Twenty-three was the magic number Saturday for the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers, who got a game-winning 65-yard kick-off return from Grade 11 standout Tremel States-Jones in a narrow win at Seaquam. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca 2019. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Football

FINAL EDITION: Varsity Letters’ Saturday BCHSF Report: Lord Tweedsmuir’s States-Jones is ‘The Answer’ in tight win over Seaquam Seahawks

Welcome to the Saturday edition of Varsity letters’ B.C. High School Football Report. 

Keep checking back over the course of the day for updates from all games played today around the province.

SATURDAY

TRIPLE A

EASTERN CONFERENCE

No. 4 LORD TWEEDSMUIR 14 at SEAQUAM 12

NORTH DELTA — You can call Tremel States-Jones ‘The Answer’ because on Saturday afternoon in Sunshine Hills against host Seaquam, just when his Lord Tweedsmuir teammates needed him most, the Grade 11 do-it-all answered by delivering the game’s pivotal play.

After Seaquam had battled back to take a 12-7 lead early in the fourth quarter, State-Jones would return the ensuing kick-off 65 yards for the winning score in a game in which quarterback Terrel Jones’ two PATS proved to be huge.

“We are fortunate to get the win today against a well-prepared Seaquam team,” said LT head Kurt Thornton as his charges moved to 3-1 and into a tie for second place in the East with previously undefeated Seaquam (3-1). St. Thomas More leads the pack at 4-0 and will face the Seahawks this coming week.

“We struggled to align against their multiple formations and their O-line frustrated us when they bared down in the run game,” admitted Thornton of what was a victory for a resurgent Seaquam program on every level except on the scoreboard. “Again, tough game with a lot of things that felt out of our control. Kudos to both teams for the effort today.”

It was a heartbreaker for Seaquam co-head coach Navin Chand to absorb, knowing his team was right there to take a potential victory.

“It was a tough loss today,” he began. “We felt we were the better team. We had a critical fumble on the one-yard line and then gave up a touchdown on a kick-off. I give our boys lots of credit for playing hard and not giving up.”

Seaquam led 6-0 at the half, but the Panthers went up 7-6  to start the third quarter when Jones (7-of-13, 69 yards passing, 11 carries 60 yards rushing) hit receiver Key’Shaun Dorsey with a six-yard TD pass to cap an 85 yards drive.

Seahawks’ quarterback Jay Mather (seven-of-19 for 74 yards) threw a 15-yard TD reception to Corbin Grant, while running back Christian Carlon-Diaz scored once along the ground as part of an 18-carry, 133-yard afternoon.

While the Seahawks fumbled on the one-yard line, the Panthers also had their share of tough breaks including Jaxon Stebbings, who had a 60-yard TD wiped off the board for a crack-back block.

Tweedsmuir’s Michael Ogbeiwi and Kyle Dodd led their defence with six tackles each, while Manny Sahota with seven tackles and a fumble recovery, Justin Eng and Brandon Johnson with six tackles apiece, and Taaj Jhooty and Luke Siemens with a sack each, led Seaquam’s.

PACIFIC CONFERENCE

SOUTH DIVISION

ERIC HAMBER 26 at MT BOUCHERIE 20

KELOWNA — Huge plays by the defence and special teams down the stretch drive of the fourth quarter carried Vancouver’s Eric Hamber Griffins (1-2) to one of the most impressive wins in its program history.

With the game tied at 14-14 in the third quarter, the Griffins made the kinds of big plays they needed to put back-to-back majors on the board and hold off the host Bears (2-1), who came in looking to stay undefeated in conference play and alongside rivals Rutland atop the South.

First, it was defensive end Jacob Goodwin, battling the flu bug all week, blocking a field goal attempt, setting the stage for teammate Thomas Iverson to scoop it up and take it 75 yards for the score.

Then, while making a big defensive stand in the fourth quarter, Jeffrey Yang recovered a Mt. Boucherie fumble in the Griffins’ red zone, and big drive was capped when Luke Lee scored on a two-yard plunge for a 26-14 lead.

Mt. Boucherie tight end Bronte Gallo was able to pull his team to within six with a late touchdown, but Lee came up with a pick which allowed the Griffins to run out the clock.

The Bears’ defence picked off Griffins’ quarterback Josh Haegert three times in the first half, but Haegert was relentless, going 35 yards on a designed run to score Eric Hamber’s first major, then rushed for another, tying the game at 14-14 early in the second half.

Haegert carried 11 times for 107 yards, while Mathis Henderson had eight tackles, and Lee five tackles and a pick.

DOUBLE A

NON-CONFERENCE

WINDSOR 16 at FRANK HURT 0

SURREY — In a defensive battle waged Saturday, six Dukes counted four tackles apiece with Skylar Palleson-McLeod also registering a sack and Terrell Snow a fourth-quarter intterception in a win over the host Hornets.

Offensively, Ryan Werbowski led the way with 127 yards on 15 carries and one catch for 30 yards. 

FRIDAY

TRIPLE A

PACIFIC CONFERENCE

SOUTH DIVISION

WEST VANCOUVER 20 at RUTLAND 85

KELOWNA — Quarterback Liam Attwood rushed for four touchdowns and passed for two others, while running back/safety Jhavoun Blake rushed for two scores and took two picks to the house in the VoodDoos’ lopsided win over the West Vancouver Highlanders.

Attwood, who rushed for scores of two yards, one yard, 27 yards and eight yards, also tossed scoring strikes of 40 yards to Coltin Peterson and 45 yards to Ryan Dovedoff respectively.

Blake, who rushed for scores of four and 48 yards, took two different picks 60 yards to the end zone in the third quarter.

On the day, the Voodoos scored 12 touchdowns. Dovedoff returned an interception 25 yards for a score, while Tyson Sheriff rushed for a four-yard major.

Attwood converted eight of the nine PATs he attempted.

On defence, Dovedoff shone in the secondary with eight tackles and two picks, while Grade 10 linebacker Kai Brydon had eight tackles and two sacks. Linebacker Dan Tran added seven stops while defensive end Brian Jackson had two sacks.

Receiver Jay Armitage led the Highlanders’ charge with two touchdowns while running back Gabe Labelle had one of his own last play of the first half. 

DOUBLE A

INTERIOR CONFERENCE

OKANAGAN MISSION 7 at CLARENCE FULTON 21

VERNON — Some key halftime defensive adjustments and a pair of unanswered touchdowns were enough to give the host Maroons (1-2) their first conference win over the season, while keeping the visiting Huskies (0-2) winless on Friday night at Greater Vernon Athletic Park.

“Defensively, we had a poor first half and gave up too many rushing yards,” said Fulton head coach Mike Scheller, who credited defensive coaches Bryan Cragg and Kevin Stecyk, as well as the team’s defensive QB, middle linebacker Dayton Ingenhaag, for a shutout performance over the final two quarters heading into a bye week.

Senior running back Quin Williamson rushed for scores of three and six yards while quarterback Dom Peterson hit Hayden Catt with a 12-yard touchdown pass.

“Williamson had a great game at tailback for us,” added Scheller. “He ran hard, broke tackles and was effective in the screen game for us.”

Interior offensive linemen Griff Morrier, Ethan Schiman and Mo Salgado made some key blocks for the winners, who finish the regular season with games against Salmon Arm and Vernon.

“It was good for our kids to get a win,” said Scheller after earlier losses to Omak (Wash.), Rutland and Vernon. “We have played a very tough schedule and some physical opponents.”

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