.”
Please see this Friday’s edition of Southeast Lifestyles for a story on the Chargers-Ravens playoff game.
