Spartans inched out by Foam Lake
By Kathy Gallant Progress Staff
Posted 3 years ago
The Carpenter High School Spartans football team have had a historic season, and it came to a screeching end last weekend as they lost in a very tight game against Foam
Lake on November 1.
During the semi-final game, the Spartans led most of the way, but the Foam Lake team came back and ended up winning the game in double overtime, 36-29.
Coach Craig Paylor said the team is disappointed that the end of the road has come for the Spartans, but said they were ecstatic with the season in its entirety.
“Well we were 8-0 going into the semi-final,” he said.
“It really should have been 9-0, but it just didn’t turn out that way.”
He said the Spartans dominated the field for most of the game, but in the last two minutes of regulation time, things started going downhill.
“We played 46 solid minutes of football,” he said.
“In the last two minutes, there were too many little things that happened that allowed Foam Lake to gain 15 points and tie it up with us. The score was 22-7 before those last two minutes, and they tied it up with us before regulation time was over.”
The teams then headed into a sudden death type of overtime round.
“Each team was given an opportunity to make a play to score, and we were deadlocked after the first round,” said Paylor.
“They were given a chance, then us, then when the second round of plays came, they scored to make it 36, and we didn’t score again, so we remained at 29. It ended so fast.”
He said the team is notably not happy with the outcome of the game, but that Foam Lake really clawed back to get the victory.
“We could probably play that game 1,000 more times and win it, but this time wasn’t meant to be I?guess.”
Overall, Paylor said he and the rest of the coaching staff felt the players had a phenomenal year.
“It was a great year to coach,” he said.
“The players did very well this season; very coachable, very self-motivated. I’m really going to miss a lot of my Grade 12’s, because a lot of them have been through the whole system - four years of football - and they’ve really grown.”
He said there is a lot of potential for next year’s team as well.
“There’s a lot of rookies ready to come up and start taking on leadership roles, and they’ve learned a lot through this season. I?am truly proud of every single player for an amazing season.”
The captains of the team said they wished they would have won the semi-final as well, but feel the season was a very positive one.
“We came far this season,” said linebacker Chase Turberfield.
“We were really able to come together and gel as a team. It would have been great to go 9-0, not 8-1 and go to the provincial final, but we can’t just think about that. We won the league, which is awesome.”
Quarterback Kale Lajeunesse, who is in Grade 11, is the only captain who will be returning
next season. He said he’s proud of his teammates, and thinks the year was mostly a positive one.
“This year was a great learning experience for everyone I?think,” he said.
“We were really able to learn to read each other on the field and learn what it takes to be a strong team. I’m proud of this year, but looking forward to next year too. We can pick up where we left off, and start winning again.”
Running back John McKay said he wishes the season could have lasted longer, but was happy with the way it progressed.
“We started practicing in the summer, and were excited to play,” he said.
“When we went undefeated it was awesome. That league trophy is great.”
Linebacker Derek Wasyliw started playing football in Grade 9 when the program was revived in 2005.
“The team has been growing ever since,” he said.
“We’ve come really far, and the coaches have to be thanked. They were great. We wish we could have won it all, but we know how far we’ve all come as a team.”
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