The W.J. Mouat Hawks and the Robert Bateman Timberwolves both posted blowout wins in the first round of the Grade 10 provincial football playoffs last week.
The Hawks blasted the West Vancouver Highlanders 39-6 in their AAA post-season opener behind a huge game from Maleek Irons. The Mouat tailback rushed for 240 yards and two touchdowns, and added a 65-yard punt return for another major.
The Mouat defence limited West Van to one late fourth-quarter TD, led by linebackers Clovis Lumeka, Viney Bhardwaj, Manpreet Chhina, and defensive linemen Levi Hua and Akash Sandhu. The Hawks defensive back unit of Hunter Struthers, Jake Firlotte, and Randy Bassi also excelled in the victory.
The T-Wolves were even more dominant – they crushed the Hugh Boyd Trojans of Richmond 50-0 in AA action.
Running back Ben Cummings romped through the Trojans defence for two long TDs of 43 and 48 yards in the first quarter, and he would finish with three more majors before all was said and done.
QB Tanner Friesen rushed for a TD and threw another to tight end Jerome Carretas, and linebacker Taeler Lochbaum rounded out the scoring with a safety in the fourth quarter.
Bateman generated five turnovers – interceptions by Kole Lochbaum, Mackenzie Johnson and Austen Zacher, and fumble recoveries by Garrat Carruthers and Sam Kibarita.
• In the provincial quarter-finals, Bateman takes on Clarence Fulton of Vernon on Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Mouat Field. Mouat, meanwhile, faces top-ranked and undefeated St. Thomas More of Burnaby at Burnaby Lakes Stadium on Thursday at 8 p.m.