The Bellerose Bulldogs kicked off defence of their first metro Edmonton premier conference junior football championship in school history in Wednesday’s 55-0 thumping of the Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds at Clarke Park.
The Dawgs rolled up 35 points in the first quarter of the pool B match and led 49-0 at halftime.
In the second half the Dawgs didn’t throw the ball and several players took turns at all positions.
“I’ve coached on the other end of one-sided games and it’s not a good feeling,” said head coach Chad Hill, who started inserting backups at the end of the first quarter with the clock running. “We’re not out to embarrass anyone. I don’t think running up the score at junior is ever the right thing to do. Large leads should be used for player development. We have a big roster with more than 50 players, so it was great to see all the young men get a chance to play and contribute in the win. That really builds a sense of team.”
The defence didn’t give up a first down until the second half. Up front, Ben Carter recovered a fumble and Jacob West tackled the quarterback and forced the second turnover of the first quarter. Eric Calkins ended the game with a strip-sack from defensive end. Linebacker Evan Nelson was another driving force in the win.
On the opening possession quarterback Trace Stuht scored from the six to finish the four-play, 65-yard drive. A catch and run by Calkins for more than 20 yards was followed by lengthy runs by Kit Liske and Corbin Stewart before Stuht scored.
The first of four rushing TDs by Mitch Kruk was from inside the 10. He scored two more times before quarter time.
Kruk gained close to 200 yards on the night. He ran for 165 yards and three TDs in the 59-0 exhibition blowout of the Harry Ainlay Titans two weeks ago.
Stuht also tossed TD passes to Liske in the endzone in the first quarter and to Corbin on his birthday for a 40-plus yard scoring play in the second quarter.
Liske also rattled off a 40-yard TD run in the second quarter.
Liske and Kruk had TDs called back for holding away from the play.
Jaedon Carroll kicked the converts.
Tuesday the Dawgs host the O’Leary Spartans at 7:30 p.m. at Riel Recreation Park.
A dominating ground game carried the Paul Kane Blues to victory in Wednesday’s season opener in metro Edmonton high school junior football at Clarke Park.
Tailback Darryl Broderick rushed for touchdowns of eight and 80 yards on Paul Kane’s first two drives in the 31-7 decision against the O’Leary Spartans, last year’s city conference champions.
On the second TD gallop Broderick strained a hamstring and saw limited action the rest of the way while finishing with 138 yards.
Picking up the slack was fullback Brandon Smith, who racked up 223 yards and busted through O’Leary’s line at critical times to keep drives alive.
On defence Paul Kane gave up a lot of ground but only surrendered one TD on O’Leary’s second drive.
The first half ended on Nick Parrotta’s 27-yard field goal to make it 17-7.
Paul Kane held O’Leary to only four first downs in the second half.
Quarterback Tanner Buchanan filled in for injured starter Jamison Enger and teamed up with Naiem Qadiri late in the third quarter on a 37-yard pass to the one. On the next play Buchanan scored.
Smith wrapped up the scoring from his defensive end position by returning a 35-yard fumble into the endzone.
The next pool B game for last year’s premier conference finalists is Tuesday against the St. Albert Hawks. Kickoff is 5 p.m. at Riel Recreation Park.
The Hawks are coming off a season-opening 55-19 loss to the Memorial Marauders. In exhibition play the Hawks were out-scored 45-0 by the Salisbury Sabres and 57-6 by the Jasper Place Rebels. The Hawks are 1-16 in their last 17 games.
The St. Albert Fury whipped up its third win of the season by blasting the Spruce Grove Bombers 40-9 Sunday in the Capital District Minor Football Association.
The Fury scored 21 points in the second quarter to lead 21-7 at the break. It was 40-7 after three quarters.
Colten Meronyk carved up the winless Bombers for 160 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries in the bantam Tier 1/2 division game at Spruce Grove.
Jacob Pasqual also rushed for two TDs on nine carries for 40 yards.
Quarterback Sam Cuciz was 6-for-8 passing for 101 yards and two TD strikes to Jesse Stuht, who finished with four catches for 70 yards.
On defence, David Sarafinchan picked off two passes, Meronyk recorded three tackles, one sack, a forced fumble and fumble recovery and Stuht had five tackles.
Matt Jeffers and Logan Moreau were credited with four tackles apiece. Moreau also had one knockdown and a forced fumble.
The Fury huddle up Saturday against the Edmonton Black Raiders (1-2) at 10 a.m. at Johnny Bright Park.
