Perhaps it was a Halloween-inspired Invasion of the Body Snatchers theme, but something remarkably strange happened on the Bow Valley Wolverines’ way to the playoffs.
After a month of football where they couldn’t score, couldn’t tackle and couldn’t catch a break, the Wolverines played a near-flawless playoff game, defeating the Highwood Mustangs 26-0 at Millennium Field, Saturday (Oct. 25).
Jackson Howatt ran early and often for two touchdowns and more than 100 yards rushing, while Grade 10 quarterback Mark Mahler was brilliant in the win. The offensive line, which was porous for most of the year, was a brick wall against the Mustangs, while the defensive line could not have played a better game.
To make the win even more remarkable, the Wolverines shut out the Mustangs without star offensive player Zak Jantz and without standout defensive lineman Matt Brown. Both were sidelined with knee injuries.
“We were shut out before. Now we reversed it. Now the points are on the other side,” said Wolverines coach Gord Elser. “We’re improving every week … All through the year I kept losing Grade 12 players. I had to keep relying on the depth of this team and they came through.”
Howatt got the Wolverines on the board early when he scrambled over the goal line with power and dexterity. Shortly after, he used his speed for a 21-yard run to give the Wolverines a 13-0 going into the half.
Mahler had tons of time in the pocket thanks to his O-line’s dominating play, while team speed overmatched the Mustangs at every turn. Luke Murphy proved that with the team’s third touchdown, beating the Mustangs on the outside with a TD from the four-yard line.
The defence punished their High River opponents, forcing six fumbles through the game, and kept their opponents off kilter for the entire match.
To punctuate the victory, Connor McLeod turned a fumble recovery into a 70-yard touchdown run to finish the complete victory, which fulfilled Elser’s wish for a defensive touchdown.
“I wished for a defensive touchdown (because they played so well). I told the boys I just want one thing – a defensive touchdown – and I got it. I’m going to start making more wishes more often,” Elser joked.
It was sweet victory after a rough regular season where the Wolverines only scored a handfull of touchdowns all year. Elser and the rest of the coaching crew simplified their systems and made sure every loss was also a learning experience.
“Losing teaches you a lot of things. It’s how you learn to win. We simplified everything in practice and just did repetition, repetition, repetition. We did less drills and did more offence and more defence. We had to get them to the point where they didn’t have to think about what they were doing. When they had to think about it, they did things at half speed,” Elser said.
Elser knew the team was going to be ready for High River after they won an exhibition game on Oct. 20. It was their first taste of victory.
“That was a huge confidence builder,” Elser said.
Howatt said the win is extra sweet and comes at the right time of the year.
“These guys have been working hard all season and it’s finally coming together at the right time,” Howatt said. “We’ve got more of an attitude and we’re more focused.”
The Wolverines now move onto the first round of the provincial playoffs, where they will host the winner of a Claresholm versus Coaldale tilt. The matchup will take place on Nov. 8 at Millennium Field. No time has been set at this time, but Elser said he’d like to see kickoff at 1 or 2 p.m. If they win, they’ll move on to the second round of the provincial Big Rock playoffs.
He also indicated it may be his last time as head coach of the Wolverines. The CFL veteran stepped in to help, but said others like offensive co-ordinator Wade Buckley have done a good job and could coach the team in the future.
“I really dig how Wade Buckley connects with the team. I just came in wanting to help anyways. I could see Buckley take over. We’ll see,” Elser said.
