Okotoks’ high school football teams are on a roll with the playoffs in sight.
Both the Holy Trinity Academy Knights and Foothills Falcons enter the stretch drive on winning streaks with postseason football on the horizon.
Due to schedule changes and the ensuing unavailability of referees, the highly-anticipated match between the Knights and Cochrane Cobras on Oct. 6 had to be downgraded to a scrimmage.
“We did a little bit of special teams on its own, three minutes of kickoff, kickoff return and punt,” said Knights head coach Matt Hassett. “We did two or three sets of straight offence versus defence. If you look at the scores straight up starters versus starters we won seven scores to five.”
Coming on the heels of three consecutive lopsided victories, the No. 1 ranked Knights were thankful to get healthy competition in the form of the Cobras, albeit in a scrimmage setting.
Cochrane, a perennial powerhouse in Tier III, opted up to Tier I this season.
“It was disappointing not to have a real game,” the coach added. “But it was a high level scrimmage and high level competition. We both have outstanding teams.
“And I thought we matched up well against them.”
HTA had 350 yards rushing with the team’s three primary backs Seth Poelzer, Jake Bourdin and Marshall Hartwell all scoring touchdowns.
Poelzer, a Grade 10 student, finished with two majors on 158 yards rushing.
“He’s got a long football background,” Hassett said. “His dad (Mark) used to coach here many years ago before Seth was born and he’s come back and his helping out with the offensive line. For the most part, it’s (Seth’s) experience and his work ethic in the weight room.
“A lot of the Grade 10s really took to the training program we put in during the offseason and he was one of them and that’s really helped him.”
The Knights close the season with two more challenging matches on paper with trips to Cardston and Raymond on Oct. 14 and 21, respectively.
The No. 10 ranked Falcons made it two consecutive victories by blanking Medicine Hat’s Crescent Heights Vikings 20-0 on Oct. 7 in Okotoks.
Grade 10 dual threat quarterback Emerson Liepert had another terrific performance with 113 yards passing and 60 yards rushing, including a one-yard touchdown run and six-yard touchdown connection with wide receiver Caleb Baker.
Power-runner Derek Boisvert added the other major on an eight-yard trip to pay dirt, highlighting a dominant 108-yards rushing evening for the tailback.
On defence, linebacker Noah Blackburn and safety Borden Giesbrecht each posted four tackles and one sack with outside linebacker Jeremy Welykochy adding another forced fumble to his season totals.
Foothills (4-2-0) will close the regular season with two of three on the road.
Up next for the Comp is a trip to Lethbridge to clash with Catholic Central on Oct. 14. The team’s next home date is Oct. 28 versus Raymond.
