Slippery Max Lang scored three touchdowns and Ryder Maertz added two as the bantam Cowichan Bulldogs defeated the Comox Valley Raiders 34-22 on the road last Saturday.
Comox got into the red zone on their first possession, but Brad MacRae stopped the drive with a sack, then recovered the fumble. On the Bulldogs’ third offensive play, Lang broke six tackles and ran 72 yards to open the scoring, with an extra point from Landon Locke.
Next, the ’Dogs got a 70-yard run from Ryder Maertz that put them on the eight-yard line when the first quarter ended. When play resumed, Aiden Jeffries got to the one-yard line, then Maertz finished it off behind some great blocking by the offensive line, and Locke made another convert.
After the Raiders’ first touchdown. Lang broke free again and ran 85 yards for his second score of the game, with another point after by Locke. Comox managed one more major late in the first half.
The Bulldogs ate up the entire quarter with one drive. Stalled by the Comox defence, the Bulldogs attempted a field goal, but the Raiders were penalized for roughing the kicker, giving the Bulldogs a new set of downs. Maertz executed an option play with Lang to score.
Cowichan capitalized on a mistake by Comox in the fourth quarter when Dayton Carson punched the ball out of a dump pass and Lucas Laver recovered it. The Bulldogs scored when Maertz followed blocks by Seb Tait, Isaac Keepence, Eamon Manley and Kaiden Jones. Comox added one more touchdown.
The bantam ’Dogs were the only Cowichan football team to earn a win last weekend, although the peewees played a close battle against the Westshore Warriors on Saturday, losing 8-6 on a soggy McAdam Park field.
“Our offence was battling the weather as much as we were the Warriors,” peewee coach Trystan Ryder said. “Multiple fumbles created turnovers and scoring opportunities for Westshore. Our defence answered the call, and played their hearts out.”
The Cowichan defence played a complete team game, and Brolin Hastings scored the only points the Westshore defence has allowed all season. Quarterback Mica Kendrick connected with Cole Tokarek on the last play of the game, but came up short of a score.
“While the scoreboard told one story, in the hearts of our players, staff and coaches this was a game to be remembered,” coach Trystan Ryder said.
The junior bantam Bulldogs lost 34-0 to the Saanich Wolverines at home on Saturday, and the midgets lost 28-14 to the Westshore Warriors in Victoria on Sunday.
The peewees will play host to the Victoria Spartans at noon this Saturday. The bantams will host Nanaimo at noon on Sunday, followed by the midgets playing the Victoria Spartans at 2 p.m. The junior bantams have a bye.
