The Bonnyville Voyageurs picked up right where they left off last season, dominating the competition in their first meaningful game of the season.
While the contest had no implications on the Wheatland Football League (WFL) standings, the Voyageurs matchup against the Whitecourt Cats Friday, Sept. 1 at Caouette Park will help decide where Bonnyville sits in the Alberta power rankings.
From the opening kickoff it was apparent Bonnyville was dialled in to their game plan. Before Whitecourt's kick returner could get a proper handle on the ball, a pile of Voyageurs had pounced on it, forcing the game's first turnover in just 10 seconds.
With a short field in front of him, returning quarterback Silas Fagnan, with the help of his running back Tristan Smith, marched the offence to the end zone for the game's first score.
“We practiced for this. I told the guys if they wanted to set the tempo for the season, they would have to play big, and that's exactly what they did,” said Fagnan.
Keeping their foot on the gas pedal, the Voyageurs forced the Cats to punt on their next two series. Meanwhile the offence looked unstoppable, scoring on each of their possessions and opening up a 17-0 lead.
Heading into the half, the teams exchanged touchdowns, bringing the score to 24-7. After playing against each other for the better part of a month, the group was excited to see work in practice translate to success on the field.
“Practice makes perfect, this is what we've been doing for four weeks now. The guys did a great job but there's still a lot of room for improvement,” explained Fagnan.
The second half told a different story. While the Voyageurs were able to move the ball sporadically, adding another 23 points in the process, the offence stalled at times.
Defensively, the Voyageurs held strong, only allowing the Cats to score twice more, securing Bonnyville a 47-21 victory.
“In the first half we played primarily our starting 11 guys, and there were a lot of positives there, though we still have work to do on our pass blocking. Once you start subbing in so many people its tough to maintain consistency,” said head coach Larry Godziuk.
With a 30-point lead going into the fourth quarter, the result was all but a foregone conclusion. Still, a poorly executed second half gave Godziuk a lot to focus on in the film room.
When the Voyageurs take the field for their second power ranking matchup, they'll hope to have fixed issues on the offensive line, while maintaining good team discipline.
“It all starts up front on the offensive line. If we don't get consistent blocking there, it's very difficult to pass. We have to get better in a lot of areas, we took some penalties this week that we really shouldn't be taking. We'll work on it and hopefully the guys execute a little better next week,” noted Godziuk.
The return of an injured lineman could help solve some of the team's pass blocking frustrations. Against the Cats, the Voyageurs were without one of their leaders in Navarone Watchmaker.
“In the third quarter we really tried to work on passing and it was difficult because the pass rush was so prevalent. It was definite inexperience, three of our five guys were new to the offensive line and it showed. Next week we get a couple injured lineman back, I'm hoping that helps in our game against Fort McMurray,” explained Godziuk.
From here the Voyageurs will prepare for their second power ranking game against Father Mercredi Fort McMurray on Friday, Sept. 8 (planned to be at Walsh Field), before switching their attention to the WFL season.
While the team remains focused on the task at hand, their aspirations stretch beyond a WFL title this season.
“This gives us so much confidence. We plan on being ranked in the top two; it's time for Bonnyville to get out there and start winning provincial championships,” said wide receiver Jacob Cardenas.
