This weekend the Wetaskiwin Warriors Peewees and Bantams were in semi-final action in Spruce Grove.
The Peewee Warriors played the Beaumont Bears in their Tier 4 semi-final game. The Warriors opened the scoring early with a converted touchdown, putting the Bears on their heels 7-0.
The Bears eventually tallied their own non-converted touchdown to make the score 7-6 and each team went into the half with a chance to win.
In the second half each team put a touchdown on the scoreboard, but only the Bears were able to convert, making the score 13-13.
After a hard-fought game the game remained 13-13, forcing overtime.
The captains from each team met with the officials to learn how the overtime was going to work. Each team would get a chance to scrimmage from the 35-yard line. Even if the team going first scored, the other team would get a chance from the 35-yard line to match what the other team did and keep going with overtime or beat what the other team did and win the game.
“After a rousing game of rock, paper, scissors, the Bears won the opportunity to play offence first,” said Wetaskiwin District Amateur Football Association president Codey Soanes.
In the first overtime neither team scored and a second round of rock, paper, scissors was had to see who would be on offence first. This time, the Warriors won the rock, paper scissors game and chose to play defence first. The game was almost won when Cade Walker intercepted a pass and ran down to the Bears 10-yard line where he was tackled. The Warriors then took the field for offence and after some great play calling by the coach, some help from the other team with a 15-yard penalty, and some great play by the Warriors, Owen Friesen called his own number and made the one yard rush for the touchdown and the win. The Peewees will play for the Tier 4 Championship on Sunday Nov. 4 at 10 am in Spruce Grove versus the Edmonton Raiders.
Next it was the Bantam Warriors turn to play in their Tier 3 semi-final game against the Sherwood Park Wolverines. This was the first time these two teams met this season since the Wolverines played up in the Tier 1 and 2 division. As such, there was a feeling-out process by both teams, said Soanes.
Wetaskiwin was the first to find the scoreboard when they forced the Wolverines back to their own goal line and the Wolverines punter was forced to give up two points for the safety. The wolverines battled and found their way onto the scoreboard with a converted touchdown making the score 8-2.
The Warriors answered right back with their own non-converted touchdown making the score 8-8. The teams went into the half tied at eight.
“Despite some early hiccups, our Warrior offense was able to find its rhythm by switching to our ground-and-pound formation and letting our offensive line and running backs go to work, Despite usually having an overall smaller offensive line then other teams, our line isn’t afraid to bang with the big boys,” said Branco.
When the teams came out for the second half, the Wetaskiwin Warriors were able to find the scoreboard three more times on offence and once on defence when Chase Ertman received a pick six to make the game 32-14.
The Wolverines did tally one more touchdown late in the game to make the game a little closer at 32-20, but at that point the game was not in doubt. With the win the Bantams will play for the Tier 3 Championship on Sunday Nov. 4 at 12:30 p.m. in Spruce Grove versus the Millwoods Grizzlies.
“It was definitely a physical game but our players never gave up, relied on each other and continued to rally no matter what,” said Branco.