The St. Albert Stars rallied in the fourth quarter to knock off the Calgary Wolfpack 46-34 Saturday for their second win in three Alberta Football League games.
The Stars led 1-0 after the first quarter but trailed 21-14 at halftime and 28-26 after three quarters.
With 2:03 to play, and the Stars in front 39-34, the Wolfpack had the ball at their 31-yard line when quarterback Darryl Leason was intercepted by Erik Kyler and he returned it for a pick-six. It was Kyler’s third pick of the game.
Middle linebacker Keith Matchem led the defensive charge with 12 solo tackles, five assists, one sack and one knockdown.
Offensively the Stars racked up 440 yards.
Quarterback Troy Pappas was 12-for-21 passing for 288 yards, three TDs and one interception. He also rushed for a major.
Pappas’ main targets were receivers Terrance Yamasaki (four catches for 123 yards and one TD) and Corey Treeshin (five catches for 82 yards and two TDs).
Running back Mike Goldring gained 69 yards on 12 carries and scored one TD.
The next game for the third-place Stars (2-1) is July 6 against the 2012 AFL and national champion Lloydminster Vandals. Kickoff is 1 p.m. at Clarke Park.
Circle Sept. 12 on your calendar. That’s the date for the only Battle of St. Albert this year in high school senior football, as the St. Albert High Skyhawks and Paul Kane Blues go toe-to-toe in the revamped metro Edmonton league. Kickoff is 5 p.m. at Riel Recreation Park.
With the Edmonton public league joining the metro league, the Skyhawks (2012 Carr conference finalists and Tier III provincial silver medallists) and Blues (3-5) opted to huddle up in the Miles conference instead of the Carr.
The Bellerose Bulldogs will remain in the Carr.
The Skyhawks beat the Blues 14-10 last year and 15-0 in 2011 in the first tilt between the senior teams since Paul Kane formed its own football team so students could play for their own high school instead of the St. Albert Catholic High School program.
The Ardrossan Bisons, Leduc Tigers, McNally Tigers, Strathcona Lords, O’Leary Spartans and W.P. Wagner Warriors will also compete in the Miles.
League play starts Sept. 4, when the Skyhawks tackle Leduc at 5 p.m. at Johnny Bright Park. The Blues line up Sept. 5 against W.P. Wagner at 7:30 p.m. at Johnny Bright.
The first game for the Bulldogs is Sept. 5 against the Salisbury Sabres at 5 p.m. in Sherwood Park.
Last year the Bulldogs finished 6-3 overall and two of their three losses were against the Skyhawks, including the Carr semifinal.
Rounding out the Carr teams are the Bev Facey Falcons (two-time defending Carr champions), Austin O’Brien Crusaders (two-time defending Tier I provincial gold medallists), Spruce Grove Panthers (Tier I provincial finalists), Harry Ainlay Titans, Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds and Jasper Place Rebels.
