Lions Come From Behind To Win Skydiver Special
Story and Photos by Robert Thomas
If you were to judge the game by its first half of play it looked the Moose Jaw Spartans were on their way to their second straight win against the Moose Jaw Lions.
But football is a four quarter game and in the second half the Lions came out with a roar going on to defeat the Spartans 32 - 24 in Kinsmen Moose Jaw Minor Foitball League U12 division action on Friday evening.
The game saw the Spartans take a 12 - 0 lead at the end of the First Quarter.
The Second Quarter saw the Lions get on the scoreboard only to see the Spartans score a final play touchdown leaving the score Spartans 18 and Lions 6 at Halftime.
The Third Quarter saw the Spartans defence hold the Lions for four different possessions with the ball just out of the end zone.
The score at the end of the quarter was Spartans 18 and Lions 6.
The Fourth Quarter saw the Lions find their courage on the green turf road as they hit pay dirt in the end zone.
Strong Lions defensive play thwarted the Spartans from successfully attacking as the Lions went on to a 32 to 24 victory.
“We got our revenge on them I guess,” Lions head coach Kellyn Bollinger told MJ Independent in a post game interview.
The last time the Lions met the Spartans on September 13th it was a commanding 32 - 6 win by the Spartans.
The results mirror last season’s 1 - 1 split between the two teams - the Spartans winning first only to lose the second regular season league game to the Lions.
“It was a good game tonight,” Bollinger said adding “an exciting come back from behind win.”
“I couldn’t have asked for more. The guys were ready. They gave it everything they had out there and yes the first quarter was rough but man that second half they played their hearts out,” he said.
He agreed the Spartans controlled the first half of play.
“It was pretty bleak after the first half. The score late (by the Spartans) in the last play of the first half that was a tough one especially since they got the ball back right after the break.”
Despite being outplayed in the first half Bollinger said the Lions bounced back.
“Our boys battled back after the half time. I told them at half (time) it wasn’t over and games are never over. And they battled back and came out hard and came out strong in the second half,” he said.
A major highlight of the game came at the end of third quarter when the Lions were first and goal but the Spartans defence held on four separate possessions.
“It was tough moving the ball. It was a really good defence we were playing with with the Spartans and every yard is earned against them. I think by the end we wore them down and in the fourth quarter we were finally able to start moving the ball.”
The fourth quarter was the turning point in the game for Lions.
“Credit to our guys they kept battling the whole time and never gave up,” Bollinger said.
A key play was a big interception by the Lions.
“The big interception was nice. It was a good way to seal the game. I’m really happy for Dawid Alberts. It was a good time to get that big pick.”
Although he admitted it was hard to say who played better the Lions defence or offence Bollinger said “I would have to say defence. They played really well except for the one big play at the end of the half. They got off to a slow start but man once they figured it out they played well.”
Despite the win he said the Lions have a major challenge facing the undefeated 4 - 0 Moose Jaw Bulldogs.
“We have to get our guys prepped for that. It’s ours to lose at this point so we can go out and win. We can win the league or not. It’s all on us. So we’ve got to prep for the Bulldogs,” he said.
For Moose Jaw Spartans head coach Brock Montgomery classified the game as “a pretty good grind.”
“We had a good first half and then we got into some injury trouble and tried to get some kids to play some different positions. A few kids missing but a few extra reps and it got all challenging. We played kids in different spots and they stepped up the best they could but the Lions are a good team and they don’t give you much space,” Montgomery said.
The challenges made it tough for Montgomery to feel they had the Lions beat despite the Spartans great first half of play.
“I felt like it (the Spartans had the Lions number) at times but I knew we didn’t have them because I knew the challenges we were up against. They are a good team and they’re not going to give you much for long and they closed the door on us.”
The last play of the first half touchdown helped the Spartans “but we knew it was going to be a battle with what we had coming into the game.”
It was an ideal situation for the Spartans as to start the second half they had the ball back.
“But in the end we came up a little bit short tonight but it was a good game.”
The key defensive battle came late in the third quarter when the Spartans defence stopped the Lions on four separate possessions within sight of the goal line.
“I would say it was a pretty good defensive battle. They got a few scores on us late in the game and they swung the momentum there. We were kind of hemmed in our own zone a little too long. We get a few stops on them but they are going to score on you if you hang around in your own end long enough.”
When the Spartans offence took on a tough Lions defence. They forced the ball over on downs in the battle in close to the Spartans end zone.
About the repeat of the split which mirrored the results from the 2023 season - the Spartans took game one of the series and the Lions came back to win the second regular season game - he said “they’re always good games and it’s what I love most about it. They’re always good games.”
“It’s fun. The kids gave a good time. There are ups and downs in the games and hopefully they don’t hang their heads after that one.”
Montgomery said the Spartans were going to reset over the coming week and get ready at practice as next week they face the Estevan Chargers.
Although the Chargers have only won a single game this season they have lost after some tough battles.
Video of a late fourth quarter interception by the Moose Jaw Lions Ryder Darroch
The loss drops the Spartans to a 3 - 2 record in third place in the U12 division.
