The Carlton Crusaders football season came to an end at Max Clunie Field on Saturday.
The Moose Jaw Central Cyclones defeated the Crusaders 31-24 in a 5A Provincial semifinal. The game also ended Carlton’s defence of the 5A Provincial Championship.
The Cyclones advanced to the 5A Provincial Final against last year’s finalist, Regina FW Johnson.
Carlton led 7-3 after the first quarter and 14-10 after the second quarter, but the Cyclones pulled ahead 17-14 in the third quarter and hung on for the win. Carlton head coach Lindsay Strachan said the two teams were evenly matched.
“That’s two good football teams going at it, and you know what, hats off to Moose Jaw,” Strachan said. “That’s a physical, well-coached team. It’s a one square game at the end and we just happen to be on the wrong side of it. (I’m) proud of our effort, proud of our compete (level). We were just on the wrong side of it today.”
The Crusaders opened the scoring two minutes into the game with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Proedahl after an incredible catch by Zane Litzenberger to get the Crusaders to first-and-goal. Just over six minutes into the second quarter Phillips hit Bladen Dogniez for a 17-yard touchdown. After a lengthy scoring drought as the Cyclones gradually took control of the game Litzenberger hit a 33-yard field goal 3:45 into the fourth quarter. The Crusaders made the game close with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Proedahl as the clock hit zeros.
Phillips threw two interceptions in the second half.
Phillips was the leading rusher for the Crusaders with 65 yards on nine carries, Rylan Morrison was held to 37 yards on seven carries. With Litzenberger covered well and injured for parts of the second half the Crusaders leadning receiver was Dogniez with eight catches for 156 yards. Litzenberger still managed three catches for 70 yards on the day.
Phillips finished the day 15 for 30 with 285 yards.
Strachan said the game showed that it was a team effort.
“Everybody pitched in,” he said. “I mean, those guys… I guess you hear their names a lot, but like we talked about last week, it’s all committee around here. When those guys are having success, it’s the result of a bunch of other people doing their jobs well too.”
With Litzenberger covered well the offence had to do some redirection to other players.
“He (Litzenberger) wasn’t at 100 per cent in the last couple quarters,” Strachan said. “But as we’ve done all year, guys stepped up and like I said it’s a good football game. We just ended up on the wrong side of it.”
The Cyclones opened their scoring with a 15-yard field goal by Ciaran McCullough eight minutes into the first quarter. Kayden Nightingale scored the first major for Moose Jaw 8:41 into the second quarter. In the third quarter Reid Weiss added a touchdown at the back of the end zone at 4:57.
The Cyclones leading rusher was Nightingale with 173 yards on 20 carries. Quarterback Hudson Belsher went 16 for 22 with 262 yards. The Cyclones leading receiver was Weiss with seven catches for 104 yards.
In the fourth quarter the Cyclones opened with a 10-yard touchdown run by Keaton Belsher 1:28 into the quarter. The Cyclones finished their scoring with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Weiss 10:57 into the quarter.
The Crusaders lose several players to graduation including Litzenberger and others. Strachan emphasised to players the effort was still worth it even if the results were not what they wished for Grade 12 players.
“There’s nothing to hang our heads about,” Strachan said. “All those guys have done so much for our program and as much as they’re great football players they’re even better people.
“(I’m) excited to see some of them continue their football career, but excited to see all of them be out in our community, be good community members.”
With the semifinal win, Central will face off with Regina F.W. Johnson Wildcats after they defeated Saskatoon Bishop James Mahoney 12-7 in Regina. That game will be played at 1 p.m. on Nov. 8 in Moose Jaw.
