If the Bellerose Bulldogs played St. Albert teams all the time they would be undefeated in high school football.
The Bulldogs raised their record to 2-3 in the metro Edmonton league's Carr conference after whipping the Paul Kane Blues 22-0 at the Riel Park turf field.
The first win of the season by Bellerose was last month's come-from-behind 13-10 thriller against the St. Albert High Skyhawks.
"This win is more special because we played to our potential. It shouldn't have been that close the last time versus SACHS," said Ben Graunke, a hard-hitting Grade 11 safety, while mobbed by fans during a boisterous victory celebration. "This time we didn't screw up that often. We executed very well this game."
The convincing shutout marked the third win in a row by Bellerose in the Battle of St. Albert. Last year the Bulldogs shocked a Skyhawks' line-up of Paul Kane and St. Albert High players 7-0.
"It's good to beat your old rivals but I think this will be a good rivalry now," said lineman James Comeau with a smile as big as a football. "This win means a lot. It's one of the highlights of our season for sure."
The Bulldogs are the No. 1 football team in St. Albert until the Skyhawks or Blues knock them off.
"We want to be the best in St. Albert. That was our goal coming into the season. I guess our hard work paid off," said Comeau, a husky Grade 12 left guard and defensive tackle.
Head coach Chad Hill saluted the Bulldogs in the team's post-game huddle.
"Tonight we started to play to our potential. We ran the ball well. O-line, you dominated. Running backs, you made plays. Defence, you didn't let a big play beat us tonight. Not once. And we got the shutout," Hill said with pride. "This was definitely our best game of the season because we limited the mental errors and played as a true team."
The score flattered the Blues in their biggest game of the year. They played with no emotion, got pushed around in the trenches and barely turned a wheel on offence. The defence gave up big gains on the ground as the Bulldogs ran the ball without fear of being stopped.
Paul Kane fans were also outnumbered by a vocal Bellerose contingent that packed the stands.
"It's disappointing. I thought we would compete a little better than that and it would be a little closer. We just had a tough time matching the intensity they brought with them," said Steve Day, head coach of the 0-4 Blues.
Dominating O-line
A rambunctious offensive line set the tone physically on the first Bellerose possession after the opening kick off. The nine-play 75-yard drive lasted more than four minutes and was capped off by Jed Groenenboom's 31-yard touchdown burst. Robert Blunden kicked the conversion.
"Scoring that first touchdown was really big. It really showed that we can play with these guys and we could win," said Comeau, 17.
How easily the Bulldogs moved the ball with authority left the Blues reeling.
"They came at us hard and they hit hard. It also took a while for us to get adjusted to that speed at the start of the game," Day said. "After that first series when they came down and scored on us I thought our defence held them. We bent a little bit but we didn't break at the end and kept it within reach."
In the second quarter Blunden booted a 29-yard field goal and shook the crossbar with a direct hit from the 31.
Graunke also picked off a Matteo Sestito pass at midfield on the second last play before the break.
The second half started with a big two-and-out by a fired-up Bellerose defence in Paul Kane territory.
"That was the TSN turning point," Graunke said. "We basically held them in check from that point on."
Blunden's field goal from the 17 with 4:02 left until quarter time made it 13-0.
The closest the Blues came to putting points on the board was Ideen Samodi's field goal attempt from prime scoring territory but it missed the mark and the Bulldogs ran it out of the end zone.
"On offence we struggled to get our timing down and we ended up losing the field position battle for most of that game," Day said.
The Bulldogs shut down any outside running plays the Blues tried. They also pressured Sestito with more heat than a flamethrower. Luke Lewandoski, Ryan Shorten, Liam Gray and Blunden stymied the Blues with solid tackling in the front seven. Brendan Moulds, an undersized linebacker who played with a broken hand, also racked up several tackles.
Graunke, 16, took charge of secondary.
"We knew they couldn't dink and dunk on us all game long so we sat back and kept everything in front of us," said the vocal Bulldog.
After the Blues gave up a safety, the Bulldogs marched the ball from their 30 into the end zone on power runs by Blunden and flashy footwork by Ryan Proulx behind a jacked-up offensive line.
"It's by far the best the O-line has played all year. They really showed up. I owe those guys a steak dinner," said Graunke, who also lined up at tight end on the wedge and at wide receiver when needed on offence.
Proulx's one-yard TD with 2:41 to play was set up by his 19-yard dash. Proulx's speed gave the Paul Kane defence headaches. Blunden also churned out some tough yards. Kyle Duperron hurdled over several Paul Kane tacklers while making plays in space with some hard runs. Dallas Moroz also turned in an inspired performance at quarterback.
"It's good to see we finally moved the ball on offence," Comeau said. "Our offensive line wasn't afraid to fire off the ball. This is the first game we really felt like we were hitting them to open holes for our running backs."
All three St. Albert teams are in action Thursday at Riel Park. The Blues and Skyhawks (1-3) will line up at 5 p.m. in what is expected to be a bitter affair. The Skyhawks are still choked the Blues decided to form their own high school team at the junior and senior levels after Paul Kane students were allowed to play for the St. Albert High-based program for several years.
"It's going to be a big one. The boys will be pumped for that one so hopefully they will put some energy into it," Day said.
The last game before the playoffs for the team of players from Bellerose and Sturgeon high schools kicks off at 7:30 p.m. against the Archbishop Jordan Scots (1-3).
