It was a tough weekend for the Cumberland House Islanders and Senator Myles Venne Huskies as both teams lost their respective games at the Northern Saskatchewan High School Football League championships in Prince Albert.
In a tight Tier One game on Saturday, Cumberland House was edged out by the Creighton Kodiaks 46-38 in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
In the earlier Tier Two game, Senator Myles Venne was downed by the Ahtahkakoop Titans 60-33.
Both teams play six-aside football.
The Huskies were trailing the Titans 38-25 at the half but were then outscored 22-8 in the third and fourth quarters by game’s end.
In spite of the loss, Huskies coach Steve Aldridge said the team has nothing to be ashamed about.
“It was a super positive year,” he said. “We were underdogs all year long, we didn’t play football last year, we had a lot of buy in from the students at practices and games, a lot of excitement around the school and it was a very fun year for us. We had a lot of fun and nobody expected us to be here and I think we held our heads high and played hard right to the end of the game.”
The Islanders and Kodiaks game was a seesaw affair with the two teams tied for much of the match.
The teams were tied at 24 at the half after splitting six touchdowns in the first two quarters.
Cumberland House and Creighton then scored one touchdown apiece in the third quarter with the game still tied heading into the fourth.
The Kodiaks then pulled ahead late in the fourth quarter scoring one unconverted touchdown and a second touchdown to the Islanders’ lone touchdown.
League Coordinator Mark Williment said the game was one of the best he’s seen.
“It was fantastic,” he said. “It was tied at the half, tied at the third quarter and almost tied at the final buzzer. Last second touchdown – it was probably one of the best games, the best championship game we’ve probably ever had.”
The loss was particularly heartbreaking for Cumberland House after winning back-to-back Ralph Pilz trophies and going undefeated for almost three years.
Both games were played at Max Clunie field.
Provincials are up next.
(PHOTOS: Top to bottom first, Senator Myles Venne Huskies, in white, and Ahtahkakoop Titans, dark, in action. Second, Northern Saskatchewan High School Football League organizer Mark Williment, second from right, and players from Senator Myles Venne Huskies. Third, Cumberland House Islanders, dark, and Creighton Kodiaks, white, in action. Bottom, Islanders coach Brent Tunstall consoles one his players after the game. Photos by Fraser Needham.)