The junior bantam Cowichan Bulldogs continued to run rampant over their football opponents with a 56-0 win on the road over the Westshore Warriors last Sunday.
“The weather was extremely warm, which posed a challenge for both teams,” Bulldogs head coach PJ Shea said. “But it was Cowichan who was able to overcome the heat, and once again, dominate all facets of the game.”
Westshore entered the game with a small roster, something that the Bulldogs have been all-too-familiar with in past years. The Bulldogs dressed 19 for the game, while the Warriors had just 16.
“It was the first time in recent memory that the Bulldogs went into the game with more players than their opponent,” Shea pointed out.
Cowichan players are used to playing on both sides of the ball, something necessitated by their lack of numbers at times. The team was once again extremely efficient with players taking shifts on both offence and defence.
The Bulldogs set the tone early on Sunday, scoring on their first three offensive plays: two touchdowns by Finn Shea and one by Laine Hogstead. Through two games this season, the Warriors have yet to tackle Shea, who has scored six touchdowns on six carries against Westshore.
Quarterback Nico Harris looked good in his second start at the junior bantam level, running for one touchdown and passing to tight end Gregor MacKenzie for another. He also completed passes to Dillon Wilson and Jesse Kwasny.
Finn Shea completed the scoring while playing linebacker when he intercepted a pass and ran it back, and Kwasny, who captured a poor snap on a field goal attempt and carried that in for a touchdown.
Standout defensive performances from linebacker Trekker James, safety Laine Hogstead and defensive back Gavin Kendrick helped the Bulldogs preserve their fourth straight shutout.
“The team is truly firing on all cylinders right now,” coach Shea said. “The athletes are playing with incredible confidence and trust in one another. They are winning these games because they are playing as a cohesive team.”
The junior bantam Bulldogs have a bye this weekend, and eight of their players will suit up for Vancouver Island at the BCCFA Zone Bowl in Coquitlam.
The peewee Bulldogs had another tough weekend as they lost 37-14 to Westshore.
The Warriors struck first, but Cody Williams took the ensuing kickoff 70 yards to tie things up for Cowichan.
The Bulldogs’ defence stopped the Warriors, and the offence started to roll, marching the ball to the five-yard line where Williams strolled into the end zone to make it 14-7 for Cowichan. The Warriors responded again before halftime, scoring on a trick play.
Unlike the junior bantam Bulldogs, the peewees were over-matched in terms of numbers, 21 men to 12, and the heat wore them down in the second half.
“I do give credit to the team; they didn’t give up,” coach Opie Williams said. “They just did not have any gas left in the tank. We were missing two with injuries and one more did not make the game.”
Aiden Muth led the Cowichan defence with two tackles and two assists, Isaac Keepence recovered a fumble, and Ben Pelkey showed lots of tenacity.
Five peewee Bulldogs will head to their Zone Bowl this weekend, with Williams serving as Island head coach and Tim Maertz as an assistant.