The Lakers played their final league season game against the Stettler Wildcats Saturday and won 41-0 deeming them league champions for the second consecutive year.
Running back Tristan Koller scored the first touch down in the first quarter at six minutes and 25 seconds with a five yard run, followed by a convert by Dagan Slimmon.
Running back Ethan Mearns was the second to make a touch down in the first quarter at one minute and 35 seconds with a 45 yard run, followed by Dagan Slimmon kicking off a convert.
Right at the end of the first quarter receiver Tyrese Hamilton made a six-yard-run touch down.
The battle on the field sky rocketted as the Wildcats threw their energy into trying to score a few points with no prevail.
With only eight seconds left in the fans saw running back Tristan Koller make the team’s only touch down for the quarter with a 39 yard pass, followed by Slimmon kicking off another convert.
With nine minutes and 25 seconds left on the board for the third quarter, receiver Ryan Arnold played a 36 yard catch, again with Slimmon kicking off a convert.
By fourth quarter and 34-0 for the Lakers on the score board it was clear they would be the ones to be taking home the league championship, but this didn’t stop theteam from scoring one more touch down.
Even though it was clear which team was going to win - the energy on the field remained at an ultimate high during the last quarter and time seemed to stand still during the last few minutes of the game.
At two minutes and 27 seconds in the fourth quarter fullback Trent Tarling played a seven yard run, Slimmon kicking off a convert to finish the score off for victoriouswin of 41-0.
As soon as the buzzer signaled the end of the fourth quarter the Lakers yelled out in triumph of their win.
Both teams lined up opposite of each other and it was announced the Lakers had won the trophy for the season’s league championship.
This was followed by the Lakers head coach Jeremy Braitenback shaking each of his players’ hands and crowning their necks with medals.
“The score says it all,” Braitenback said. “We had a good game plan and we executed it to perfection today.”
He said the team took away the Wildcat’s strengths and then accentuated on their own strengths which made the game come together.
“The boys executed it really well and I thought they were quite disciplined for the type of game that it was and they deserved it,” Braitenback said.
He described the game as being hard fought and physical with both teams wanting to win.
During the game there was some physicality that came out, but they made sure to keep their cool, to concentrate on the next play and to disregard the last one and Braitenback said it was the players’ mentality that carried them through the game.
He said he was surprised with the margin of the win as the Lakers had played the Wildcats before and even though they had won previously the score was closer thatgame.
“I was surprised by how well we did but our guys were that hungry and wanted it that bad - they played the best game of the year today,” Braitenback said.
Defenseman and receiver Chase Elwood is glad the football season isn’t yet over and happy for the chance to keep playing.
“Being in Grade 12 I would be done after this, so getting the chance to keep playing football is always a nice opportunity and to win two years in a row is always a lotbetter - makes it that much sweeter,” Elwood said.
He said the best part of the game was how all the players played together as a team with no one picking up another person’s slack, which allowed everyone to play areally good game.
“They are a big strong team and playing with them is always tough but we came out and played well,” Elwood said.
He said his favourite part of the game was winning but also knowing that he is not done football yet which he said is always nice.
Now the team will be preparing to play for their provincial quarter final game in Lloydminster Saturday against the Holy Rosary Raiders.
reporter@sylvanlakenews.com