Lightning 53 Trojans 0
Clearly, the Hunting Hills Lightning were not looking past the Camrose Trojans.
With the equally potent Sylvan Lake Lakers next up on their calendar, the 4-0 Lightning might have looked at the 0-3-1 Trojans as a mere nuisance Friday at Great Chief Park.
But that’s not the way the Lightning roll.
“No matter who we’re playing we’re always going to be ready for the game because I think it’s disrespectful to the sport to underestimate an opponent and not prepare the right way for every game,” said Lightning head coach Kyle Sedgwick, following his club’s 53-0 Central Alberta High School Football League rout of the visitors.
“It took us a little while to get our heads focused, to get our minds right, but we played pretty well today and now we just have to get ready for Sylvan.”
Defensive back Darion Grymaloski scored two touchdowns on punt returns of 50 and 85 yards, while Shane Gasser rushed 26 yards for a major and booted six converts, field goals of 27 and 26 yards and a punt single.
Ryan Myles caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Scott Pearson and Caleb Binder and Mark Beingessner each ran for a major. The Lightning also scored two safeties while running their record to 5-0 and setting up next Friday’s match with the host Lakers, who are also undefeated in five games.
“We’re just playing it one game at a time. We talk about that every practice . . . just one play at a time while giving it your all,” said Grymaloski.
“We’ve bonded really well and play as one big team. We call it the ‘brotherhood’.”
The Lightning had their running game in gear, churning up 243 yards. Beingessner led the way with 109 yards on 10 carries.
Hunting Hills quarterback Scott Pearson completed four of 13 yards for 64 yards, with Jordan Hemstad catching one for 33 yards and Ashton Hall pulling in two balls for 24 yards.
The Camrose quarterbacking duo of Corson Clarkson and Tim Carberry were good on seven of 16 attempts for 84 yards, but the Trojans running game was dismal, managing minus-five yards. Stephen Mesdaly was the Trojans’ top receiver with 38 yards on three receptions.
“I don’t think it’s any secret that Sylvan Lake is playing quite well now and everyone knows we have them next week,” said Sedgwick. “But we had to concentrate on today’s game.
“That was the focus. Right from warmup I was riding the guys pretty hard to make sure they stayed focused. But that’s something we pride ourselves on.”
Camrose player Dilshant Garcha suffered a suspected neck injury late in the contest and was taken by ambulance to Red Deer Regional Hospital. Garcha, strapped into a stretcher, waved at the Camrose supporters as he was being lifted into the ambulance.
gmeachem@www.reddeeradvocate.com