Buccaneers 30 Gators 29
LACOMBE — Finally things are going in favour of the Central Alberta Buccaneers.
After two tough losses, when the opposition scored on their final drives, it was the Buccaneers turn to stage a last minute winning drive.
The Bucs scored a touchdown and a two-point convert with 12.3 seconds remaining to pull out a 30-29 victory over the Calgary Gators in Alberta Football League action at MEGlobal Athletic Park Saturday.
Quarterback Byron Stearns hooked up with Tylor Johnson on a third-down gamble from the Gators’ 23-yard line. Johnson took a pass in the right flat, short of the first down, but spun back into the middle, broke a tackle and darted down the middle of the defence, just making it over the line. On the two-point play Stearns was able to sprint out to the right side and when he couldn’t find a receiver dove into the corner of the end zone.
“That whole thing was phenomenal,” said Bucs head coach Duane Brown. “No one on the bench thought about going for the tie . . . we were going for the win. That’s the way we play.
“Overall the team showed a lot of guts as they had to come back. They had to fight as it was a war in the mud pit and the guys did everything they could to win.”
Stearns, who is in his first season with the Bucs, led the comeback with his arm and with the help of running back Kenton Poelzer.
Despite taking control of the ball deep in their own zone with less than two minutes remaining, the Bucs didn’t go away from their game plan as they utilized Poelzer as much as Stearns.
“That was the game plan,” said Brown. “We wanted to keep it fairly even between the run and the pass. We wanted to keep it underneath, even on that late drive and it worked to a tee.”
“We’re getting used to those last minute long drives,” said Stearns. “It was the third week in a row, unfortunately we came up short the first two. But this week Tylor made a great catch and run and Kenton ran the ball extremely well.
“And it was a gutsy call by the coach (on the two-point convert),” said Stearns, who said he didn’t plan on running for the convert.
“I was to have two receivers out on the right side, but there was some miscommunication between myself and the primary receiver and I had to rely on my legs. Thankfully it worked out.”
Stearns looks right at home under centre, despite the fact he hasn’t played since 2008.
After high school at Notre Dame, he played two years with the Edmonton Huskies junior squad then spent two years at Mount Allison in New Brunswick, before returning for another season with the Huskies.
He helped coach the Notre Dame Cougars last season while attending RDC.
“I really couldn’t stay away from the game, especially after being around it as a coach,” he said.
Stearns hopes to attend the University of Alberta in the fall and plans on trying out for the Bears.
“I have a couple of years of eligibility remaining, so I might as well try to play football.”
Stearns also threw touchdown passes to Jordan White and Matt Merkley and hit Corey Pusey on a two-point convert.
Johnson also had an interception for a touchdown and kicked two converts.
Overall the Bucs defence turned in a solid fourth quarter to keep the game close.
“Our defence finally got a chance to prove they deserved to be here,” said Brown, who liked the way the team continues to improve.
“That was a very tough team, they were in the league final last year and we played them tough,” he said. “I see a lot of promise in everything we’re doing, now we need to take the next step.”
The win left the Bucs with a 1-2 record as they prepare to face the Edmonton Army Saturday in St. Albert. They have one home game left — July 9 against the Edmonton Stallions.
drode@www.reddeeradvocate.com