The storybook run to the Regina Minor Football championship game for the YRHS Jr. Raiders added yet another thrilling chapter as the Raiders clung onto a 17-14 double overtime victory over the Regina Mounties at Liebel Field. The Raiders defense dominated the Mounties from the opening kickoff as Mason Chupa notched multiple sacks and forced the Mounties quarterback into many rushed throws throughout the game in a dominant defensive line performance.
The Raiders went up 14-0 off of a Alex Popoff touchdown and a massive sixty yard run at the start of the second quarter before a Mounties kick return touchdown changed the momentum of the game and found the Raiders relying on their impressive defense to shut the door again and again in the games final quarter. Eventually the Mounties broke through and tied the game at 14-14 with an extra point convert needed to seal up the victory. The Raiders came up with a clutch block to keep the game tied and sent it into overtime where both teams would trade possessions until a victor was crowned. Another defensive stop by the Raiders followed by a twenty five yard Brenden Weber run put the ball at the Mounties ten yard line for the Raiders in the first overtime session before the Raiders tried to enact revenge on the Mounties by going for the punt through the endzone to secure the single point and the win on 2nd and 10. However the punt didn't get the distance and a no yards penalty was assessed, turning the ball over and ending the first overtime. Coach Mike Jarvis explained the decision after the game, explaining, "We kind of wanted to go for some revenge on what the Mounties did to us in their 7-6 victory over us and it backfired and that was on me."
In the second overtime the Raiders started with the ball and had another big gain to put the ball within striking distance, setting up a clutch Brayden Jarvis field goal that gave the Raiders a 17-14 lead and put pressure on the Mounties to match the score to continue the overtime. A Logan King interception sent the Raiders to the championship game in what was a great atmosphere at Liebel Field where the bleachers were packed with visiting Raiders parents as well as the home Mounties fans.
Coach Jarvis said this weeks win was all about the heart of the defense and the fact that the team has bought into the motto of "Believe" after their 0-4 start. Jarvis knows that his team is in for a battle against an undefeated Regina Raiders team that beat the Raiders 40-3 earlier in the season, but believes that his team has a chance to play the spoiler come Sunday.
A key to the Raiders success has been the quarterbacking tandem of Nick Payne and Brett Harasmyuk. Payne starts and finishes the game and plays an in pocket style with Harasymuk playing in the second and third quarters and serving as a scrambling quarterback. Coach Jarvis praised the work of both quarterbacks and how they bring different things to the table adding, "They give us a lot of different options and allow us to change the pace of the game at different times."
It is truly hard to gauge where the two Raiders teams matchup going into the championship game, the Regina Raiders are clearly the cream of the RMF crop and dominated the YRHS once this year, but this YRHS team is riding high on a six game win streak and truly believes that they are every bit as good as the undefeated Raiders. A motto of "Believe" that began when the Raiders dropped to 0-4 has created a confident and inspired team that has already gutted out two tough playoff wins to get to the position they are in and have a physical team that can match the Raiders unlike many of their RMF victims.
The Raiders will be heading into the final as underdogs, a role they have relished since going 0-4 to start their RMF campaign and going into the playoffs having never won a postseason game in their short history in the league. Their work will be cut out for them, but the Raiders have been believing in themselves and shocking teams all season so a win Sunday afternoon just might not be a shock to the team if they pull off the upset.
