The GW Graham Grizzlies kicked off their junior varsity season Wednesday afternoon, crushing the Rick Hansen Hurricanes 49-0.
The Grizzly defence carried the team through a sluggish start on the road, scoring two of the first three touchdowns. A Tristan Davis interception set up GWG's first major. Following the pick, on a fourth-and-four from the 15 yard line, quarterback Jordan Breuker rumbled off right tackle for the TD. A successful two-point convert put the Grizzlies up 8-0.
Early in the second quarter, linebacker Cyrus Tommy intercepted another Hurricane pass, returning the ball 55 yards for a touchdown.
And just before halftime, Cainen Bergh pounced on a Hurricane pitch gone wrong, taking the fumbled ball 20 yards to the endzone.
His major gave the Grizzlies a 21-0 lead at the break.
Head coach Laurie Smith took time to lecture his team on execution and fundamentals, and they responded.
The GWG offence got rolling early in the second half. Breuker set the tone, trucking over a Hurricane defender on an off-tackle run. Seconds later, Tyler Sprott went up to snag a Breuker TD toss, bringing the ball down in tight coverage.
The Grizzlies struck again following a Vincent Giesbrecht fumble recovery.
From the Hansen 16, Breuker stayed in the pocket and found Wyatt Uzick on a crossing rout, giving GWG a 35-0 lead.
The Grizzlies went to a single-wing bleed-the-clock offence in the fourth quarter, putting Jaren Lengert in the backfield.
The big man scored the sixth GWG major, and Billy Hanson scored the final TD on a 14 yard run up the gut.
Spencer Breslin kicked five converts.
Bergh had a late interception and Miguel Wood had a fumble recovery as the defence recorded the shutout.
The Grizzlies host the Mission Roadrunners in their home opener, next Friday at Exhibition Stadium.
See grahamfootball.ca for more.