Week 5 of the Central Alberta minor football play brought plenty of excitement, with all our hometown teams turning in strong performances.
LAKERS
The Lakers kicked off the weekend in style on Friday night with a 26–15 win over the Camrose Trojans. Despite an undisciplined third quarter, the team stayed composed and kept the Trojans at bay.
The Lakers’ defence was outstanding, allowing just 160 total yards and only one touchdown, while the offence piled up more than 380 yards.
Player of the Game honors went to the entire offensive line, whose stellar pass protection and run blocking set the tone for the night.
Ben Flanders was named Player of the Game after a monstrous performance - leading the Lakers and making plays all over the field on both sides of the ball. Ozzy Koller and Jack Orich continued to excel, making big offensive plays and each grabbing an interception on defence. Dominic Silvernagle shone on special teams with some huge kick returns that consistently set the offence up with good field position.
LIONS
The Lions were hungry for their first win as they faced the Notre Dame Jr. Cougars and battled to a tie heading into the fourth quarter. A few missed tackles, however, allowed the Cougars to pull away, handing the Lions their fourth loss of the season, 38 - 8.
Despite the setback, the Lions continue to show growth and resilience. Van Merkley earned Player of the Game with a solid performance at quarterback and strong leadership both on the field and sidelines.
Lineman Keaton Wynnyk provided a highlight with a rare kickoff return touch late in the game, nearly breaking free and picking up 18 yards.
TIGERS
The Tigers roared back from last week's mixed performance with a strong outing and a double-header sweep in Red Deer, defeating both the Red Deer Bucks 1 and Rocky Mountain House. The squad continues to focus on development and fun, preparing their graduating players to join the U13 Bears next season.
BEARS
The U13 Bears capped the weekend in dominant fashion, keeping their undefeated streak alive with a 59–0 shutout of the Stettler Panthers.
It was their most complete game of the year, with the defence, bolstered by the return of 2024 Rookie of the year Hunter Symons, pitching its second straight shutout and rarely allowing the Panthers to move across midfield.
On offence, quarterback Brock Orich continued his breakout season, throwing four touchdown passes as the Bears balanced offence saw eight different players score touchdowns. Rett Kay added to the fireworks with two successful converts and a thrilling 40-yard scoop-and-score fumble return for a late touchdown.
Looking Ahead
The Lakers look to keep their momentum against Lindsay Thurber, while the Bears face their toughest test yet against the also-undefeated Red Deer Scotia Bucks. The Lions get a rematch with the Lindsay Thurber Jr. Raiders, and the Tigers travel to Drumheller for a doubleheader against the host team and a rematch against the Innisfail Cyclones.
