The Edmonton Mustangs knocked the wind out of the St. Albert Storm in Saturday's unanimous decision in midget spring league football.
"We got beat, and I mean quite beat," said lineman Garrett Meek after the 28-0 thumping at Riel Park. "We didn't have a first down until the third quarter and that can't happen again. Offence just has to execute and it starts with our O-line. We have to be better, that's why we didn't win today. We didn't get any first downs really. It's all the O-line. It's on us and it starts in practice."
Meek, 16, sensed the Storm were doomed leading up to the opening kickoff against the undefeated Mustangs, last year's tier I champions.
"In practice you could feel that we were probably going to get beat because no one was going hard. It wasn't good," said the talented six-foot-two and 250-pound left tackle, defensive tackle and long snapper. "It's very disappointing."
Head coach Chad Hill echoed Meek's sentiments.
"We had a poor week of practice. Guys were in and out, either sick, injured or had other obligations and that translates into what we saw today, especially in the first half. We just weren't ready to come out and execute," said Hill, who had to deal with a pre-season high school rugby tournament that same day involving some of his players. "The focus just didn't seem like it was there right at the start of the game and I will take blame for that. We've got to get the guys ready to go and to be ready to play even before the whistle blows. As soon as you step on the field you've got to be ready to play and I didn't think we were. We came out sluggish. It took the offence a while to get going. There were lots of mental errors too."
Anemic offence
The Storm didn't record a first down until late in the third quarter and the Mustangs in front by 28 points, when Robert Blunden rattled off a 14-yard gain to the St. Albert 54-yard line.
It looked like the Storm was using the same offensive playbook as the St. Albert High Skyhawks, who failed to score a touchdown in four of their last five games last year in the metro Edmonton league's Carr conference. Starting quarterback Matteo Sestito was replaced by Dallas Moroz after the offensive unit barely turned a wheel in the first half.
"We need as much time as we can get to go over execution. The offence needs time to rep through the plays and the blocking assignments," Hill said.
The Mustangs put points on the board with a short punt return with 7:48 left in the first half and pass completions of three, 10 and eight yards in the third quarter. The last TD was set up by an offside flag against the Storm on a Mustangs' punt from the St. Albert 32, followed by a roughing the passer penalty on Liam Gray on first down.
The Mustangs also hit the upright on a 27-yard field goal in the second quarter and their 31-yard attempt in the fourth quarter was partially blocked.
"In the first half the defence did a great job of holding us right in the game so hats off to those guys," said Hill, who was impressed with how cornerback Shannon Stuht and defensive back Greg Fleming performed in a rare starting role. "In the second half we turned the ball over early [at the St. Albert 42 on the first play from scrimmage] and then gave them a touchdown. We looked a little deflated at that point and we were starting to get a little ragged there.
"Towards the end of the second half the offence sort of picked it up and gained some first downs and the defence got their second or third wind at that point."
Tight first half
In the first quarter, Brad Hoddinott's quarterback sack on the Mustangs' first offensive possession forced them to punt. A high snap from centre put the punter in retreat mode, and he was swarmed over at the Mustangs' 40 with Brandon Jennings leading the charge. The Storm went two-and-out and punted.
The second time on offence the Skyhawks fumbled the ball away at their 20. On second down, Meek sacked the quarterback at the 34. On the ensuing punt, the kick hit a blocker in the back and the Storm recovered it at their 31. Three plays later they punted.
In the second quarter, Adam Sturgess was flagged for roughing the punter. The penalty moved the Mustangs up to the Storm's 42 but St. Albert's defence stood tall to escape the damage.
Later in the quarter, and the Storm punting from their 42, the Mustangs' returner bolted through coverage for the opening score.
Meek's second sack of the half forced the Mustangs to try a field goal with 3:37 left until halftime but the ball bounced off the right post.
With 1:24 remaining until the break, Nathan Mitchell picked off a pass and returned it to the St. Albert 30. The Grade 11 safety, arguably the Storm's best player this year, also broke up a pass play with a big hit on the receiver deep in St. Albert territory with 40 seconds to go in the half.
"Defence stepped up big time today. I think we had six sacks and that one pick. That was good. This is how the defence has played every game," Meek said. "If the defence keeps playing like this and the offence steps up, we'll be tier I champs."
The bantam product of the St. Albert Fury and 2010 defensive rookie of the year for the Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds lined up last year against the majority of the Mustangs from the Harry Ainlay Titans, the Edmonton public league champions and tier I provincial finalists.
"I know all those guys. They're all Ainlay guys, except for the quarterback," said the second-year Storm player.
Playoffs
The last game in the tier I/II division before the playoffs is Saturday against the second-place Edmonton Chargers. Kickoff is 1:30 p.m. at Clarke Park.
"We need to improve so we need another game to do that. We really do," Hill said. "We need some more experience, especially on offence. These guys from different teams need that time to gel."
A victory would lift the team of Grade 9, 10 and 11 players into the tier I final against the Mustangs. A loss would put them in the tier II final against the Parkland. The finals are tentatively slated for next Wednesday.
The Mustangs (4-0), Chargers (3-1), Storm (2-1-1) and Parkland (2-2) have all received a 7-0-forfeit win from the Edmonton Raiders, who dropped out of the league early in the season.
Last year the Storm (4-2-1) beat the Chargers 29-22 in an overtime shootout for the tier II playoff trophy.
"We need that game [against the Chargers] before we go into a playoff game, whether it's tier I or tier II, but obviously our goal is tier I. [This loss] makes it harder for sure but we had a feeling going into this game that it was going to be a tough one. This is obviously the team to beat," Hill said.
The Storm have four practices scheduled this week in preparation for the Chargers.
"That's six hours of practice and we need to use every minute of it," Hill said. "We've got to up the tempo of practice and that's on me too. As a coaching staff we have to get the tempo going a little bit better, simulate game time situations and get these guys focused so that translates from the practice field to the playing field."
