Alberta had its traditional CFL Labour Day Classic today.
Over on the North Shore, a little Labour Day football was also being played. Here’s our holiday Monday bonus report, with an additional look at a late-reported game from Friday.
NELSON (Burlington, Ont.) 30 at HANDSWORTH 14
NORTH VANCOUVER — The visiting Lords were on point to open the season Monday on the North Shore, building a 14-0 lead while tending to the host Royals’ resident superstar talent.
Keelan White, nonetheless, still shone, picking off a pass and returning it 80 yards for the major score in the loss.
On offence, White hauled in 10 passes for 124 yards despite constant triple-team coverage. He he also caught a convert.
“It was a great learning experience for Handsworth,” noted Royals head coach Richard White, whose charges dive straight into AAA Western Conference play Friday when play at Victoria’s Belmont Secondary.
After falling behind 14-0 the Royals also began to make up ground defensively the rest of the way, particularly with its linebacking core.
Theo Benedet registered eight solo tackles in addition to knocking down a pair of passes at the line of scrimmage.
Fellow ‘back James Mooney had seven tackles and a knockdown, while in addition to his pick-six score, Keelan White recorded six tackles.
LATE FRIDAY
AAA NON-CONFERENCE
EARL MARRIOTT 0 at BLAINE 65
BLAINE (Wash.) — Four unforced fumbles deep in their own territory each led to takeaways and eventual touchdowns as Surrey’s Mariners had a tough opening to their 2018 season.
Blaine led 14-0 after one, 42-0 at the break, 56-0 at the end of three and scored a touchdown and a conceded safety in the fourth to make the final score 65-0.
The Mariners were without the services of quarterback Sam La Roue for the game, and a second-quarter injury to Byron Ruvalcava forced Dean Meurrens, who had been the Mariners top receiver to that point, to take up behind centre.
Despite the circumstances, Meurrens threw the ball well and put in a gutsy performance. Other notables for the Mariners were Restum Shakiri, Curtis Fenwick, Yousouf Berete ands Rhys Koldingness.
The Mariners open Pacific Division action this coming week, playing host to Abbotsford’s W.J. Mouat Hawks.
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