Muskies rout Marauders for first win

Joey Payeur

Every team wants to get off to a good start.
But no team would dare to dream to get off to as good a start as the Muskies football team had here Friday afternoon.
Tristan Badiuk returned the opening kick-off 95 yards for a touchdown as Fort High (1-2) cruised to a 44-0 rout over the Maples Marauders (0-3) in their WHSFL home-opener.
“Our special teams in the first two games were a weaker area so to see that right off the hop was amazing,” enthused Muskie head coach Mike Cuzzolino, who notched his first victory after taking over the head sideline role from Chad Canfield.
“That return set the tone for the entire game,” he said, crediting special teams’ coach Steve McLeod with help making the play come together.
“I’m really hard on them about kick-off returns,” Cuzzolino admitted.
“I ran this return when I played . . . and I have seen this return go for big yards and touchdowns tons of times,” he added.
On the subsequent kick-off, defensive lineman Matt Cheetham celebrated his return to the lineup after a one-game absence by crunching Marauders’ returner Harrison Anderson for a minimal gain.
The black-and-gold defence, which also welcomed back linebacker Cody Bell, held Maples to a two-and-out and got the ball right back.
Then on just their second offensive play of the afternoon, Muskie quarterback Brandon Whitecrow executed a textbook play-action pass to Cole Kowalski, who reeled the ball in and outran the Maples’ defence down the right sideline for a 56-yard major.
“Our offence executed very well today,” noted Cuzzolino.
“Big thanks go out to the [offensive] line, who played very well today in helping establish the run and gave Brandon the time to pass.
“I knew it would just take some time with three rookies to gel,” he added. “[But] they’re starting to figure it out and I always tell them the team only goes as far as they’re willing to take them.
“Connor Pocock and Nick Dennis have really stepped up as leaders on the line to help bring these rookies along,” Cuzzolino said.
Dougie deBernardeaux appeared to have widened the lead when he returned the next Maples’ punt 70 yards to the end zone—only to have it come back on a hold that occurred at the Marauders’ 20-yard line with deBernardeaux already with a clear path in front of him.
“In tighter games, penalties can really come back to hurt us,” stressed Cuzzolino, whose team was flagged 10 times for 90 yards on Friday.
“So we need to really be disciplined and we’ll work on that.”
As it turned out, deBernardeaux was only slightly delayed from reaching his original destination. On Fort High’s next drive, he punched in his first of three scores on the day from three yards out to make it 21-0 in the first quarter.
It was the running back’s best day of the season so far, finishing with 17 carries for 90 yards.
He tacked on touchdown jaunts from four yards and two yards out in the second quarter, sandwiched around a safety after Kenton Bowles tackled Maples’ punter Mattias Harfiel in his own end zone after a terrible snap sailed wide of him.
Meanwhile, the Muskie defence continued to stonewall the Marauders—holding them to minus-13 yards of offence in the first half and only 69 for the game.
Maples’ quarterback Tyler Slusarenko, normally a receiver but filling in at pivot, didn’t complete a pass in the first half and finished a dreadful 4-for-19 for 57 yards with two interceptions.
The ground attack was equally fruitless for the Marauders as running back Kimwell Rodella ended the game having earned one measly yard in 12 carries, many which ended with him being crushed behind the line of scrimmage.
“Our ‘D’ was wild and I’m super proud of them,” lauded Cuzzolino, whose squad had surrendered 66 points in losing their first two games.
“[Assistant coaches] Pete Moen, Jordy Botsford, and Monte Bolzan have done an outstanding job in putting together this defence,” he added.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better game from the ‘D.’”
With the lead surpassing 35 points, the game moved into running time, which made for a mercilessly quick second half that featured only one score.
Slusarenko overthrew his receiver midway through the fourth quarter, with Kowalski showing his two-way skills by intercepting the pass from his defensive back position and sprinting 58 yards for his second touchdown of the day.
“Cole is a great athlete with amazing hands,” Cuzzolino said about the second-year receiver, who had a game-high 118 yards on just four receptions.
“He’s really growing into a great football player.
“Cole really stepped up his game,” Cuzzolino added. “He’s going to be a very valuable player on this team.”
Whitecrow was 5-for-10 for 156 yards with the one touchdown and one interception, with all the yards coming in the first half as he threw just two passes after halftime.
Next up for the Muskies is a date with the Daniel McIntyre Maroons (1-2) this Friday in Winnipeg.
The Maroons also are riding a wave of momentum after upsetting perennial Andy Currie Division powerhouse West Kildonan Wolverines 27-19 last Friday.
“The key to going in and beating Daniel Mac is to play mistake-free football,” stressed Cuzzolino.
“We need to protect the ball, not turn it over, and create turnovers on defence,” he noted.
“Offensively, the O-line will again need to step it up and help us score points and sustain drives and wear them down.
“We need to go to 2-2 as the schedule gets tougher later in the year, with us playing three games in eight days, so we need to take advantage now,” Cuzzolino warned.
Landon Slomke and Sekina Scheibler missed the Maples’ game with leg injuries and will be re-evaluated later this week.
But Fort High will have ace kick returner and defensive back Jacob Bolzan back in the lineup this Friday after a two-game absence.
The Muskies’ annual Homecoming game goes Friday, Oct. 3 at 3 p.m. against the College Lorette Collegiate Scorpions.