The Mount Douglas Rams will attempt to get back on track today against the West Vancouver Highlanders after dropping a wide-open, thrilling 52-49 decision to the M.J. Mouat Hawks last week.
It was the defending provincial triple-A football champions' first loss of the season.
"Literally it was a track meet up and down the field," Rams head coach Mark Townsend said of last week's defeat. "But with this loss it has our guys refocused. I have every confidence we'll come back."
The 3: 30 p.m. kickoff will be the final regular-season home game for the Rams, who will acknowledge nine graduating players in a ceremony before the start at Royal Athletic Park. Then the Rams will attempt to get after Highlanders quarterback Johnny Franklin and Co.
"They are polar opposite to Mouat in that they have a pass-oriented quarterback," said Townsend.
"He'll throw it 30 to 40 times a game."
But Franklin's also known for his scrambling abilities so the 2-1 Rams - now ranked No. 3 in the province - will have to keep him honest.
The Rams' junior varsity team will kick it all off at 1 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Belmont Bulldogs' junior team, ranked No. 5, travelled to Courtenay on Thursday and blanked the Mark Isfeld Ice 32-0.
The Bulldogs' senior team is off this week after defeating Holy Cross 21-15 last week to improve to 2-1.
"It was a huge win," said Bulldogs head coach Kevin Harrington. "We didn't complete a pass, unfortunately, but we ran the ball really well so we didn't have to. The guys came out and played some serious smash-mouth ball against a team that is known for playing really tough."
Sam Varao and Jordan Worth both ran for more than 100 yards and had three touchdowns between them (Worth had a pair).
A pair of interceptions by Tanner Rempel and another by Brady Lockwood aided the Bulldogs.
"It's the biggest win that Belmont has had in its history," said Harrington, whose club will face Hugh Boyd next Friday and still has a date with Seaquam. [email protected]
