SUBMITTED BY TODD LEWIS
The Central Alberta Buccaneers had high hopes for their game against the Grande Prairie Drillers on June 14. Coming off their huge first week victory against the Calgary Wolfpack, the Bucs were looking forward to improving their record to 2-0 against the Drillers. However, Grande Prairie managed to throw a stick into the Bucs' plan.
Despite early successes in the early minutes of the game, including a TD by #83 Jamie Blinkhorn and two interceptions - one by #79 Jordan Willie and the other by #5 Tylor Johnson, the Bucs struggled to maintain momentum against a determined Grande Prairie squad. After a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter, the Bucs managed to mount a comeback. They were only able to narrow the gap to 31-18 when the final whistle blew. The Bucs are tied for third place in the AFL with a record of 1-1 with three other teams.
The Bucs hope to bounce back from their loss against the Drillers. They are facing one of the biggest games of the season next week when they take on the 2013 AFL champions, the Calgary Gators, at McMahon Stadium.
Community Involvement:
Before the game, the Bucs and family continued their annual "Team up to Tackle Hunger" food drive for the fourth year in a row. Players went door to door around Lacombe and gathered food donations from generous citizens. There was an estimated 2000 pounds of food raised.
At the game, several groups from the community attended:
- The 65 Squadron Ponoka Air Cadets saluted the flag before the Bucs and Drillers kicked off on Saturday. The young men and women of Squadron 65 looked very disciplined and polished - it was an honour to have them.
- Raymond Harder, a 15-year-old Bantam football player out of Lacombe, sang the national anthem while the cadets saluted the flag. His vocal talents were fantastic.
- The fans also had the opportunity to learn about donating blood during the game. Two representatives from Canadian Blood Services set up an info desk and answered all questions regarding donations.
The Bucs are extremely grateful to the community groups who attended the game on Saturday. Their time and effort definitely enhanced game day.