Chilliwack’s JEXCAR junior bantam Giants have been road warriors during the 2021 minor football season.
The Giants won their third straight away from home last weekend, knocking out the Ridge Meadows Knights by a 31-6 count.
Quarterback Caleb Friesen led the Giants on offence, extending plays with his legs and putting on an impressive display through the air. Friesen ran for two touchdowns and threw one to slotback Ridley Mastin. Brody Durie and Marshall Cone both had spectacular touchdown runs of their own behind bone-rattling blocks from receivers Ryden Tatler and Andre Barbon.
Malakai Gillespie was thrust into action as the emergency center on the offensive line and he took command of the role, making great decisions and showing his leadership. Ben Mckay, Evan Tiessen and Royce MacCormack were their usual outstanding selves, fortifying the line against a strong and fierce Knights defensive front.
The Giants defence came to play, allowing only four first downs the entire game. Linebackers Wyatt Carstensen and Ayden Barwich were the leading tacklers. Defensive ends Annalia Alton and Brady Boisclair were in the Knights backfield all day and defensive tackle Aries Wallis added a quarterback sack. Defensive backs Amara Sesay and Cody Hagel stopped all runs to the outside, with Hagel adding a game-ending interception.
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The JEXCAR Peewee White Giants rolled over the Mission Niners, cruising to a 41-0 road win last weekend.
The defense set the tone, with many players having their best games of the year. Logan Sargent and Ty Peppin led the charge with six tackles each. One of Peppin’s stops was a quarterback sack that cost Mission nine yards.
Thirteen other players all hit the score sheet with between one and four tackles each.
Parker Grant led the Chilliwack offence with 255 rushing yards, 66 passing yards, four rushing touchdowns and a point-after convert. Logan Sargent had 94 rushing yards and a major. Carson Breland added 60 rushing yards, one touchdown and one point-after convert.
Kicker Dawson Holdridge booted one through the uprights for a two-point convert.
Other standouts included Kayden Gannon, with 55 all-purpose yards, Owen Franklin with 14 rushing yards and Liam Johnson, whose first career catch went for 30 yards.
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The peewee Blue Giants put up a fierce fight on the road, falling 12-0 to the high-powered Meadow Ridge Knights.
Chilliwack moved the ball well on offence, but couldn’t get into the endzone. Following blocks from receiver AJ Woods, Caleb Deacon led all running backs, breaking tackles and dragging Knights defenders for extra yardage. Quarterback Kingston Moran had plenty of time in the pocket, protected by offensive linemen Austin Pierce, Lucas McCoy, Dallas Beier and Cole Dempsey.
Tight ends Anthony Stelcer and Tyce Underwood both had great outside runs.
Defensive end Mason Natrall led his unit with seven tackles and quarterback sack. Dempsey broke through the Knights O-line, wrapping up the QB for his first sack of the year. Cornerbacks Mason Adam and Ike Carstensen locked down the outside. Tracking Knights runners all over the field, linebackers Calyn Barwich and Jackson Gamboa made huge tackles to keep the game close, and Kaden Mould patrolled the flats, smothering Meadow Ridges receivers.