It doesn’t get any closer than this.
The peewee Cowichan Bulldogs played to a 24-24 tie in their spring football home opener with the Sooke Seahawks last Saturday.
The teams swapped leads throughout the game, so a draw was probably a fitting result. Sooke scored the tying points with just seven seconds left in the game.
“The boys played very hard, and we saw great things from everyone,” co-coach PJ Shea said. “We’ll use this game as a building block for the rest of the season.”
Two rushing touchdowns by quarterback Jaxson Jones propelled the offence, and a swing pass to Max Vaesen and a run up the middle by fullback Finn Shea rounded out the scoring. The Bulldogs were solid on defence, with long runs leading to three of the Seahawks’ four majors.
The junior bantam Bulldogs were beaten 30-0 by a big Sooke team, but they continued to get a grasp on the basics of the sport.
“The players are working hard,” head coach Jeff McDonald said. “While the game will go in the loss column, this season is more about the game. If we take care of learning the fundamentals, working hard in practice and bringing the aggression, the W’s will take care of themselves.”
Isaiah Doughty made an impression on McDonald with his eager attitude, while cornerback James Hagel’s drive stood out.
“James is working hard to get the details of a complicated position,” McDonald said. “He is a natural athlete and a born DB.”
Logan Jacobsen and Silas Mearns also had strong outings for Cowichan, Mearns nearly getting the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with a 65-yard run that ended when he was brought down inches from the goal line.
Both teams host Gordon Head this Saturday, the peewees at 11 a.m. and the junior bantams at 12:30 p.m.