Injuries mount for bantam Rebels against Coyotes

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By Greg Price
Taber Times
gprice@tabertimes.com

Mounting injuries and some crucial reversals helped the Lethbridge Coyotes devour the Taber bantam Rebels football team in a 41-0 loss at the University of Lethbridge field on Saturday.

Workhorse running backs Carsen Reid and Alex Neudorf and skilled speedster Mason Werewka were just a few players knocked out with injuries in the game that stalled the Rebels offence.

“The score didn’t really do the whole game justice. It was 8-0 at half,” said Jamie O’Connor, head coach of the Taber bantam football team. “We were without our two running backs in the second half.”

The pivotal third quarter saw the Coyotes put up 21 points and put the game way.

“It’s tough to know what to say, the score looks bad, but we know they are beatable,” said O’Connor. “If we are at full strength, it’s not like they dominated. But when they put up those points, the kids got demoralized.”

Also helping sway the momentum was what O’Connor thought were quick whistles that negated two Coyotes turnovers.

“We had two big potential momentum-changing turnovers that were called back on absolutely quick whistles. It did deflate us. One of them was Gideon Tams picking it up (a fumble) and running it back 40 yards to the 30. There were some things that didn’t go in our favour, the kids got down and it snowballed from there,” said O’Connor.

“But the point is, we lost and we have to regroup and hopefully we play them in the playoffs. The game is what it is.”

A bright spot in the game was what O’Connor saw in the play of hidden gem Terex Evenson.

“He had a great game and he was involved in a lot of plays. We threw him in defence too and he came up with some big stops,” said O’Connor. “We just couldn’t get things going.”

The Rebels will look to regroup when they host the Coaldale Spartans at Ken McDonald Memorial Sports Park at 11 a.m.

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