One week after an embarrassing 62-14 home loss, the New Westminster Hyacks rebounded with a 33-26 win over the Carson Graham Eagles on Friday night at Mercer Stadium.
Grade 10 quarterback Tommy Robertson led the charge, scoring three times on the ground after coming on in relief for senior Regan Eberding, who had an early score before leaving the game with yet another injury. Eberding, who appears to have suffered an upper-body injury, looks to be out for some time, meaning Robertson will have to continue his heroics for just a bit longer.
Aldrin Asunction got the Hyacks' other TD in a tight game that could have gone either way.
Robertson said the coaches had a tough message for the team after last week's loss.
Not only was the 62-14 score kept on the scoreboard all week, the Hyacks had to practise on the grass and mud field instead of on the artificial turf at Mercer.
"The coaches said we had to earn the right to play at Mercer again," said Robertson. "And looking up at that 62, that wasn't much fun."
Robertson, a tall lanky thrower with poise beyond his years, said he welcomes the pressure of being the starting quarterback.
"I just have to keep stepping up my game," he said. "I hope Regan gets better but I just have to continue working hard and continue getting better."
Asunction, who finished with more than 200 rushing yards on the day, said he welcomed the tough love.
"The coaches challenged us and I think we played our best game of the season," said Asunction. "We had to earn the right to play on our home turf and that just made us work harder in practice."
For Lalji, the win may have been ugly - Eberding's injury was just one of many the Hyacks have currently - but he'll take it.
"We had to build some toughness back into the team," said Lalji. "We've faced adversity in the past but we had to get tougher. ... We also worked on our tackling and that still has to get better."
And this week's practices will be important because the Hyacks head to Vancouver College's O'Hagan Field this Saturday for what is traditionally their showcase conference game against the Fighting Irish.
College is coached by Lalji's friend Todd Bernett, and since Lalji resurrected the Hyacks' football program nine years ago, Lalji hasn't been able to get the best of Bernett at the varsity level.
"They're a good team," said Lalji. "We're going there to beat them. ... I don't think it's a mental thing where you can say it's been nine years and I haven't beaten Todd. ... We're just trying to win and we're fighting for our lives."
The Hyacks-Fighting Irish game goes at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Vancouver College on the west side of Vancouver.
www.twitter.com/AlfieLau
