Coming off a 53-7 win against Vermilion to open their season, the Bonnyville Voyageurs were able to pick right up where they left off for their home opener.
They were playing host to the Westlock Thunder Birds on Friday evening in front of a great crowd who had something to cheer about early with a touchdown from the Voyageurs on their first drive, giving them a 7-0 lead just three minutes in.
Five minutes later, Evan Fritzer, who scored the first touchdown of the game for the Voyageurs, added to the lead to extend the deficit to 14 points.
The touchdowns kept on coming for the Voyageurs as Reid Skrypichayko scored two. The first of which would be a punt return for 60 yards to the house to give the voyageurs a 21-0 lead. Then he would complete a 24-yard play with eight seconds left in the quarter to give the Voyageurs a 28-point lead after 12 minutes of play.
The Voyageurs found themselves getting into some penalty trouble. In the first minute of the second quarter the Voyageurs blocked a Thunder Birds punt and recovered the loose ball but were called for roughing the kicker. This call cost Bonnyville the possession along with 15 yards of field position. This was the first of two penalties like this that the Voyageurs would succumb to during this game.
But, after that misplay Bonnyville got back on track with a 45-yard catch and run from Jacob Cardenas. While the placeholder mishandled the ball on the extra point try, the misfortune worked out for the Voyageurs.
The placeholder instead threw the ball to the end zone, where Zach Hesson was waiting to make the catch. This would turn an extra point play into a two-point conversion for the Voyageurs - extending the lead to 36 points.
To end out the half Silas Fagnan completed a pass to Hesson to push the lead past 40 points.
The score at the half was 43-0 in favour of the hometown Voyageurs.
The start of the second was sloppy for Bonnyville. The first two plays of the half the Voyageurs would fumble the ball. The first time they recovered it, but the second time they weren't nearly as lucky as Westlock took possession. Yet again, the defence was too tough to beat as they held the Thunder Birds and didn't allow a touchdown.
“A shutout by the defence is always amazing,” said Skrypichayko following the game. “We didn't shut them out last week, but they only got seven … It's not all just skill its heart and you know defence is all effort, it's a great group out there.”
Later in the quarter, Skrypichayko would score his third touchdown of the game with a 15 yard run.
The Voyageurs made the decision to bring in the younger players to allow them to get some playing time. With a field goal in the later moments of the fourth quarter, the Voyageurs would come out with a 53-0 win to extend their record to 2-0 on the season.
Although the score wasn't close, Skrypichayko said this game was good for allowing everyone on the Voyageurs to get some time on the field.
“Games like this, they're tough to stay focused in but, we get our subs in and we build our program. It's good for us as a program and the young guys love playing, so our starters easily step aside and bring the young guys in.”
While they may still have the majority of the season ahead of them, coach Larry Godzuik mentioned the level of experience on the Voyageurs is already noticeable.
“Were bringing in some key returning Grade 12s with lots of experience. Were at the point where we have players coming at us with four or five years of football experience already, which means by the time they hit Grade 12 they've got eight or nine years of football behind them, which makes a huge difference,” said Godzuik.
The Voyageurs next game is the Scott MacDonald Memorial tournament and will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 17 at Walsh Field.
