The Bonnyville Renegades have won the northern division league championship with a 72-14 victory over the Lloydminster Colts.
The Nov. 6 game, which was also head coach Kevin Sartain's final home game coaching the team, had its first touchdown scored just over three minutes in.
Duncan Critch ran the ball in on the first Renegades drive to start off the scoring.
Three minutes later Critch ran the ball 40-yards for his second score of the game making it 14-0 for Bonnyville six minutes in.
With just over a minute left in the first quarter Darian Keewatin caught a pass from Critch. He ran the ball 55-yards to further the scoring gap.
Bonnyville scored another touchdown to end the quarter with a 21-0 lead, and continued to run with it.
Critch ran the ball in again, two-minutes into the second, bringing the home team's points to 29.
The Bonnyville defence stood tall not allowing any scores from the Lloydminster Colts.
These short stints with the ball from the Colts allowed the Renegades to increase the lead.
With six minutes left in the half the Renegades scored another touchdown.
This was the first of three touchdowns they would get in the final minutes of the half. The other scores came from Colby Ives to make it 42-0, followed by a trick play from Bonnyville. A ‘flea flicker' play resulted in a touchdown by Izahia Sartain. Bonnyville led the football game by a score of 50-0 by halftime.
Bonnyville picked up where they left off to start the second half. Another touchdown made the score 58-0.
The defence contributed to the victory, with a interception on the very next drive made by Levi Nelson.
On that drive Titus Fagnan scored a touchdown to give the Renegades a 64-point lead.
Bonnyville ran and passed the ball well. Brent Hoshowski caught a pass with 11 minutes left in the football game to give the Renegades their last touchdown of the game.
Lloydminster would score two late touchdowns, but it wasn't enough for a comeback. The Renegades would win the championship by a score of 72-14.
This win booked them a ticket to the provincial final against the Strathmore Badgers this Saturday, Nov. 12.
“I've been saying it all season long, this is the best peewee football team I've not only coached, but seen. We're going up against a tough team, Strathmore. They've got some big kids and a population of about 15,000 or 16,000 so they have a fairly good draw. But, we aren't going to be easy either. I expect a very good hard-hitting football game. It's provincials and lets see if we can bring it back home,” said coach Sartain.
Following the win, the Renegades head coach took time to reflect on his four years with the football team.
“It's been a great ride. It's been a good experience. When I started as head coach of this team I had one goal in mine. That was to positively influence children in the most positive way that I could,” said Sartain.
He added, “That was the whole purpose. That was the reason that I did it. It wasn't about wins and losses it was about giving them something. Giving them a place to go, giving them a place to belong giving them a sense of team and a sense of discipline sense heart, passion, love the whole thing. If we won by doing that, then that was great but, it wasn't the first thing that came to our mind. That's what this team means to me, it's about giving these kids a place to go. A place to belong.”
