Hawks continue on provincial playoff road
The long road to the Bantam Rangeland Football Conference championship finally came to fruition for the Medicine Hat Hawks on Saturday afternoon at the Methanex Bowl.
The Hawks held on to defeat the Brooks Roadrunners 41-14 to clinch the team’s first-ever Rangeland title after helping start up the conference’s bantam division a few seasons ago. Now they have their sights firmly set on a provincial title.
“It took a couple years to get off the ground, but now here we are,” said Hawks coach Darren Klein. “All of us local teams were playing in (the Southern Alberta Minor Football Association) for almost 20 years and when it wasn’t servicing our needs anymore we had a discussion and wanted to put a league together that served our Medicine Hat local community.
“With vision good things come, and our team finally got a chance to win the league this year.”
The Hawks carried a two-score lead into the second half before confidently controlling the action in the second and locking up the title. Hawks Grade 9 quarterback Brody Fink says the victory was proof of all the work he and his teammates have put in over the past three seasons.
“It’s pretty nice because this is our first winning season since I was in Grade 7,” said Fink, who completed 4-of-7 passes for 105 yards. “In Grade 7 we didn’t have much chemistry. Last year we worked really well as a team, we just weren’t the best. This year, we’re on top.”
Klein added the Hawks came through in all areas of the gridiron, coming up with big plays on offence, defence and special teams. Aayden Callan ran for 136 yards, punched in three touchdowns and went 2for-3 kicking field goals. Receiver Tessema Veurink had one 35-yard catch and a touchdown reception from Fink, and Kai Noon converted a 60-yard picksix on defence.
The Hawks start their provincial push Saturday in Calgary for the South championship. The winner advances to the provincial final.
If they win, they’d host the final Nov. 17.
“That would be the Hawks’ first time there. We’ve been to the playoff game a couple of times, but hopefully we can win it this year,” said Klein. “This group of kids is another exceptional group that we’re going to send to high school next year.”