The Bonnyville Bandits captured the Wheatland Football League Championship on home turf Saturday afternoon, erasing a 14-point first quarter deficit in the process.
With time ticking down on Lloydminster's final drive up the field, Seth Papirny busted through the Chargers defensive line and dropped the quarterback. The sack, with 34 seconds left in regulation, squashed any hope of a Lloydminster comeback and sealed a 25-22 Bonnyville victory.
“It was a squeaky victory. It could have been anybody's game, but the guys played really hard,” said Bandits coach Dan Jubinville.
“We had a little bit of adversity. Our team has never really seen that this year.”
After the Chargers busted out to an early 14-0 lead, the Bonnyville offence finally started to click.
Silas Fagan found the end zone from five yards out to put the Bandits on the board just 57 seconds into the second quarter.
Six minutes later Fagnan would thread a short 11-yard pass to Friztler who weaved his way in for the score. A blocked point after attempt would leave the Bandits trailing 14-13 with 5 minutes left in the first half.
Thanks to the impressive play of Bonnyville's stingy defense this small deficit was short-lived.
With less than two minutes to go in the half, Papirny stepped up, picked off an errant pass and took it down to the 22-yard line.
On the ensuing offensive snap Fagnan found Evan Fritzler 30-yards downfield for an uncontested touchdown.
Bonnyville's dynamic offensive duo would go on to add to their lead midway through the third quarter. Fagnan lobbed a short pass to Fritzler and the Bandits were up 25-14.
With the Bandits offence running on all cylinders and the hometown team up 11-points, the Chargers got to Fagnan, forced a fumbled and returned it for the score. A successful Lloydminster two-point conversation would bring the visitors within three points.
A penalty-filled fourth quarter would aid several Chargers drives, but they were unable to convert.
“We knew they were going to pass a little more based on their last win,” said Jubinville. “We adjusted well and they didn't adjust to our substitutions.”
The Bandits hung on for the tight victory and advanced to the Tier III Provincial semi-finals on Nov. 14.
Bonnyville will travel to Grande Prairie to face-off with the Sexsmith Shamrocks Saturday at 11 a.m.
A victory would see them host the provincial final on Nov. 21 at Walsh Field.
