September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) - Hyack's Tyson Black hurdles Ram's defence - Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)

 

September 20, 2019    Victoria, BC (ISN) – The varsity New Westminster Hyacks defeated the 2018 reigning BC High School Football champion Mount Douglas Rams 33-21 Friday in a matinee game in Victoria, marking the start of the regular season for the two Western Conference high school football heavyweights.

September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) -    - Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)
September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) – – Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)

Friday’s game was a rematch of the 2018 3-A Subway Bowl Provincial High School Championship in which the Rams would get the better of the Hyacks, lifting the trophy in victory with a 48-24 win.

September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) -    - Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)
September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) – – Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)

The Hyacks wouldn’t waste any time looking for a statement win as starting veteran QB Payton Myers would orchestrate his team to a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter with a two-yard run by Greyson Planinsic, and a QB keeper by Myers to go up 12-0.  Hyack’s Austin Galbraith would reply to a Ram’s two-yard major by Jordan Clark, with his own run of an 85-yard kick-off return variety to take a Hayack 18-7 lead.

September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) - Hyack's starting QB Payton Mayers feels the Ram's pressure   - Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)
September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) – Hyack’s starting QB Payton Mayers feels the Ram’s pressure – Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)

Unphased, the Ram’s starting QB Hunter Swift, taking advantage of Hyack miscues, would put the ball in the hands of Joe Lucas who would scamper for 15 of his game total 69 yards for the major to put his team closer 18-15.  Swift would connect with Linden Williams for the 2-point conversion.  The Ram’s pivot would finish the game 14-25, throwing for a total 152 yards against a tough New Westminster secondary.

September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) - Ram's Hunter Swift feels the Hyack pressure, throwing the ball on the run   - Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)
September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) – Ram’s Hunter Swift feels the Hyack pressure, throwing the ball on the run – Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)

Despite a resilient Rams defensive squad, head coach Farhan Lalji’s Hyacks would continue their offensive pressure with time running out in the first half, Myers would pass to Planinsic for a five-yard TD pass to take a 26-15 lead into halftime on a successful 2-point conversion. Planinsic would finish the game carrying the ball twelve times for 137 yards.

September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) - Hyack's Greyson Planinsic would carry the ball 12 times for 137 yards. - Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)
September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) – Hyack’s Greyson Planinsic would carry the ball 12 times for 137 yards. – Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)

Both teams would spar in the second half, trading TD’s. Myers would throw to tight end Mathew Drake in the end zone to go up 33–16 on the Rams in the third quarter of play.

Rams, with their only reply of the 2ndhalf, would give the ball to Glen Rose out of the back field, running 15 yards to the house to close out the scoring in the final quarter 33-21.

September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) -  Ram's Glen Rose with a fourth quarter TD.  - Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)
September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) – Ram’s Glen Rose with a fourth quarter TD. – Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)

The Rams, surely looking for a rematch, will have to wait and hope for a post season draw as Friday’s 33-21 result will be their only game of the BC High School Football season.

Coach Lalji, happy with his team’s performance, was quoted post game, “I’m very proud of our effort today. “Obviously there was a lot of motivation for this one, but resiliency is the word of the day for us. We came into this game missing a number of key players and others got banged up as the game progressed. Whoever was needed to step up did. Mt. Douglas is a very good team and they kept battling back but our guys were always able to get momentum back in all three phases of the game.” “This is a very tough place to come and win and a great way to start league play.”

September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) -  Hyacks win 33-21.  - Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)
September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) – Hyacks win 33-21. – Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)

With the Rams loss, coach Mark Townsend can only look forward after an early season, game one loss of a seven-game schedule. “Our team played hard to the end with great effort, which was great to see, but we gave up too many plays on the field,” said Rams’ Townsend. “We knew that New West had another great team this year, and our mindset must be to see improvement at every opportunity in order to compete in the tough Western Conference. It all starts in practice with a focus to work hard by all players which we will continue to emphasize going forward.”

September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) - Ram's would not go down without  contesting the game as the defence bares down on Myers. - Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)
September 20, 2019. Victoria, BC (ISN) – Ram’s would not go down without contesting the game as the defence bares down on Myers. – Erich Eichhorn image (www.allsportmedia.ca)

Next up, the Rams pack their bags for a Saturday matchup versus Vancouver College September 28th. The Hyacks will host Notre Dame in their home season opener under the lights at Mercer Stadium Friday, September 27th.