The Muskie football team earned a big road win yesterday afternoon, defeating the host Dryden Eagles 16-13 in Winnipeg High School Football action.
Running back Terry Carmody led the Muskie offensive attack-carrying the ball 31 times for 193 yards and a touchdown.
Carmody also had roughly 30 yards in receptions, including a touchdown catch.
Defensively, the Muskies continued their dominant play by containing a potent Eagle attack.
The defenders even managed to contribute on the scoreboard when Matt Dipiero tackled an Eagle in the end zone in the first quarter to put the black-and-gold up 2-0.
After the game, head coach Bob Swing was pleased with his team’s performance, especially given the struggles they experienced at Sturgeon Creek on Thursday afternoon.
“Our intensity was better,” Swing remarked. “We’re still going to have to be better on Friday [against Kenora], but we were happy with our turn-around.”
Adding to the lustre of the road victory was the fact the Muskies defeated a long-time NorWOSSA rival in the Eagles.
“The Fort-Dryden rivalry has been going on forever here and we haven’t been to Dryden in over five years, so that [the win] was something we were happy with,” Swing noted.
The victory was especially sweet for the Muskie coaching staff due to the friendships involved between the two staffs.
“The defensive co-ordinator for Dryden played for our program and also coached on my coaching staff,” Swing said. “Their quarterbacks coach used to play for us, as well.
“So there’s a rivalry built in just because they have coaches who’ve been involved in our program.”
After Dipiero’s safety, Fort High moved the ball deep into Eagle territory in the second quarter before the drive stalled.
Swing sent the field goal unit onto the field and the Muskies appeared to be content to increase their lead to five points.
However, the Muskies faked the kick, pitching the ball to kicker (and back-up quarterback) Steve Boileau, who threw a strike to Carmody for the touchdown.
The point after attempt was successfully converted and the Muskies had a 9-0 advantage.
The Eagles responded on their next possession by breaking a long run for the major.
The Muskies, however, managed to block the extra point attempt to maintain their three-point advantage heading into halftime.
In the third quarter, Carmody increased the Muskie advantage after eluding the Eagle defence on a counter play for a roughly 60-yard touchdown run.
Once again, Boileau would convert the extra point attempt and the Muskies led 16-6 heading into the final frame.
The Eagles closed the gap mid-way through the fourth quarter, scoring a touchdown and kicking the convert to cut the Muskie lead to a field goal.
But Fort High held the Eagles off the scoreboard for the rest of the game.
With the win, the black-and-gold improve their record to 2-1—eclipsing the total number of wins they managed last season in just their third game of the campaign.
The Muskies next game is scheduled for this Friday (Sept. 22) when they host traditional NorWOSSA rivals the Kenora Broncos in this year’s Homecoming game.
Kick-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Muskie Field.