Badgers crush competition
By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter
Tyler Lowey Photo
In what has been a complete 180-degree turn from last year’s winless season, the Badgers have creamed their competition with their overwhelming size this season.
They continued on their path of destruction with a 70-0 dismantling of the Olds Bulldogs Sept. 22 at a misty and sometimes snowy Crowther Memorial Junior High School field.
“Our kids are monsters this year. We’re big and we’re fast — I couldn’t believe the 40-yard dash times we were running during training camp,” said Badgers Head Coach Greg Zaugg. “With the peewees, our lines weren’t moving the other team much. Now we crush guys. We have a bunch of great athletes this year.”
After a quick defensive stop to open their first home game of the Central Football League season, Brady Johansen ran a punt back 33 yards for the opening score.
From there, it was all Badgers and they didn’t let up one bit, as six different players found pay dirt.
Sean Grill off a pass at midfield, which set up a 14-yard touchdown plunge by 25.
Even when the weather began to affect the Badgers, they still turned broken plays into positive gains.
Brett Wright fumbled a pair of snaps but scrambled for big gains. Then, in a goal-to-go scenario, Landen Folvik fumbled the direct snap, but scooped up the ball and lumbered his way into the end zone.
Wirght added another score and Brady Johansen returned another punt. Then, with less than a minute left before half, Ty Stone ran 55 yards to the house to put his squad up 48-0.
“We made sure to use different kids at different spots once we got ahead in the first half and it was great to see them all have success,” said Zaugg. “It’s a pretty great feeling knowing that I can put any kid into any position on either side of the ball and know they will have success.”
Stone, Brigham Zaugg and Riley Robinson added second-half scores, before Johansen put the finishing touches on the ball game by sprinting to the right pilon with less than a minute on the clock.
It may be early, but the Badgers look like one of the top teams in the league, as they have outscored their opposition 122-0.
“I don’t want to jinx anything, but we have a talented team and I think we can go a long way this year. If we keep executing this way and the players keep learning and listening to us, we have a chance,” said Zaugg.
The Badgers will bring their battering ram attack schemes back in action Sept. 29 when they take on the Ponoka Junior Broncos in Ponoka.
The normally dominant peewee Badgers find themselves in uncharted territory three weeks into the Central Peewee Football League season.
After skating through the season without any blemishes the past two seasons, the Badgers picked up their first loss this weekend, when they fell 46-0 in Lacombe to the hands of the Explosion.
After earning a tie in week 1 and sitting out during their bye last week, the Badgers now sit 0-1-1 early in the season.
The Badgers will be on the road this weekend when they are in Sylvan Lake to take on the Bears.
After a month of sitting, waiting and having game after game cancelled, the senior Badgers will finally strap on the pads in a meaningful game this weekend when they head to Carstairs Sept. 29 to take on the Tigers.
The Badgers have fallen victim the past two weeks after their opening week bye to teams that haven’t been able to field a full roster.