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Article content The Beaumont Bandits senior high school football team is off to Commonwealth Stadium this Saturday, after securing its spot in the city championships with a 29-6 victory over the Archbishop Jordan Scots out of Sherwood Park. The victory ran the Bandits’ record to a perfect 8-0 on the season. The team’s reward is a rematch against the Bellerose Bulldogs out of St.
Albert, who they met in the first week of the season. In that match-up, the Bandits narrowly outlasted the Bulldogs with a closely contested 25-20 victory. “It’s going to be a dog fight,” said Bandits Head Coach Todd Carwell.
“Our first game of the season came down to the last play of the game. Both teams have improved throughout the year. For me, this is exactly where we want to be, battling against the top rated competition for the championship.
” The Bandits play the Bellerose Bulldogs on Saturday, November 2 at Commonwealth Stadium for Metro Athletic’s Miles Division Championship. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.
To get to the league final, Beaumont first had to overcome a scrappy Scots team who were looking to upend the Bandits’ perfect season. Boasting a 6-2 record on the year, the Scots brought a high tempo, high pressure defense to the game, hoping to disrupt Beaumont’s dangerous passing attack led by Beaumont quarterback Wesley Neitz. In much of the first half of the game, Archbishop Jordan’s defense managed to do just that, disrupting multiple Beaumont drives.
A promising possession that began in the second quarter with a 42 yard connection between Neitz and receiver Hudson Mitchell ended with a missed field goal that went wide left through the end zone, giving Beaumont a slim 1-0 lead. The game was finally broken open after a Scots punt from their end zone left Beaumont in good field position at Archbishop Jordan’s 30 yard line. Two plays later the Bandits hit paydirt when Neitz hit a streaking Mitchell down the sideline for the major score with just over two minutes remaining in the half.
On the following Scots drive, a fumble was recovered by Bandits linebacker Jordaine Rose on ABJ’s 30-yard line. Just over a minute later, a blitzing Scots defense forced Neitz to scramble to his right where he connected with receiver Corbin Carwell who eluded four defenders on his way into the end zone, putting the Bandits up 15 – 0 at the half. On the Scots opening drive of the third quarter, an errant long snap went over the punter’s head, setting up Beaumont at Archbishop Jordan’s 29 yard line.
Following a 15 yard dash from Bandits running back Tyler Boucher through the heart of ABJ’s defense, Neitz hit receiver Kaden Carwell on an out breaking route for a touchdown, putting Beaumont up 22 – 0. The Bandits would not look back from there, putting up a rushing touchdown early in the fourth quarter and extending their lead to 29 – 0. The Scots would get on the scoreboard with a 24 yard scramble from quarterback Cayden Rae with just under five minutes remaining in the game, but would not get any closer.
The Bandits defense played a key role in the semi-final victory, forcing three fumbles and an interception in the match-up, putting the offense in good position to score throughout the game. “I think that was our team just being consistent and putting pressure on and really learning and adapting to their offense,” said Jackson Lin, Bandits defensive back and a defensive captains. “It was a great feeling letting them only have one touchdown.
As a defense, I’m really proud that we could stop them in their tracks.”.
