The GW Graham junior varsity football squad held up their end of the bargain last Wednesday, edging the visiting Pitt Meadows Marauders 14-12 to keep their playoff hopes alive.
But they needed help, and a game going on at the exact same time sealed their fate. The Mission Roadrunners throttled the Samuel Robertson Titans 42-0 to leave both Mission and GWG with 4-2 records.
The Roadrunners got the playoff nod through the head-to-head tiebreaker, with Mission beating GWG 24-0 in week one of the AA season.
A disappointing end to an otherwise successful first season for Laurie Smith and his Grizzlies.
GWG ran off four straight wins to end the season, giving them plenty to build on for 2013.
The Pitt Meadows win was far from an artistic triumph, but it highlighted the team’s ability to gut things out in crunch time.
The Grizzlies looked set for an easy day when they scored on their very first offensive possession.
Starting from their own seven yard line, the GWG offence marched the ball into Marauder territory and capped the drive with a Terrell Sparvier to Jordan Breuker touchdown toss.
Making his first start at quarterback, Sparvier rolled left and found Breuker uncovered down the left sideline.
The convert failed, but GWG had a 6-0 lead.
The Grizzlies got their second major late in the second quarter on another nice offensive drive.
Sparvier chewed up the biggest chuck of yardage on a spectacular run.
The diminutive pivot scrambled right and found several Marauders waiting. Escaping their grasp, Sparvier reversed field and found space down the left side, gaining 23 yards before they finally brought him down.
Running back Tristan Davis got the touchdown on a well-designed draw play, rumbling 21 yards up the gut to put GWG up 12-0.
Breuker added the convert and the Grizzlies led 14-0 at the half.
A different Marauder team came to play in the second half, and they made life very difficult for the home side.
Pitt Meadows shut down the GWG offence and the Marauder offence started moving the ball.
Late in the third quarter, Pitt Meadows quarterback Jake Schuster led his team on an 81 yard scoring drive.
The drive ended with bowling ball running back Dalton Hebblethwaite pounding in from six yards out.
Same story on the next Marauder drive. Starting at their own 40, Pitt Meadows moved the ball into the shadow of the GWG goal-posts.
On second and goal from the six, Hebblethwaite was hit at the line but would not go down. He kept his legs churning until he was in the endzone.
The Marauders went for the two point convert and the tie, but failed, leaving the score at 14-12.
With time running out, Pitt Meadows made one final charge.From their own 29 yard line, the Maurauders drove downfield, twice converting on fourh down.
From the 18 yard line, Schuster dropped back to pass and found Diego Pineda in his face.
The paniced pivot tossed the ball blindly, and Ryan Trottier came down with the interception.
Game over.
Season over.