Badgers perfect two years running
By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter
For the second year in a row, the Strathmore Community Football Association Badgers ran through the Central Peewee Football League with an undefeated record.
Second-year player Brady Johansen was the focal point in the 12-8 victory over the Lacombe Explosion Oct. 21 at Crowther Memorial Junior High School field.
Johansen got things going on the defensive side, when he picked off an Explosion (4-2) pass near midfield.
The drive didn’t result in any points, as the game was tied 0-0 when they switched ends after the first.
Both teams struggled handling snaps early in the morning, but Elliot made a clean handoff to Johansen in the second, who scampered 46 yards to pay dirt.
Later in the fourth, the Badgers (6-0) forced a three-and-out by the Explosion from the shadows of their own goal posts. Not having too far to go, Johansen took another handoff four yards to the end zone, putting the Badgers up 12-0.
In between Johansen touchdown celebrations, Explosion linebacker Devin Allarie was injured in a tackle attempt. The game was delayed for nearly a half hour while the ambulance arrived and carted him away. Explosion team officials said they were concerned about a neck injury and wanted to take every precaution. There was no update on his condition following the game.
The Explosion rallied around their fallen teammate, as Zach Kramer picked off Elliot, returning it 26 yards to the house.
But with 3:56 remaining, the Badgers controlled the clock, shutting down the Explosion, securing the win.
The scene shifts to the semis, where the Badgers will host the Red Deer Hornets Oct. 28 at CMJHS field, as they look to claim their second-straight CPWFL title and another chance at the provincial title — the only game they have lost in the past two years.
The Hornets placed fourth this season with a 3-3 record. The Badgers shaved the Hornets 13-12 in Week 2, back on Sept. 16 in Red Deer.
From then, the Badgers clamped down the defence as a unit, allowing the fewest amount of points (26) while producing the fourth best offence, scoring 133 points.
The senior Badgers had their hopes of a Mountainview Football Conference finals rematch dashed when they fell to the Didsbury Dragons 36-14 Oct. 20 in Didsbury.
The semis were a rematch of the final regular season game, when the Badgers were drubbed 61-13 Oct. 14 in McMahon Stadium.
A bye week in between games allowed the Badgers’ staff to watch game film and make adjustments for the playoff tilt.
“This was 100 per cent a better game than the one in McMahon. This game still managed to get away from us in the third quarter, but we fought hard and had people doing the right things,” said Badgers Head Coach Sean Seafoot. “We needed a perfect fourth quarter for us to come back, and it just didn’t work out.”
The Dragons bolstered their roster at the beginning of the season by absorbing players from the Bowden program that folded prior to the season.
“They had a very good team. They have lots of Grade 12s and we couldn’t get anything going,” said Seafoot. “I have nothing bad to say about them. They are a very good team.”
The adjustments the Badgers made were in the passing game. Back in McMahon, the Dragons plugged up the running game, so Seafoot drew up an aerial attack.
That’s where both of their touchdowns came from, when Luke Henry and Brandon Middlemiss hauled in receiving touchdowns.
It was an extra rewarding feeling for Middlemiss, who was last seen against the Dragons being carted away on a stretcher from getting dinged after hitting frozen McMahon turf too hard.
That’s all the Badgers could muster, leaving them short of a rematch against the Innisfail Cyclones in the conference final.
Up next for Seafoot’s squad will be the Badgers banquet Dec. 1, when the organization recognizes the top players from this past season.
The bantam Badgers wrapped up their regular season with a 59-6 loss to the 5-1 Sylvan Lake Lions Oct. 20 in Sylvan Lake, meaning they finished the season winless (0-6), placing them into the C playoff bracket, where they will take on the Ponoka Broncos (2-4) in Ponoka Oct. 28.