In undeniably the most exciting game of the day, the Yorkton Junior Raiders improved their winning record when they hosted the Regina Lakers at Kinsmen Century Field Sunday afternoon.
The Lakers took and early 14-0 lead in the game before Zach Kais romped into the end zone to put Yorkton on the score board to make it 14-6 for Regina late in the first half.
The Lakers replied with another touchdown to go ahead 20-6 at halftime.
On the opening play of the second half Brandon Weber ran the football some 85 yards to pull Yorkton within eight points of Regina.
With one minute 35 left in the third quarter Weber added six more points for the Junior Raiders to make it 20-18 for the Lakers.
The Lakers punter made a miscue on a punt attempt deep in their own territory. The Raiders recovered and carried the ball to Regina's one yard line and ran it in for six points to take their first lead in the game with a 26-20 edge in the game.
Raider's Brett Harasa-muk intercepted a Lakers pass on the last play of the game and carried the ball into the end zone to hand Yorkton a for six more points to make the final score 32-20 in Yorkton's favor.
Head coach Lance Stillborn says to come back from a 20-7 deficit at halftime and to win the game by 14 points was unbelievable. "We came out flat and I got little excited at halftime. But the nice thing to see, the boys responded well. They came out to play in the second half," he states.
Stillborn didn't make any assignment adjustments in the second half. He simply informed his players they needed to play more aggressively, to fire off the ball. "They needed to wake up basically. They were still sleeping for the morning a little bit," he suggest.
Everybody on both sides of the ball, offense, defense and special teams looked like a different team in the second half, Stillborn declares. They were way more physical, way faster, right from the opening offensive play. "It must have been an 80 or 90 yard touchdown play," he estimates.
The Raiders were bitten by penalties several times, which negated major gains. The penalties were the result of growing pains basically, Stillborn suggests. "Guys need to learn the game a little bit more when it comes down to it," he explains. "It's nothing too serious but it's something we do have to take care of," he admits.
With the win, the Junior Raiders improve their record to 3-2 with three games left in the season. "Two of them are going to prove to be very, very tough," Stillborm predicts.
"Well take it one week at time," he closes.
