Junior backup quarterback Mackenzie Ratcliffe’s first varsity start was a timely one for the New Westminster Hyacks football team.
Ratcliffe scored on a 20-yard touchdown run while guiding the 6-2 Hyacks to a 19-14 victory over the Notre Dame Jugglers at Mercer Stadium last Friday.
The win left New West with a record of 3-2 in Western conference play and in a four-way tie for second spot behind No. 1 provincial seed Mt. Douglas heading into the final game of the season this weekend.
The Hyacks have a win over Belmont and a loss to Vancouver College this season. A win over visiting Handsworth this Friday at Mercer would give the Hyacks home field advantage in the first round of playoffs.
“That’s really important to us. We haven’t lost at home this season,” said Hyacks head coach Farhan Lalji. “We’ve got a home game and that matters a lot.”
It also mattered that the Hyacks got solid performances from some fresh faces.
Ratcliffe engineered an 11-play, 67-yard drive on the Hyacks’ second possession that culminated in a 17-yard rushing touchdown from Kale Brock in the opening quarter.
Grade 11 running back Tyrone Morgan also had his best game to date, rushing 15 times for 112 yards.
Later in the first half, Brock recovered a fumbled punt in Juggler territory that set up Ratcliffe for his touchdown run with just 12 seconds left in the second quarter.
“I was a little bit nervous … but it gives me a lot more confidence as a player, but as a team, it shows our perseverance,” said Ratcliffe after the game.
New West needed every ounce of that quality in the second half, when Notre Dame finally broke through with two fourth-quarter scores, including a late 20-yard touchdown reception by Aldrich Berrios that set the stage for a final short kickoff attempt that failed.
Angelo Tanjuaquio scored what proved to be the game-winning touchdown, taking the ball into the end zone on a fourth down and two from three yards out after Ratcliffe drove the ball downfield.
Prabh Bal led the Hyack D with 10 tackles, while Jonathan Tomalty and Kayne Phillips had fourth-quarter sacks.
“It shows we’re one team and will fight for each other to the end,” said Morgan. “We came and we delivered. We stayed focused and stayed in the game.”
New West will host Handsworth in its final regular season game at Mercer Stadium on Friday. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
