The Sturgeon Spirits beat the Bellerose Bulldogs in the race to the finish line in Wednesday’s high school rugby showdown.
Levi Kalkman ran untouched for the game-winning try with three minutes remaining after Sturgeon dug in defensively in the fourth quarter to stop the Bulldogs in their tracks.
“It was crunch time so it was go, go, go,” said Tyler Holden, a Grade 12 prop who rumbled through the Bulldogs for two tries in the 21-17 victory at the St. Albert Rugby Football Club.
The Bulldogs led 17-14 after ending the third quarter with a try off a penalty play from outside the 22-metre line and in the next quarter ratcheted up the intensity within spitting distance of the try area despite playing a man short for several minutes after losing forward Nick Allen to his second sin-bin infraction in as many matches.
“They really pressured us,” Holden said. “Obviously I’m pretty proud of my team for hanging in when it’s going bad. It just picks you right back up when you hold them back like that on defence.”
First place was on the line in the metro Edmonton division two pool A table.
“It was definitely our toughest game of the year,” said Ben Miller, a Grade 11 flanker who crossed the try line twice for the Bulldogs (2-1). “They’re a strong team. They’ve got some big boys out there. It’s tough competition.”
Both teams also had a score to settle after last year’s 31-31 stalemate.
“They were our biggest competition last year too,” Miller said. “It would be nice to play them in the final (June 1) and hopefully get a win.”
The Bulldogs went on finish 5-1-1 last year and the only loss was 46-19 in the semifinals to the division two champion Edmonton Christian Lions.
“We’re stronger as a team this year but there is no bigger single players who are better, it’s just working together as a team better,” Miller said.
Sturgeon capped off its 2016 season as the Tier 2 consolation winner at the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association championships for an overall 8-2-1 record after losing the division two final 7-5 to the Lions.
Two years ago, Sturgeon won its seventh metro banner in team history as the division two champion and at Tier 2 provincials was awarded bronze.
“We want to get our name out there again and be the best team we can,” Holden said.
Knocking off the Bulldogs was a step in the right direction for Sturgeon (2-0).
“We see them as one of the very good teams in the league so it’s a good win,” Holden said. “It’s good to say we beat Bellerose.”
The first quarter was scoreless with Sturgeon having the slight edge in possession and field position as untimely penalties hampered the Bulldogs.
The closest both sides threatened offensively was around the 22-metre lines.
“We were playing our hearts out right from the start,” Miller said. “We definitely approached it that it wasn’t going to be an easy game. We went into it thinking it was going to be tough and it was.”
Two minutes into the second quarter, Miller completed a big run by Liam Douglas after a Bellerose scrum around its 40-metre line. Miller’s try under the post was converted by captain Ben Manchester.
“Liam passed it off and I took advantage of their gap on the wing,” said Miller of his dash into open space en route to the try area.
A strong Bellerose defensive stand leading up to halftime kept the 7-0 lead intact.
Holden’s first try was of a penalty play inside the 22 five minutes into the third quarter after a play by Quade Kozak put Sturgeon in Bellerose territory. Kozak’s conversion evened the score.
The Bulldogs replied with a try after a lineout around the 22 as Miller cracked the try line with one hand on the ball while tackled from behind to complete the sequence of passes along the touchline. The conversion was unsuccessful.
“I got in there because of support. I was lucky, I was in the right place at the right time,” Miller said.
Four minutes later, a determined Holden powered his way through the Bellerose defence off a penalty play and Kozak converted the try.
“I hit a lot more guys doing it than the first one I scored,” said Holden, 18, a first-year rugby player with a sizable frame.
The Bulldogs regained the lead at 17-14 with an unconverted try to close out the third quarter as the fullback found the corner of the try area after a penalty play that started on the other side of the field outside the 22 and the ball was swung east to west through several hands.
“It was very back and forth. They got a try and we returned with a try. It was very close,” Holden said.
Early in the fourth quarter, Miller and Allen came close to padding the lead but were stopped short of the try line.
The Bulldogs kept driving forward even with Allen in the sin-bin but Sturgeon dug in its heels to repel the attackers. A dropped ball in the try area was another source of frustration for Bellerose.
Sturgeon emerged unscathed from the assault and eventually gained some breathing room for Kalkman to bust loose for the deciding try that Kozak converted.
“As soon as it comes out we try to get it to the sideline as fast as we can and he just runs,” Holden said of the track athlete.
The Bulldogs were caught flat-footed on the play.
“(We) gave them a gap and they just took advantage of it,” Miller said. “We were also getting a bit tired at the end from working our hearts out the whole game.”
The result was “definitely not a disappointment,” according to Miller, 17.
“We all played strong,” said the SARFC junior player. “We’re going to learn from it and take advantage of it. We’re going to come back harder and win.”
The last match before the playoffs is Wednesday against the Salisbury Sabres (0-2) at 4:45 p.m. at Lynn Davies Rugby Park.
Sturgeon and Salisbury square-off Monday at Lynn Davies and Wednesday’s match for the Spirits is against the Bev Facey Falcons (1-2) at SARFC. Kickoff times are 4:45 p.m.
