The BC High School Football quarterfinals was more of the same for the Robert Bateman Timberwolves senior varsity football team.
Dominant play on both sides of the ball led to a 37-0 win over the Argyle Pipers at Abbotsford’s Panther Field on Friday (Nov. 18).
The Timberwolves defence stopped Argyle’s first drive and the offence then went to work. Quarternback Nolan Watrin connected with Braden Tuchscherer for about a 20-yard pass to open the scoring in the first quarter.
.@BatemanFootball quarterback @nolanwatrin gets a big first down on a pass to Colby Johnson against Argyle in the @BCHSFB quarterfinal round. No score early in the first pic.twitter.com/GxgV4HnHhm
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) November 19, 2022
The very next Argyle drive saw Watrin score a pick-six and put Bateman up 14-0. The Timberwolves defence continued to roar on the next drive, pushing Argyle back and forcing them to concede a safety.
The second quarter saw running back Micah Barker score a major to put Bateman up 23-0 and the running game scored again when Taejshon Catlin scampered in from about 15 yards to put the Timberwolves up 30-0 at halftime.
Liam Olafsen on a short yardage touchdown pass from Watrin was the lone score of the second half and Bateman earned the 37-0 win.
AA QUARTERFINALS
— Bateman Football (@BatemanFootball) November 19, 2022
Bateman - 37
Argyle - 0@BCHSFB @BCSchoolSports @AbbyNews @AbbotsfordSD @chatfootball
The Bateman defence allowed just three first downs in the game and recorded the team’s seventh shutout this season. The Timberwolves are undefeated in three exhibition, six regular season and one playoff game so far this season.
The win also punches the Timberwolves ticket to BC Place next weekend for the AA semi-final.
Timberwolves head coach David Mills said he was pleased with all aspects of his team’s game and that his players were eager to return to the field after earning a bye last week. He said the defence, which has been strong all season, once again shined.
“We just have a great combination of strength, speed, football IQ and knowing where to be at the right time,” he said. “They have been doing a really good job for us.”
Mills admitted that last year’s loss in the provincial final has been a motivating factor for the 2022 team.
“Every day since last December it’s been brought up,” he said, laughing. “It’s a bitter taste in a lot of these guys mouth from that game.”
Bateman fell 40-38 in overtime to the Carson Graham Eagles in last year’s AA provincial final. They also fell to the Vernon Panthers in the 2018 AA provincial final.
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A win in next week’s provincial semi-final means an opportunity for the Timberwolves to try to numb the pain of those two losses. The AA provincial final is likely to occur on Dec. 3.
More statistics from the Bateman game will be added to this story when they are made available.
Meanwhile, Friday marked the end of the line for the W.J. Mouat Hawks as they lost 37-34 to St. Thomas More in Burnaby.
Look for an updated version of this story when more details emerge from that game or check the print edition of the Abbotsford News.
