Crocus Plainsmen clipped by Kelvin

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This article was published 19/09/2018 (2767 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Crocus Plainsmen kept themselves just a play away from victory, but couldn’t find the one they needed.

The host Plainsmen fell 8-0 to the Kelvin Clippers in Winnipeg High School Football Division 2 action on Thursday.

With single-digit temperatures and a strong wind and rain, the game was destined to be a field position battle.

Both defences complied, forcing a handful of two and outs.

The field position battle had no clear favourite until Kelvin punter Ethan Nagler boomed one inside Crocus’ five-yard line early in the second quarter. The Plainsmen (1-2) fumbled and the Clippers (3-0) came up with the ball.

Crocus stood tall on the goal-line and Nagler split the uprights on a chip shot to give Kelvin a 3-0 lead.

Plainsmen head coach Blaine Moroz was pleased with the team’s performance against a tough Clippers squad.

“We can come out here and we can play with absolutely anybody and that’s exactly what we did today,” said Moroz. “We played good enough to win out here.”

Crocus kept it close, as neither team neared the end zone for most of the game. Moroz credits his team’s front seven for much of that.

“Our inside seven are fantastic,” he said. “They work together as a unit, they communicate so well.”

A key to that group is Colin Ravensdale.

Ravensdale, 16, had four tackles and forced a fumble, contributing to the four turnovers the Plainsmen forced. The Grade 11 student also lines up at running back, where he led the team with six carries for 44 yards.

“That young man has a special place in my heart,” said Moroz. “His fitness level and his dedication to the off-season program cannot be touched.”

Ethen Demchynski led the team with seven solo tackles. Miguel Dominguez chipped in from the secondary with four tackles, a forced fumble and an interception.

Ravensdale said it was the first two and out that gave the team momentum to help keep Kelvin in check.

“We got a sack and started to get progression,” he said. “It’s like coach says, win a series, win a quarter, and after that you win a game.”

Unfortunately for the home side, they gave the ball up six times in key moments of the game. Those turnovers, along with a couple major penalties, killed promising drives.

“The individual decisions and some of the penalties need to stop,” said Moroz. “It’s us, the team, not I, my name on the back. That’s a huge factor in giving up five of the eight points today.”

The closest Crocus came to scoring was late in the third quarter, when a drive into the red zone stalled to set up a Miguel Dominguez 24-yard field goal attempt. However, the Clippers’ special teams unit broke through the line and blocked the kick, keeping the Plainsmen off the board.

The back-and-forth defensive grind continued late into the game. Then Nagler stepped up again, this time thumping a 65-yard punt to pin Crocus inside its five yard-line.

Dominguez dropped the snap on third down and had to take a knee in the end zone, making it 5-0 Kelvin with less than three minutes to play.

The Clippers recovered Dominguez’s onside kick and pounded the ball on the ground, eating up precious minutes inside the three-minute warning. Nagler cashed in with his second field goal of the game with 16 seconds left, sealing the 8-0 win for Kelvin.

Moroz noted the solid effort was an accomplishment for his team, given the Clippers were undefeated last regular season.

“Any time we can come out with 23 kids and hold them to 3-0 until late in the fourth quarter, we’re definitely not hanging our heads over this one.”

The Plainsmen return to action on Friday, Sept. 28 when they visit the Portage Trojans.

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