Lightning 36 Trojans 30 (6OT)
There have been some exceptional championship games in the Central Alberta High School Football League over the years, but you’d be hard pressed to find one better than what took place before over 600 fans at Great Chief Park Saturday.
The Hunting Hills Lightning and Camrose Trojans hooked up in a dandy with the Lightning pulling out a 36-30 victory in the sixth overtime.
“I played in a lot of big games and championship games and it’s the first time any of them have went into overtime . . . it was insane,” said Lightning head coach Kyle Sedgwick, who saw his squad run their record to 10-0. “The guys would have remembered this forever anyway, but the overtime only adds to it. That was an incredible game by two incredible teams.”
The Lightning appeared to have the game in hand during regulation when they jumped into a 17-7 lead at 8:27 of the third quarter on a Tyler Lewis 21-yard field goal.
But the Trojans got a 15-yard field goal by Jon Heidebrecht at 2:37 of the fourth quarter and quarterback Scott Backus connected with tight end Skyler Rambeau on a 13-yard touchdown at 11:14. Heidebrecht’s convert pushed the game into overtime.
That’s when it got real interesting.
The teams were awarded two possessions each from the 35-yard line to start the extra time.
Neither team scored on the first possession, although mysteriously Camrose didn’t try to kick a field goal when they had the ball on the Lightning 12. On Camrose’s final play they received a 25-yard roughing penalty and had a player ejected pushing the ball back to the Camrose 50 for the start of their second possession.
On the first play Backus connected with outstanding receiver Tylor Henry on a 60-yard touchdown, which was converted by Heidebrecht.
“That could have crushed a team, but we kept everything positive and rebounded,” said Sedgwick.
That they did as they took six plays to pull even on a four-yard run by Stas McPhail. Lewis added the convert.
Then it turned into a field goal kicking display. Heidebrecht kicked a 38-yarder and Lewis followed with a 31-yard boot. Heidebrecht came back with a 37-yard kick and Lewis tied it with a 25-yarder.
“I was thinking about how hard we worked all season and I couldn’t let my brothers down,” said Lewis, who had a 42-yard try partially blocked on the next possession .
The game looked to belong to Camrose as Heidebrecht lined up for a 37-yard field goal. However, he was wide left and Shane Gasser ran it out, setting up the sixth overtime.
“We had a couple breaks go our way in the overtime, but overall our guys stepped up and made the plays when they had to,” said Sedgwick. “Tyler for instance hadn’t kicked much all week because he was banged up, but he’s one of our leaders and one of the top players in the league and came through.”
The Lightning took first possession and on the fourth play quarterback Jon Boutin scrambled and found Josh Loney in the back of the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown. The two-point convert failed.
On Camrose’s first play Tyler Rutherford intercepted Backus to start the celebrating.
“They switched me to halfback from end and I just saw it up in the air and did what I had to do,” said Rutherford. “That was my first interception in a high school game and it couldn’t have been better.”
Overall the Lightning gave up a lot of size to the Trojans, but weren’t about to be pushed around.
“We just kept grinding,” said middle linebacker Ben McIver.
“When we lost (linebacker) Logan (Sabourin) our moral went down, but everyone rallied around him. We knew it would be a tough game, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. It was a battle emotionally and physically and the best game all season.”
“Camrose deserved that as much as we did and we can only tip our hat to them,” said Lewis, who then gave his teammates the praise they deserved.
“There wasn’t one person in this game that didn’t do his job, it was the same all season. Someone always seemed to step up when we needed it.”
Trojans head coach Adam Belanger had little to say, except he was proud of his team.
“It was a fantastic game and once you get into the overtime format it can go either way. That’s football. This is the first time we’ve been to the final in 32 yards and we’ll work hard to get back next year. We have a lot of talent and the talent pool is getting deeper in Camrose.”
The Lightning led 14-0 midway through the second quarter on a three-yard run by McPhail and a one-yard plunge by Boutin and a pair of converts by Lewis. Rambeau scored on a 15-yard pass at 11:19 of the second quarter and Heidebrecht converted.
McPhail finished with 105 yards rushing on 25 carries while Lewis carried 16 times for 87 yards. Boutin connected on 10 of 18 passes for 172 yards with Rutherford grabbing five for 93 yards. Backus hit on nine of 17 passes for 193 yards with Henry grabbing four for 110 yards and Rambeau six for 79 yards.
The Lightning advance to the provincial Tier II playoffs and will likely face St. Mary’s of Calgary next Saturday.
drode@www.reddeeradvocate.com