Spartans go 1 for 3

Times Reporter   

 

The Strathmore Spartans achieved one of three victories this weekend with all groups playing at home; the bantams defeated Drumheller 64-14, but the peewees dropped to the Lacombe Explosion 44-6, and Strathmore High School (SHS) was again shutout 73-0, this time by Medicine Hat High School.

Doug Klauck’s bantams had a bye last week, which improved their play for their Sept. 14 win.

“It certainly helped us prepare. Some of the players just registered this week,” said Klauck.

The team’s numbers are becoming more comfortable – now reaching the mid-twenties – but players may not be slotted where they feel most comfortable.

“It’s always tough with substitutions, putting people into positions they’re not used to playing,” Klauck said. “But we added some strength to our offensive line.

None of his players stood out, Klauck said, as it was a full team effort.

“We just got to keep playing disciplined – we’ll have a good season as long as we’re disciplined,” he said.

The bantams travel to Sylvan Lake on Sept. 28, with the peewees traveling to play the Red Deer Hornets the same day.

Chuck Holloway’s peewees had seven injuries against Lacombe, with not even a full team, at roughly 23 players.

“I feel we were in the game until the fourth quarter. We got a lot of key players hurt, and a lot of guys just playing out of position, but we were actually still in the game,” Holloway said. “I actually had to move my fullback to the quarterback position.”

Medicine Hat High School proved too much to handle for the SHS Spartans, who have yet to score any points after their first two games.

“A bit of a decline from last week – a lot of mental mistakes, missed assignments, just not playing the plays or executing what needs to get done,” Coach Carl Seafoot said. “They’re a tier above us, and they’re usually a fairly good team. They were better than us, but they shouldn’t be 73 points better.”

Seafoot says the lack of commitment of practice is showing negatively on their game days.

“The talent’s there, now we just have to get things to execute. We’re just struggling with getting practice numbers – you don’t get to practice, and you play how you practice,” he said.

Though the team now has 30 players, roughly 20 played in Saturday’s game due to prior commitments.

“Another five to ten wouldn’t hurt at all, because you start playing now, you’re going to lose some guys here and there,” Seafoot said.

The Senior Spartans have their next game on Sept. 27 against McCoy in Medicine Hat.

“They’re a Tier 3 team, I’m hoping we have a game with them,” Seafoot said.