The St. Albert Stars lost a hard-fought 21-16 battle to the Fort McMurray Monarchs in an exciting back-and-forth tilt in the Alberta Football League last Saturday.
The Stars found themselves in trouble early in the Monarchs’ stadium after giving up the ball on their own 13-yard line.
The Monarchs took advantage of the mistake and drove in for an early touchdown.
The Monarchs poured it on in the first half, blocking a punt and running the ball in for another touchdown before the break.
At the start of the second half the Monarchs were up 14-1 and seemed to be in control.
The break was just what the Stars needed to regroup.
They came out in the third quarter and pushed the Monarchs back into their own zone.
Early in the second half the Stars’ Devin Guedo picked off a Monarch pass and ran it 25 yards for the touchdown.
The Monarchs responded quickly by marching down the field and getting seven points of their own, ending the quarter with a 21-9 lead.
The scoring kept going when Taylor Simmons caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from Troy Pappas to bring the Stars within five.
In the final minute of play the Stars reached the Monarchs’ 30-yard line and threw a Hail Mary pass that looked like the game winner.
The Monarchs’ defence picked off the ball in the air and sealed the win in this nail-biter.
On July 12 the St. Albert Stars will travel to Lloydminster to take on the Vandals.
The Stars will be returning to St. Albert and Riel Field for a tilt against the Grande Prairie Drillers on July 19. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.
