If a football season can be a voyage, the New Westminster Hyacks are prepared to boldly go where no Hyack has gone before.
That paraphrasing of Capt. James T. Kirk may sound like a leap into space, but the senior AAA football team knows that getting one more win would be historic, as it would catapult them into the B.C. High School championship final.
“That’s the biggest thing and our guys are motivated and prepared for (Saturday’s) game,” said head coach Farhan Lalji of the semifinal, 5:30 p.m. at B.C. Place against the Notre Dame Jugglers.
“We as a program have been (to the semifinals) five or six times without getting to that next step. They really want it.”
Getting to a championship final means exacting some revenge on the Jugglers, who handed the Hyacks a 44-28 setback nearly two months ago in what was the second game of the 2016 regular season.
A lot has changed in that time, as the Mercer machine created some powerful momentum and gone 5-1 since that loss. Lalji knows how helpful that earlier loss can be in creating layers to the storyline of what is already a emotionally-charged contest.
“The motivation is there, and it always seems to be hard to beat a team two times in a season,” he noted. “But when it’s all said and done, we’ve got to go out and win it.”
Following last Saturday’s 44-35 come-from-behind win over the Abbotsford Panthers, the Hyacks appear to be well-versed in how to turn the tables.
While Abbotsford was the underdog, it entered the quarterfinal the last of the undefeated teams, having romped through the Pacific Division virtually unscathed. They also stood together under the tragedy which befell the community when an Abby student, Letisha Reimer, was murdered at the school.
The Panthers built up a 29-14 advantage, powered by standout running back Samwel Uko’s 55-yard dash to start the third quarter. New West responded when Trew Dancey ran six yards for a major and added a two-point convert, making it 29-21. The defence then did their job, stopping Abbotsford on the Hyack 26-yard line.
On the fifth play from taking possession, the Hyacks reclaimed the lead when Dancey bolted free for a 52-yard touchdown with 1:03 left in the quarter.
But the Panthers didn’t look quite done yet, as Uko took the kick off at his team’s 35-yard line and proceeded to bust loose to open field, only to be caught on New West’s 10-yard line by defensive back Liam Mackay, drawing praise from Lalji after the game for what proved to be a critical save.
“You saw Uko had that long run and (Mackay) chased him down and prevented a touchdown. (Mckay) made a couple of big plays on the wheel where he was able to break up some passes and overall our secondary did some good things in the second half … (Catching Uko) was a turning point, a massive turning point.”
On both sides of the ball, Dancey tallied big numbers, including a game-high seven tackles and three TDs on 148 yards rushing. Lucas Sabau carried the ball 20 times for 143 yards, including a pair of majors. Quarterback Kinsale Philip completed nine of 14 passes for 161 yards, including a 20-yard strike to tight end Prento Durigon to cap the Hyacks scoring.
Now the focus turns squarely at Notre Dame, led by quarterback Steve Moretto.
“We’ve got to do a better job against Moretto (than the first meeting), he’s a special player and very athletic. He kind of brings everyone up one rung and we have to find the right balance against him and their defence,” Lalji said.
The winner gets a ticket to the final.
