The rivalry game with the Paul Kane Blues was also a statement game for the victorious St. Albert High Skyhawks.
Playing with profound purpose, the Skyhawks steamrolled to a decisive 29-0 shutout as Friday’s score flattered Paul Kane’s tentative and error-prone offence that was picked off four times.
“We came out so strong. We had more momentum than them right off the bat. We had more energy. They were kind of just there,” said Jackson Ganton, a dangerous two-way threat who scored second-half touchdowns with a pick-six and 23-yard reception in the end zone.
The Skyhawks and Paul Kane stormed into the Battle of St. Albert undefeated after two games in the eight-team division two Miles conference in the metro Edmonton league.
“It’s a huge win. Now we’ve got the momentum going into every game. Now that we’ve beat one of the other top teams we're on a roll,” said Ganton, a Grade 11 slotback, halfback and safety.
After a scoreless opening quarter, the Skyhawks tacked up 16 points before halftime and led by 22 with 12 minutes remaining at Larry Olexiuk Field.
“Once we got some points the defence had a great game,” Ganton said. “They can’t stop us when we play our game.”
The Skyhawks were oozing confidence and it showed on the scoreboard.
“Our boys were really hyped and we were prepared. We had four good days of practice. We know Rob (Strecker, the Paul Kane head coach) has got a good team. He’s a great coach and they've got great athletes but today the sun shone on us and we came out on top,” said Sam Johnson, head coach of the third-ranked Tier III (450 to 749 students) team in the province.
The loss punted Paul Kane out of the Tier II (750 to 1,249 students) top-10 rankings after being listed seventh overall.
“Kudos to St. Albert High. They came out flying. They were ready for us. It’s been a while since they beat us and they wanted this game bad. I’m not saying we didn’t want it, we wanted it bad, too, but they made plays and we didn’t,” Strecker said. “I would say definitely St. Albert High is a notch ahead of everyone right now (in the Miles) and there are a few of us that are just behind them.”
Since the 2011 divorce of the joint partnership between the Paul Kane and St. Albert Catholic high schools as one football program based at SACHS, the Blues enjoyed bragging rights with victories of 78-14 in 2013, 56-0 in 2014 and last year’s scores of 43-30 in league play and 16-3 in the semifinals after the Skyhawks won the inaugural St. Albert showdown between the two teams 14-10 in 2012.
When asked how satisfying the result was after the last four losses, Johnson sidestepped the question with a Bill Belichick-calibre response.
“A win is a win is a win, right? I can’t remember what I had for breakfast let alone what the score was last year, two years ago, five years ago or whatever it was. I’m just real happy for our guys. They worked very, very hard and I’m very proud of them. It was a good victory,” said the 2017 Metro Athletics Coach of the Year in the Miles.
The Skyhawks haven’t looked this prolific since 2012 while going 9-4 as the division one Carr Conference and Alberta Bowl Tier III finalists.
“We’ve got some great athletes. We had a great group of Grade 10s last year and we’ve got another great group of Grade 10s here,” Johnson said. “We’re excited but now this game is over we’re getting ready for McNally next week.”
Friday’s kickoff against the winless McNally Tigers is 5 p.m. in St. Albert.
Meanwhile, Paul Kane will regroup for Thursday’s 7:30 p.m. contest against the M.E. Lazerte Voyageurs (2-1) at Clarke Stadium.
“We didn’t play to our potential today and obviously we have a lot of things to correct, but I think we can do that,” said Ethan Brandsma, a reliable Grade 12 defensive end and offensive tackle.
Priority No. 1 is to get the offence firing on all cylinders after Grade 10 quarterback Jacob King struggled stringing together first downs as Paul Kane constantly turned the ball over on downs.
“There were things there for us to do that we just couldn’t execute and St. Albert High took advantage of all of their chances. They did a good job to beat us,” Strecker said. “Our defence is playing outstanding. Our defence held us in there and gave us an opportunity even going into the fourth quarter to come back but the offence, and that's on my shoulders right now because I’m the offensive co-ordinator, I’ve got to figure this out. I’ve got to figure out what’s going to work and what’s going to make it easier for Jacob. Some of the reads I’m seeing he’s not seeing and somehow I need to figure that out so him and I are on the same page.
“The boys are trying, I don't fault them on that, but for whatever reason things just weren’t clicking.
“It’s frustrating.”
Mason Mildenberger picked off King twice: at the end of the first half and with 8:28 to play to give the Skyhawks the ball at the Paul Kane 28.
Mildenberger also came close to intercepting a pass late in the first quarter.
The first pick of the game for the Skyhawks was by Matt Swecera for a short gain to the Paul Kane 25 to start the second quarter.
On the previous play, Luke Eady stepped in front of Ewan Vanderheide's pass to give Paul Kane possession at its 28 before quarter time.
The first Paul Kane turnover resulted in Vanderheide’s quarterback sneak from the one after Ganton was stopped short of the goal line. On the previous play, Ganton’s sideline catch put the Skyhawks at the two.
However, the most damaging turnover was King’s ill-timed across-the-field throw that Ganton gobbled up without breaking stride while racing down the sideline with 5:11 left in the third quarter to make it 22-0.
“I kind of read it. The quarterback was getting pressured so he just threw it and I was there to pick it off,” said Ganton of the play of the game that silenced the Blues.
“Once they had the two touchdowns (in the first half) we were determined to get back at them but once they started getting the big plays after that then that was kind of when we went downhill,” Brandsma said.
Paul Kane also gave up a two-point safety in punt formation in the end zone on its next series after Vanderheide’s TD.
The second TD was Nick Romaniuk’s nine-yard catch and run to cap off a 70-yard drive that featured a 15-yard penalty against Paul Kane and runs by Ganton and Romaniuk for first downs.
The second of three conversions by Addison Ross put the Skyhawks on top by 16 with 28 seconds to go before halftime.
“St. Albert High came out hard at us and they kept us in check. We just really couldn't get anything going,” Strecker said. “It was sort of a snowballing effect that we just couldn’t get anything on track. A lot of nerves played into it for whatever reason. It’s the rivalry game itself and the boys were so excited because we had a tailgate party and there was just so much hype for this game.”
“We couldn’t get anything moving on offence whatsoever. Our defence tried to hold them but they were on offence so much that it was hard to stop them completely,” Brandsma added.
Ganton closed out the scoring by snagging a down-the-pipe pass from Vanderheide. On the play before the TD, Ganton reeled in a pass in corner of the end zone but it was nullified because of offensive pass interference.
“We just ran the same play and burned (the defender) the second time and got the touchdown,” Ganton said. “I thought I was in the end zone for that one (from the two in the second quarter) but they said no so I had to get my redemption and I got that nice pick-six and then that nice deep ball in the end zone.”
Jackson, 16, credited the coaching staff for putting together a winning game plan.
“They called the right plays and we executed them,” said the All-Edmonton Miles Team defensive back in Grade 10 last year. “We also had some (great) practices to get ready for this game.”
Barring a total collapse, the Skyhawks and Paul Kane are projected to cross paths in the Nov. 2 final at Commonwealth Stadium.
“It’s a disappointing loss for us today, but at the same time it tells us that we know what to work on,” said Brandsma, 17. “This will mean nothing in the big scheme of things when we beat them in the final.”
