Even a snowy Saturday and frigid temperatures couldn’t slow down the Stettler Wildcats.
The Wildcats kept their undefeated streak alive on home turf, knocking off the Hunting Hills Lightning 29-3 in the Central Alberta High School Football Final.
According to head coach Wildcats head coach Norbert Baharally, the defense played a strong game and the offense “did what it needed to do.”
A good chunk of the offense came from Kyle Dennis, who opened the scoring just over three minutes into the game with a touchdown. Between Dennis and Colton Blanchard, the team rushed for nearly 500 total yards.
The Wildcats managed to pick up another trio of points during the first half of play, picking up a single point on a play just under 10 minutes into the game, then picking up two more with a safety.
During the first half of the game, the Wildcats scored nine and allowed the Lightning to pick up three, keeping the game tight.
In the second half of the game, the Wildcats offense exploded with Dennis, Blanchard, and Quarterback Jakob Lewis all picking up touchdowns.
“It was a very cold, wet, windy and miserable day for our league championship, but our team survived the winter elements and came away with a victory moving our season record to 9-0,” said Baharally.
The game was the last home game of the season for the Wildcats, though the win has moved them on to provincials.
Up next, the team will travel to Lloydminster to play against the number-one ranked Tier-3 Holy Rosary Raiders on Nov. 12.
The format of provincial play is sudden-death, so the next game is a must-win for the team if they are to continue on to the Alberta Northern Championship the weekend after.
Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming game, Baharally is happy with how the season has progressed.
“I am very proud of the team of young men and gal for what they have accomplished this year.”
The Lightning will square off against Our Lady of the Rockies Grizzles on Saturday in Calgary.
Also, on Saturday, The Notre Dame Cougars will play the All Saints Legends at Great Chief Park in the Larry Wilson Tier 1 playoffs. Kick goes at 12 p.m.
In the Tier III playoffs on Friday night, the Sylvan Lake Lakers will square off with the Winston Churchill Bulldogs in Lethbridge.
On Thursday in Lacombe at 3 p.m., the Rimbey Spartans will play the J.C. Charyk Hawks in the 6-A-Side West Championships.
