Colts run to success in the season opener against the Knights

Article content Nathan Guizzetti ran for more 200 yards as the Colts opened their senior football season with a 26-9 victory over the St. Mary’s Knights on Saturday afternoon. Guizzetti rushed the ball 20 times for 221 yards.

He scored twice and had one major reversed on a holding call in the second half. Guizzetti opened the scoring with a 65-yard gallop midway through the opening quarter. A fourth quarter run was reversed on a holding call.



His third trip to the endzone with 2.3 seconds remaining in the game finished the scoring. On a blustery afternoon where throwing the ball was a challenge it’s comforting to have the league MVP on your side.

“Everyone knows he is the real deal,” head coach Tom Annett said. The Colts added a new wrinkle to their game, throwing the ball more than usual. “We’ve been running similar stuff on offence for years and it feels like every year (St.

Mary’s) is getting better at defending us,” Annett said. “So, we switched things up and threw the ball a little bit. We were in shotgun.

” Colts quarterback Zayne Murdoch’s didn’t have an overwhelming stat line as he completed two of nine passes for 15 yards. Annett says the wind was a factor but, mostly, his signal caller needs more reps under centre. “I am impressed with Murdoch,” Annett said.

“This wind was not favourable for either team throwing (the ball). I think as Zayne gets some time to develop in our system and our receivers get more reps, I mean we are nine practices in (to the season), I think we can be dangerous and multi-dimensional. We have always been great running the ball, but I think we can throw the ball too, which will make us tougher to defend.

” At times last season Korah would dedicate, say, 95 per cent of its offensive plays to the run. There was sound reasoning in the decision as they were so talented nobody could stop them on a consistent basis. Annett feels it was time to poke under the hood and make some minor adjustments.

Even some minor success from the pass game would help the Colts attack. “We were trying to be unpredictable with the run game in the previous years, but it is tough,” Annett said. “If you can complete some passes, it opens the run game, for sure.

” During the JV Sabercats season there was a battle for the starting quarterback spot between Murdoch and Alex Hayes. Murdoch eventually assumed the position a few weeks into the season. JV head coach William Basawa called Murdoch an explosive athlete.

Annett agreed. “Murdoch had a great season with the Sabercats,” Annett said. “He earned the starting position a few games in.

He had a nice run today on a scramble. We didn’t have any designed quarterback runs but that may be something you see in the future too as he is an athlete. He plays every sport.

He is phenomenal.” The Knight’s lone touchdown came on the last play of the third quarter when Matt Tucker heaved the ball into the endzone and watched Nate Carter haul in the 30-yard pass. The major and successful PAT made the score 19-9.

Tucker completed nine of 18 passes for 98 yards. Carter caught eight balls for 72 yards. St Mary’s rushed the ball 16 times for 65 yards.

Tucker led the club in rushing yards with 33. “I thought the defence was excellent,” Annett said. “Again, I know they are a throwing team and the wind was to our advantage but, that said, we still got pressure on the quarterback.

I was, all around, impressed with the defence.” With the Colts leading 19-9 in the final seconds, the winners chose to execute one final play. Guizzetti found the corner of the endzone with 2.

3 seconds remaining. The extra point pushed the final scoreline to a 17-point differential. Every point is important to Annett and the Colts.

“It may have looked bad to the people in the stands when we went for the (touchdown) at the end of the game but there is a point differential,” Annett said. “We are going to play them a second time and between the two games the point differential determines the top seed.” Last season, the Colts and Knights finished the regular season tied with identical 5-1 records, but St.

Mary’s won regular-season honours on point differential in the head-to-head match-up. The differential between the two foes was 13 points. Apparently, there were no hard feelings between the coaches in the handshake line.

“Their coaches were very understanding of that play,” Annett said. “Some people might say it was poor sportsmanship, but I want to be clear that, between the two games, the point differential really matters and that is why we went for it at the end of the game.” Share this Story : Colts run to success in the season opener against the Knights Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr.