There is more than a bronze boot on the line this week for the New Westminster Hyacks football team.
The varsity Hyacks got a nice bounce-back win over the Belmont Bulldogs in Victoria last weekend, taking charge early and posting a 24-6 win over the 1-4 school last Friday.
Tyrone Morgan raced 61 yards for a Hyacks’ touchdown on the opening play from scrimmage in a game where all the scoring came in the first half of play.
New Westminster improved its third-place Western Conference record to 4-2.
The win sets up a final regular season matchup with the South Delta Sun Devils that will go a long way in determining which of a possible three teams earns a first-round bye into the playoffs.
New West, which lost a costly 31-6 decision to Vancouver College last Friday, can ill afford to come out second best in the annual Kushnir Boot bowl against the Sun Devils this Saturday.
“We now have to quickly turn our attention to South Delta,” said Hyacks head coach Farhan Lalji. “I’m sure they’ll be very motivated after their game this week. They’ve shown all season that they’re an explosive, legit team. We’ve had some great battles for the Kushnir Boot with them, and now the stakes are even higher.”
At Belmont, New Westminster came out ready to battle.
New West’s top back, Matt Seymour, stopped Belmont’s first drive, intercepting a pass with a one-handed catch and racing back downfield for a 76-yard return for a touchdown to put the visitors up 14-0 with little time gone in the opening quarter.
Sure-footed Wayne Palmer converted both scores and booted a 31-yard field goal in the second quarter to go up 17-0.
Seymour closed out the first half with a 21-yard reception from quarterback Mackenzie Ratcliffe for a second score.
Seymour finished the game with five catches for 92 yards, while Morgan rushed for 112 yards in the game.
But the outcome was really decided by the Hyacks defence.
Jeff Lugtu led New West with 10 tackles and a quarterback sack.
Ebrahim Farroghi and Jorge Yarwood both contributed seven individual stops and one sack apiece. Jonathan Tomalty registered six tackles.
“It was a quality win against a good opponent,” added Lalji. “Our offence could have been better in the second half, but you have to give credit to Belmont, they were well coached and well prepared.”
New Westminster travels to Dennison Park in Tsawwassen to meet the No. 4-ranked Sun Devils in a Saturday afternoon matchup. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m.
