KINDERSLEY ‑ Following completion of the SHSAA regular season for local high school football teams, playoff season began Oct. 22.
Unity Warriors travelled to Kindersley for a must-win game against the Kobras. The Warriors defeated Kindersley in a pre-season exhibition game but the Kobras beat Unity is regular season action, meaning this playoff game was being compared to a rubber match.
Being the only two 2A schools in this grouping of Kerrobert, Macklin, Eatonia, Kindersley and Unity, the teams knew they would meet each other in this conference.
No one could have predicted that a hail Mary pass in the last 1.6 seconds of the game would result in a completed touchdown securing the victory for the Warriors and stunning the opposition.
“What a game! Friday was a game I will never forget," Coach Kyle Clark says.
"The boys showed true mental toughness, fortitude and resilience. We were down 20-6 at half but the boys remained convinced they could win. We knew the difference in the first half was that we didn’t execute. In the second half the boys did just that. To be able to make a big stop on defence at the end of the game, then march down the field with under a minute to go and score with no time on the clock, in a word, epic.”
The Warriors travel to Clavet Oct. 30 for the provincial quarter-finals with a 1 p.m. kickoff.
In the other local school matchup, Macklin travelled to Kerrobert for their first round of play. In a highly lopsided matchup, Kerrobert Rebels defeated the visiting team by a score of 78-0.
“We played well as a team on Saturday." Coach Troy Snider says.
"Macklin is a great team with excellent coaching. They have had some injury trouble late in the season but will be back stronger than ever next season."
The Rebels head to Plenty for their provincial quarter-final game with a 1 p.m. kickoff on Oct. 30.
Snider adds, “We are expecting a tough game against Plenty. They are always a very strong team.“
On another note, former UCHS Warrior, Zenon Orobko was part of the second half in the Regina’s eighth straight win, giving them a bye to the PFC semifinals Nov. 6. Jacob Ambros, former Kerrobert Rebel, who is part of the Saskatoon Hilltops, will also be part of PFC, semifinal action Nov. 6.
