Morning Star Staff
The flu bug and the South Kamloops Titans wreaked havoc on the Seaton Sonics.
Fielding only 18 players due to a nasty flu making the rounds, the Sonics fell 45-12 to the 39-player-strong Titans in Southern Interior Junior Varsity Football League action Wednesday at Greater Vernon Athletics Park.
“We moved the ball very effectively in the first half but ran out of gas in the second,” said Sonics head coach Ron Kirschner.
Landon Colvin scored both of Seaton’s touchdowns and racked up 220 yards rushing on the day. Miles Forrest played through the flu and chipped in another 75 yards as well as making several key blocks, as did Aidan Rivard, Chris Haber, Avery Leier, and Liam Funk.
Zach Boring did an excellent job in his first game as a centre.
“The offence is starting to come together,” said Kirschner. “Each game and each play the execution is getting better.”
On defence, Colvin, Forrest. Thomas Mackiewich, Lyndon Rivers, Ethan Elliot, Mac Gilchrist and Craig Garnett all had touchdown-saving tackles.
“We had a lot of players in unfamiliar positions today,” said Sonics defensive coach Lee Elliott. “The Titans were able to exploit that fact on some key plays.”
The Sonics (0-2) travel to North Kamloops Wednesday to face the Westsyde Blue Wave (1-1).
In North Kamloops Wednesday, the Vernon Panthers left their legs on the school bus and it cost them.
The Blue Wave jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead, then scored twice in the final quarter to beat the Panthers 27-14.
“The first half of the first quarter, we weren’t awake yet from the bus ride,” said Panthers head coach Ed Huber. “Once our defence woke up, they were able to keep Westsyde off the board for the next three quarters.”
Leading the defence was Garret Black Thomas and Tyler Deboer with six tackles, Jaden Steinke had four while Charles Lemay added three. Eight other players registered at least two tackles. The Panthers scored early in the third quarter with a 62-yard pass and run play from quarterback Thomas Hyett to fullback Bradley Hladik. Dylan Huber converted to make it 14-7.
In the fourth, Westsyde put together a good drive and scored, making it 21-7 early.
On the next play from scrimmage, Hyett and Hladik hooked up for a 70-yard pass and run TD on a play that was inserted at half time, closing the score to 21-14.
The Panthers’ defence held and the offence went to work attempting to get a tying and potential lead-changing TD. After gaining 60 yards and three successful first downs, including a nifty 38-yard pass play from Hyett to Huber, the penalty bug stopped momentum and the Panthers punted away.
The defence was not able to keep the Westsyde team out of the endzone in the final few minutes.
“Westsyde had 45 players and it showed by the end of the game,” said Huber. “We will play a different game in a few weeks once some key players get back from injury.”
Hyett went 8-12 for 210 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. Hladik had three receptions for 162 yards and two majors. Huber made two catches for 44 yards, and Sam Knox ran the ball four times for 60 yards.
The Panthers (1-1) host the Valleyview Vikings (0-1) of Kamloops Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at Panthers Field.
Meanwhile, the Vernon Magnums lost 8-6 to the Kelowna Lions in Atom minor football action Sunday at the Greater Vernon Athletics Park.
Seth Holte of the Magnums ran the ball one yard short of the goal line, where Reid Williamson punched it in for Vernon’s touchdown in the first quarter. Morgan Hackman also caught an amazing interception.
In the second quarter, Kelowna scored a TD and took the lead with a two-point conversion. Lochlen Kilford, Sophia Winstanley and Morgan Hackman made four tackles
