Both Cowichan Bulldogs football teams closed out the regular season last weekend on four-game winning streaks and hope to carry that momentum forward into the playoffs.
The junior bantam Bulldogs will start the playoffs at home this Saturday, while the peewees will kick off the postseason by visiting the Saanich Wolverines.
The junior bantams wrapped up the regular season with a 36-6 victory over the Victoria Spartans at View Royal Elementary School.
“The game was dominated by Cowichan from the onset,” head coach PJ Shea said. “The offence scored early and often, with the defence, keeping at bay a strong Spartans run game.”
The win clinched first place in the Dogwood Cup division for the Bulldogs, who will host a semifinal matchup with the Comox Raiders at Cowichan Secondary School this Saturday, kicking off at 1 p.m.
In the last meeting between the teams, the Bulldogs romped over the Raiders 36-6 at McAdam Park.
The peewee Bulldogs were also eager to extend their winning streak as they squared off against the Spartans last Saturday. They got a big return off the opening kickoff to get deep into Victoria territory, and Davin Reithaug scored on Cowichan’s first offensive play.
The defence got to work right after that and started a pattern of snuffing out the Spartans on every opportunity, holding the host team without a first down the entire game.
When the offence got the ball again, it was Aiden Reithaug’s turn to score, putting the Bulldogs up 16-0.
After another quick defensive stop, the Cowichan offence drove the ball deep into Victoria territory on a 15-yard run by Jordan Buscaino.
“We ran a QB keep on the next play and got to the two-yard line,” peewee Bulldogs head coach Tim Maertz recalled. “We decided to switch things up; I called a time out, and went into the huddle to lay out the plan for the next play. This was a perfect opportunity to give someone a chance at a TD that normally wouldn’t.
“When the huddle broke and players advanced to the line of scrimmage to take their positions there was a different look. We switched our running back with an offensive lineman, and at the snap of the ball Sebastian Tate took the handoff, and ran into the end zone for his first-ever career touchdown.
“We were all over the moon happy for him, he had a smile on his face that I will never forget.”
The Spartans had to punt from deep in their own end on their next possession. After an incomplete pass on his first attempt, Nico Harris tried again, this time connecting with Cody Williams on a 45-yard bomb to put Cowichan ahead 32-0. The Victoria called the game after the next kickoff, before the first half was even over.
The peewees Bulldogs four-game winning streak gets them into the Gold Cup bracket, with their semifinal against the Saanich Wolverines set for this Sunday at Copley Field, kicking off at 12:30 p.m.
“I am extremely proud of the players for all their hard work at practice and during games,” Maertz. “We have come a long way, and have gotten better with each practice, and each game.”
