CHILLIWACK MINOR FOOTBALL REPORT: WEEK ONE
The bantam Blue Giants steamrolled the Cloverdale Leopards 47-7 in their season opener, led by an unstoppable ground game. Strong work by offensive linemen Josh Fitzsimmons, Byron Dargatz, Logan McCracken, Nashon Douglas, Zach Toews and Richard Avery helped Filip Horak ripped off 220 rushing yards and three majors. Jaxon Harvey also pitched in with a key block.
Jake Creasy scored two touchdowns, with Kirkland Kennedy and Darius Commodore adding a pair of majors. Kirkland and Commodore hooked up on a successful two-point convert.
Defensive linemen Colton Derouin, Will Zomar and Cullan Haughin stuffed the Cloverdale ground game with help from linebackers Mike Folland, Landon Nelson and Kenny Toews. Thomas Heuser, Thijs Duinveld, Treyvon Walsh and Duncan McCracken kept things contained on the outside.
— The junior bantam Blue Giants pummelled the Mission 9ers 51-19, led by the big boot of kicker Spencer Breslin. Breslin hit on five of six converts (worth two points piece in JB) and an 18 yard field goal.
Several Giants carried the ball during the game, with Nick Both hauling the rock seven times for 102 yards and two touchdowns.Emerson Smith had five carries for 110 yards and a major, adding a 29 yard TD catch.
Also finding the end zone for the Giants were Tyler Sprott (six carries, 67 yards, one TD) and Ethan Mastin.
Both had two kick returns for 69 yards while Smith returned one kick for 60 yards. Additionally, the Giants recovered two onside kicks.
Outside linebacker Sam Meyer led the defense with seven tackles, three sacks and a safety. Chris Derksen and Adam Phillips had some highlight reel tackles while Jake Hunter and AJ Sagrott added sacks.
— Billy Hanson was a wrecking ball for the junior bantam Red Giants as they outgunned North Langley 49-31.
After Langley opened the scoring, Chilliwack responded with a spectacular Hanson TD run in which he broke nine tackles and scampered 65 yards.
Hanson added a 50 yard touchdown run, finishing with 140 rushing yards and the award as game MVP.
Jordon Brueker got his first start at quarterback, running for a major in the second quarter.
Elijah Schellenberg had a 60 yard TD run and Kobe Pool also found the endzone. Aydan Harvey ripped off some exciting runs.
— The peewee Blue Giants clobbered the Meadow Ridge Blue Knights 30-7, with four players picking up touchdowns.
Evan McKracken, Jayden Mourato, Bradley Langlois and Brody Porter found the endzone behind the blocking of Stade Douglas and Grayson Hardie.
Tyler Kermode, Austin Kardux, Dustin Wutzke and Noah Thiessen led a stifling Giants D.
— The atom Red Giants dumped the Langley Bears 34-6, with four touchdowns coming from tailback Kurtis Flynn.
Flynn carried the ball four times for 200 yards.
The blocking of linemen Ethan Paisley, Riley Conner, Mason Grace, Mason Murphy, Avery Ade and Jackson Saunders made it happen. Flynn came off the field at halftime and said to his coach, “I’ve only been touched once by a Langley player.”
Thomas Nelson scored his first touchdown in the third quarter.
Defensively, tenacious tackling from outside linebackers Reid Dunham and Garreth Conner helped shut down the Bears.
— The atom Blue Giants lost 20-6 to the Meadow Ridge Knights, unable to overcome a sluggish start. The Knights got TDs on their first two offensive plays before the Chilliwack D tightened up.
Running back Colton Holt scored the lone Giants major behind outstanding blocks from Corey Lamb and Josh Baird.
Linebackers Jaycob Brown and Dhillon Meyer led the way defensively. Meyer had two quarterback sacks in the fourth quarter. Keyan DeVries and Paris Mastin were effective on the defensive line.