On Saturday May 14 under sunny Sidney skies, The Village Foods Sooke Seahawk Pre-atoms (7-10 year olds) fought a defensive battle with the high-scoring Peninsula Wildcats. With quarterbacks Tyler Umbach and Ben Power absent, Louis-Philipe Gagnon (offensive player of the game) and Josh Danielson stepped up and assumed quarterback roles.
With power sweeps, fake reverses and running plays galore no points were scored. The defence led by right guard and co-defensive player of the game Caleb Carrier stopped the up-the -middle rush consistently coupled with two secondary tackles.
Spencer Logan manhandled the Wildcats’ quarterback and running backs in the second half breaking the sound barrier with an explosive tackle that ended Wildcats possession and gave it back to his team. However Game MVP and first year player Jared Steele made a handful of mid-field tackles and with Kieran Franklin wreaked havoc on the Wildcats offence. Newcomer Manny Ratcliffe did some cat-taming of his own, taking on some of the biggest offensive linemen and stopping them in their tracks.
Quinn Macdonald, Adam Hughes, Ian Macdonald and Jacob Lamontagne also figured in the powerful defense the Seahawks displayed, albeit in a 13-0 Wildcat win. Next game May 21 in Nanaimo.
– Andy Carrier
The Handcraft Woodworks Sooke Seahawks Atom division football team travelled to Sidney Saturday to take on the Peninsula Wildcats. The Seahawks were missing several key starters for the game but that gave other players a chance to step up.
Randy Ross filled in at fullback and played a solid game pounding the ball up the middle for several yards each carry. Dalton Franche also had his first chance to run the ball and had 20 yards rushing on two carries. The Seahawks moved the ball well against a strong Peninsula defense. Quarterback Nick Pollock ran the ball well as did running backs Richard Innes, Dreydon Lindquist and Andrew Abell.
Talented tight end Alec McKenzie opened up the scoring with a beautiful touchdown set up with a crunching block by Innes. He accounted for all Sooke’s points, adding the two point conversion as well as a field goal. Wide receiver Tyler Scheubel played his best game making several key blocks for his teammates.
Peninsula couldn’t move the ball at all against the stingy Sooke defense that shut out the Wildcats in the 11-0 Sooke victory. Cornerbacks Conner Elliot and Robbie Lowerison, as well as defensive linemen Tyson Bastone, Ky Berger and Bailey Mcmillan all played well on the defensive side of the ball. Spencer Leslie, Cole Johns and Tie Boake blocked well all game for the offense.
The Atom Seahawks now sport a record of five wins and three losses and travel to Nanaimo next Saturday to take on the Nanaimo Bombers.
– Darryl Pollock
Under a blanket of rain last Sunday, the Sooke Home Hardware Peewee Seahawks faced the Westshore Warriors for the second time this season. The Warriors thundered to a 54-6 win.
Garrett Tunkow led the Seahawks’ charge with 77 rushing yards and a touchdown. Jacob Dyer made a key block to spring Tunkow for the 45-yard score.
Defence captain Malachi Ince tallied four tackles in the first half.
The Seahawks will have a bye week and then host the league-leading Cowichan Bulldogs on May 29 at 1:30 p.m. at the Eagle Ridge Community fields.
– Tom Billings