n a game they didn’t expect to be in, in a location where they’ve never played, the Bow Valley Wolverines’ season came to an end in thrilling fashion on Saturday (Nov. 14), as they fell 37-26 in a heart-stopping finale against the Drumheller Titans at Shouldice Park in Calgary.
“I’m so proud of these guys, holy smokes. These seniors showed so much leadership. I remember talking at the beginning of the year about what success looks like, and I wasn’t even comfortable putting a win total to that,” said coach Wade Buckley.
“I lean on these guys all season long, and the maturity and leadership they showed, they set the scene for future success. To come this far is a bonus. Their leadership is the tail of the season.”
The Wolverines’ star players were outstanding in the final match, as they battled valiantly against the Titans, a team that has shown no mercy against the Wolverines over the past three Big Rock Conference high school football seasons. Running backs Luke Murphy and Jackson Howatt were dominant, quarterback Matt Mahler rose to the occasion in the third quarter and Zack Waldbauer foisted the team onto his shoulders to carry them back to respectability.
The finale almost didn’t happen at all. Twenty-three hours before kickoff, the Town of Canmore informed the Wolverines that, due to heavy snowfall, they couldn’t use Millennium Field. The club was forced to find a new location in Calgary and charter a bus from Brewster, all on short notice.
After an hour long kick-off delay in cold temperatures and dying daylight, the Wolverines were flat in the first quarter. Missed tackles translated into touchdowns, and the Titans appeared ready for a romp, thanks to their double wing attack. On offence, the Wolverines passing game struggled and before long, the Wolverines were in a 21-0 hole.
“I started off ambitious, calling a lot of deep passes, when really our strength was Luke Murphy and Jackson Howatt at running back. We should have run the ball behind our powerful offensive line. I got away from that and dug us a hole that was tough to get out of, being down 21-0,” Buckley said.
In the second quarter, the Wolverines began to click. The defensive line strengthened and the offence began to pick up yards, as they clawed back against the Titans lead.
Waldbauer’s 80-yard kick return for a touchdown completely changed the complexion of the game, and the Wolverines were rolling. Murphy strung together a massive run of his own to complete the comeback and the Wolverines held a 26-21 lead in the third quarter, with a freight train of momentum.
A scary neck injury to a Titans player stopped the game short, as he was taken off the field by ambulance on a spine board. The injury completely changed the momentum of the game. Fighting for their fallen teammate, the Titans regrouped, and owned the fourth quarter to make the final 37-26.
“We hope that guy is OK,” Buckley said. “That was a half time for them. They regrouped, they had something to play for and were motivated.”
Buckley said he tried everything to get his offence going, but the slow start and overmatched finish was too much to overcome.
“I went deep into my bag of tricks. We had a fake field goal, tailback pass. We shot ourselves in the foot, and somehow we turned it on again,” Buckley said.
In retrospect, the Wolverines only lost two games against Tier IV schools all season long, and developed as a team.
“We’ve had nothing by leadership, growth and maturity from these guys, and that’s how we’re going to measure success. These guys taught me a lot about myself. The Grade 12s showed so much leadership, they taught the guys how to play, how to act and be good Wolverines. I’m blown away by these guys,” Buckley said.
Playing his last game for the Wolverines, Waldbauer said he was proud of the team’s play in the final game.
“We played pretty well. The scoreboard didn’t show it. We made some mistakes, but we have some great players and a great team. I’m looking forward to see what they bring next year,” Waldbauer said.
“The Wolverines meant a lot to me. They helped me through school, you meet a lot of people; it’s so much fun.”
Buckley said the team will lose some talented players, but believes big things are on the horizon for the Wolverines.
“With the guys we’ve got, you can’t help but think the future is going to be bright for the Wolverines. Zack’s younger brother is playing at a Grade 11 level, some of the Grade 9s we have with a little bit of growth, a little bit of development, and a little more maturity, they’re going places,” Buckley said.
