A versatile showing from Devin Logan and a lights-out performance from the defence paved the way for the W.J. Mouat Hawks to steamroll the Terry Fox Ravens 33-0 in high school football action on Friday evening.
Logan, the Hawks' talented senior tailback, accounted for a trio of touchdowns in the first half – on a 65-yard punt return, a 20-yard run, and a 55-yard pass on an option throw to receiver Deion Bain.
"We knew he could throw the ball pretty well, so we put that play in," Hawks coach Denis Kelly explained. "It came off of one of our best running plays. He's got that ability, and I think teams are going to have to respect that in the future."
In the second half, Mouat quarterback Daniel Markin threw TD passes to Bain and Tanner Strauss to round out the scoring.
Kelly felt it was the "best all-around performance of the year" for the Hawks, ranked No. 2 among B.C. AAA teams.
BATEMAN 46, PITT MEADOWS 29
The Pitt Meadows Marauders went to their bag of tricks early and often against the Robert Bateman Timberwolves, attempting three onside kicks – and recovering all of them – in the first half on Friday.
That kept the T-Wolves' offence off the field for long stretches of the first half. But once Bateman sorted out their special-teams snafus, they were off to the races, winning their AA regular season opener 46-29 on the road.
"It often happens in atom and peewee – it shouldn't happen at varsity," Bateman coach Rick MacDonald said with a wry chuckle, referring to Pitt Meadows' eyebrow-raising success with onside kicks. "I'm going to write it off to two weeks without a game, just being rusty and not there. We woke up after that."
The T-Wolves scored on every offensive possession, with fullback Freddy Lyhne leading the way with 121 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just 12 carries. Justin Douglas rushed for a TD and threw for another to Justin Vargas, while Jorden Best and Kyle Cummings (on an interception return) also found the end zone.
ABBY COLLEGIATE 30, LANGLEY 0
A multi-faceted performance from Dallas Yassinsky paced the Abbotsford Collegiate Panthers to a 30-0 road win over Langley Secondary in non-conference action on Friday.
Yassinsky had a team-high five receptions for 84 yards and a TD. He also scored on an 85-yard punt return, and chipped in with an interception on defence.
"He's definitely one of our key weapons," Panthers coach Jay Fujimura noted. "We put him in a position where he can get the ball in a number of ways, whether on the ground, through the air or on special teams."
For the first time this season, the Panthers generated more yards on the ground than through the air. Dillon McGuire led the way in that department, going for 105 yards and one TD on six carries.
Quarterback Carter Williams threw for 149 yards and two TDs – one to Yassinsky, and one to Jesse Neufeld.
MISSION 43, HANSEN 7
The Mission Roadrunners, the province's No. 2-ranked AA squad, lived up to their advance billing, thumping the Rick Hansen Hurricanes 43-7 on Friday.
In the aftermath, Hansen head coach Paul Gill bemoaned the number of big plays surrendered by his defence.
"They are a good football team, but we made it easy for them as well," he said. "If they'd gotten their points by methodically working their way down the field, I'd be more okay with that. But to allow so many big plays is unacceptable."
Mission quarterback Kevin Wiens threw for two majors and rushed for another, while the Hansen score came on a five-yard pass from Harpreet Dhaliwal to Shanjot Brar.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
An all-Abbotsford AA match-up between Bateman and Abby Collegiate highlights the weekend football schedule. Both teams are 1-0 in Eastern Conference play heading into Friday's game (3 p.m., Rotary Stadium).
"They're not to be taken lightly," Bateman coach MacDonald said of the Panthers. "They're fierce, and they don't quit."
In other AA action, Hansen hosts Pitt Meadows (Friday, 3 p.m., Hansen Secondary) in a game that may well determine the fourth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Both teams are 0-2 in league play.
On the AAA scene, Mouat visits Lord Tweedsmuir of Surrey (Friday, 2:30 p.m., Lord Tweedsmuir).