Sports | DrumhellerMail

Titans show heart versus Bowness

   The Senior Titans came within seconds and inches of upsetting a tier 2 team this weekend.
   On Saturday the Titans hosted Bowness School from Calgary. Bowness has a long established program in an urban Calgary league. The team was able to keep it close, even without three starters.
   “They (Bowness) could move the ball well on the ground, they had big linemen, size-wise, we were out matched that’s for sure, but our guys stepped up, they responded to what the coaches challenged them to this week,” said head coach Ken Fournier. “It doesn’t matter how big or what school they come from, it’s 12 guys against 12 guys.”
   “They played to the last play.”
   The final score was 22-21.The Titans had a good chance to win, but they were not able to break through.
   The Titans had marched the ball 70 yards to the one-yard line with three seconds left. They went for the touchdown, but officials said they didn’t’ cross the threshold.
   Fournier says some have questioned the decision to go for the touchdown rather than a field goal to tie, but he said a kick from the left hand side, with a left hand kicker at the six yard line isn’t a sure thing, and because it wasn’t a league game, a tie doesn’t mean anything.
   “We had to go for it, there was really no question about it,” said Fournier.
   “It was in our hands. That was our message to the guys this week. You control the outcome of the game and give yourself the chance to win. Don’t take yourself out because you are playing a higher tiered team,” said Fournier. “They can’t take this one as a lost. They responded appropriately against a very big team and we gave ourselves a chance to win.”
   The Titans were without Kordell Sykes, Peter Shen and Spencer Fournier, all starters. Fournier said they had some stellar performances, from other players who stepped up. Joey Samoleski filled in at running back and was able to power the ball down the field. Josh Weeteringen also had a strong game.
   “He found space. These guys (Bowness) were very good at scraping the ball, and he just found space and made a couple of their linebackers look like they were rented,” said Fournier. “He is a rookie, so he is impressing his coaches every day.”
   Tanner Borowicz was also a standout on offense. Tracker Robertson was a powerhouse on defense line and Alan Lister was everywhere, said coach Fournier.
   The Titans will be under the Friday Night Lights in Brooks this week in another tough game. Brooks is ranked 10th at Tier 3 and are coming off a loss. Game time is 7 p.m.

Dynos return from successful Calgary tournament

    The Drumheller Valley Secondary School (DVSS) Dynos senior girls volleyball team had a busy weekend. The team was in Calgary to play in a tournament at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT).
   The girls didn’t quite break into the top three, but they did have a successful weekend.
   “Overall it was a successful weekend for the team and hopefully they will build on that for future games and tournaments,” said coach Dawn Sullivan. “We were really pleased with how the girls played and the girls are too.”
   There were a total of 16 teams entered in the tournament. The Dynos played a total of six games and won three of them.
   “They know they’re potentially up there with some of the better teams out there,” said Sullivan.
   Their best match in the tournament was against Henry Wisewood School out of Calgary.
   “The Dynos did lose both of their games to this team but this team attacked every ball and served to positions on the court. At times during this match the Dynos attacked the ball and provided some great defense at the net. These games were probably the best that the girls have played this season. At the end of the match the team agreed that they had some really good plays during the match and know they definitely have the skill,” said Sullivan.
   Once the girls got back to school on Monday, there was no time to rest. The Dynos hosted the Acme Redmen. The Dynos, despite a good effort, couldn’t gain the upper hand and were defeated.
   The girls were back on the court on Wednesday night against the consistently strong Prairie Christian Academy Sabres. The first game went to the Sabres, with a score of 25-17. The Dynos rebounded in the second game, managing to run up the score. The Dynos were poised to take the game with a sizeable lead, but the Sabres came back to tie the game up. The two teams went back and forth until the Dynos were able to score two straight and win 28-26.
   The match came down to a tie breaker. The Dynos and Sabres were neck and neck, until the Sabres got a big point streak. The Dynos lost 15-10.
   The tournament highlighted some key areas the Dynos will be working on for the coming season and other tournaments.
   “They played well at times, they just have to work on being more consistent on the court,” said Sullivan. “The Dynos just need to work on bringing their “A” game every time they step on the court. That’s the thing with volleyball, it switches so fast. It might be during a game or when you switch sides.”

Bridgette Doolittle gets ready to slam the ball at a recent Dynos volleyball game. The Dynos ventured to Calgary this past weekend to participate in a tournament at SAIT. The girls went 3-3 at the tournament and felt the weekend was successful.

Cardston provides Titans with reality check

    The Titans were humbled Saturday going in to one of the toughest stadiums in the province.
   The Titans travelled to Cardston on Saturday to play the Cougars. The Cougars are in the Top 10 of Tier 3 teams and plays in a perennially tough league in Southern Alberta.
   Despite this, head coach Ken Fournier wasn’t that impressed.
   “They were not a lot better than Canmore,” said Fournier, of the team that handed the Titans a 52-7 defeat.
   He said his team, from coaches on down to players, may not have been properly prepared for such a team, and overconfidence may have crept into the team’s psyche.
   “They are a very well coached team, every player was playing their heart out,” said Fournier.
   Spencer Fournier, who already has 10 touchdowns this season, went down on his ankle in his first drive of the game. This was a blow for the team on the field and in the coming days as they are hopeful he will be back in a few weeks.
   “If you want to make a run, part of being a championship team is overcoming obstacles and defining the character in yourself, and that is what it takes. No one will tell you that it is easy, it just takes getting out there and giving everything you’ve got.”
   The loss dropped the Titans in ranking from number one to three in the Tier 4 schools in the province.
   For Fournier the loss was a learning experience the team needed, as well as a reality check.
   “They showed us literally every mistake we made and that is what we need. In order to execute at a higher level we need to know where the mistakes are happening, everything from missed blocks to missed tackles,” said Fournier.
   The loss doesn’t deter the Titans from facing tough competition and they are preparing to host Bowness School of Calgary this Saturday at home. Game time is 4 p.m.
   “The guys have to show up. There was a lot of lack of focus at practices, not putting 100 per cent … were not challenging ourselves at practice.”

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