It was a game where the momentum shifted back and forth between the AAA varsity Hyacks and No. 2-ranked Mount Douglas Rams.
In the end Victoria’s Rams won the battle, taking the Hyacks 35-23 at Mercer Stadium on Oct. 3.
The Hyacks seem to come out a little timid against the powerhouse three-time Subway Bowl B.C.-winning Rams, giving the visitors the momentum in the first quarter. Mt. Doug got on the board first with a touchdown and extra point early in the first quarter.
The Hyacks put on pressure, but the Rams’ defence was a wall the Hyacks couldn’t crack. The Rams scored again. It was 14-0 for Mt. Doug by the end of the first.
The momentum shifted to the No. 4-ranked Hyacks in the second quarter thanks to quarter back Jamie Shiho’s 16-yard scramble. The move didn’t result in a touchdown but seemed to give the Hyacks the lift they needed for the second quarter.
With 11 minutes left to go in the second, Matt Seymour received a short pass from Shiho to complete a 47-yard touchdown.
The ever-consistent punter Wayne Palmer got the extra point to make it 14-7.
“Matt Seymour continues to be a game changer week after week,” said Hyacks coach Farhan Lalji. “We needed a big play to get back into the game and he had two, again.”
By the end of the game Seymour had racked up 201 all-purpose yards.
While the Hyacks then ran into some penalty trouble, but so did the Rams.
Seymour ran a 61-yard touchdown and with the extra point the game was tied up.
Showing defensive prowess, Hyack Rochon Bhattacharya intercepted and ran the ball for 30-yards to return it the Rams’ 25-yardline.
This accumulated with a Julian Ramirez six-yard touchdown run to make it 20-14 for the Hyacks at halftime.
In the third, Palmer made a 41-yard field goal to make it 23-14 for the Hyacks.
But that was the last time the Hyacks would see the scoreboard change in the home team’s favour.
Scoring momentum shifted to the Rams for the fourth. The Rams made two touchdowns, both of which were made on Hyack fumbles.
The Rams left the field with a perfect 5-0 winning record on the season.
“The fourth quarter was very disappointing. We had a lead and were in good shape and shot ourselves in the foot a couple (of times),” said Lalji.
The Hyacks are now 4-2 on the season (if you count the team’s non-conference loss in Texas in August).
Thanks to the Hyacks’ defence, the score wasn’t more tilted in the Rams’ favour. On the night Jeff Lugtu had 10 tackles, Jorge Yardwood had six tackles and a sack and Bhattacharya had five tackles (along with his interception).
“Hats off to them. They’re the provincial champs for a reason, and when the game gets into critical moments they believe they can make the key play. We need to get over that hump. But I believe in our group,” Lalji said.
The Hyacks are on the road next week for further western conference play.
The Hyacks face North Vancouver’s Handsworth Secondary on Friday Oct. 10. Kickoff is at 3:45 p.m. For more information, go to Hyacksfootball.com.
Winning streak continues for juniors
The junior varsity Hyacks defeated Chilliwack’s G.W. Graham Secondary School 34-21. Hyacks improve to 5-0 against B.C. competition (4-0 in conference play).
The New Westminster team next takes on Rick Hansen Secondary in Abbotsford on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 3:30 p.m.
