It was one giant leap for Cooper Bennink and one big step towards the Tier 2 Provincial Championships for the Howe Sound Sounders football club.
With the Belmont Bulldogs needing to complete a pass to win the game, Bennink swatted aside a potential touchdown pass and ensured the 19-14 victory for the Sounders on Friday (Nov. 18) in Victoria. With the win, the Sounders advance to the provincial finals and will take on the Nanaimo Islanders today (Nov. 25) at the Burnaby Lakes Complex.
"Belmont is probably the best team Howe Sound has played in the last three years," said Sounders head coach Jim Errington. "We have had a lot of good games this year and a couple of nail biters, but nothing like this. It came down to one thing, as it usually does - heart."
Errington admitted that it was a little intimidating when the Sounders arrived at Belmont. The Bulldogs had 62 players dressed as opposed to Howe Sound's 23 and Belmont is equipped with a clubhouse, a turf practice field and a support staff of 10. However, none of that mattered when the two teams took to the gridiron.
Swo-wo Gabriel reached the end zone on the Sounders' first possession, and after a strong defensive stand, Anthony Wuster rushed 29 yards to put the Sounders up 13-0 early on. Wuster added a 70-yard touchdown run on the Sounders' next possession to give Howe Sound a 19-0 lead heading into halftime.
Injuries and fatigue began to impact the Sounders in the second half and Belmont began chipping away at the lead in the fourth quarter, but Bennink's timely deflection locked up the win for the Sounders. It was the first time all season that the Bulldogs had tasted defeat and Errington said a Bulldog fan remarked to him that he was stunned by the Howe Sound's grit and tenacity.
The offensive numbers from the win showcased just how impressive the Sounders were on the ground. Howe Sound picked up 272 yards rushing and were led by Wuster, who racked up 200 yards and two touchdowns. Gabriel added 33 yards and scored the team's other touchdown.
Defensively, it was another stellar performance for the Sounders. Jordan Gosteli was all over the field, picking up an astounding 14 tackles. Wuster picked up eight of his own, while James Kyle, Lucas Fiest and Griffin Dare had five tackles apiece. Fiest was tops on the team with two sacks.
Next up for the Sounders is the big one - the Tier 2 Provincial final, which takes place today (Nov. 25) at 11 a.m. at the Burnaby Lakes Complex, 3677 Kensington Ave. in Burnaby. Howe Sound will battle a familiar foe, as the Sounders lock horns with the Islanders. Back on Oct. 29, Howe Sound suffered its only loss of the year, falling to Nanaimo 21-12. The Islanders have yet to be beaten yet this year, going undefeated in the regular season. Last week, Nanaimo beat the Timberline Wolves last week to advance to the finals.
