The Howe Sound Sounders are heading to the championship game this weekend after last Friday’s overtime win.
In a rematch of their last regular season game, they squared off against Eric Hamber Secondary’s Griffins for the football semi-finals in Burnaby.
“Our team has come a long way in a short period of time. We may not be the fastest or strongest, but our players have no shortage of heart, and that is tough to beat,” said head coach Jim Errington.
Each team started with a fumble on its first possession, and neither could muster up any offence through the first quarter.
In the second, Hamber was in striking distance of the end zone until Scott Messier picked off a pass on the one-yard line. Unfortunately, the Sounders could not move the ball up field and tried a punt, which was blocked. With great field position, Hamber was able to run the ball in for the first score of the game.
Through the rest of the second quarter, Howe Sound failed to get the offence going and trailed 6-0 at the half.
Things took a turn for the better at the start of the third quarter when Lukas Nering ran the ball in from the one to tie up the score.
Howe Sound owned the ball for much of the third, as Hamber was only able to run four plays on offence.
The Sounders jumped out to a 12-6 lead when Nering once again scored on the run.
Hamber started the fourth turning the ball over on four downs. Before long, Howe Sound took over and moved the ball to the Griffins’ 10-yard line but could not score.
With less than two minutes left on the clock, Hamber blocked a punt and returned it for their second touchdown. However, Howe Sound was able to stop a two-point conversion attempt from a yard out to keep the score knotted at 12-12.
Nothing was settled after regulation, so the teams went to overtime. Choosing to defend, Howe Sound’s Ralph Belandres picked off a pass. Howe Sound ended up in great field position, 10 yards out. It took four attempts, but the Sounders were finally able to push the ball over the goal line, with Messier running it into the end zone for the 18-12 win.
“Although the score doesn’t really reflect it, once again our offensive line was outstanding,” Errington said.
The victory puts Howe Sound in the Tier II varsity championship game against league-leading Earl Marriott, after Marriott beat Spectrum 13-6, also last Friday.
Errington said that Howe Sound has made the finals before but has never won. He said his team will need to be disciplined in terms of avoiding penalties and untimely turnovers.
Kick-off for the final is set for Saturday (Nov. 28) 9:30 a.m. at BC Place.
