Muskies target Spartans to stop slide

The pain in Ty Griffith’s ankle is only surpassed by the one in his stomach—and he says he’s not alone.
“All the guys here are sick of saying, ‘Next week, next week,’” the Grade 11 linebacker/backup quarterback said of the Muskie ‘A’ football team’s present 0-5 regular-season mark—and 16-game losing streak overall—in the Winnipeg High School Football League.
The black-and-gold will try to halt both trends on home turf against the Sisler Spartans (1-3-1) this Friday at 4 p.m.
“[Sisler’s] going to have some momentum coming off their first win of the year [17-16 over the Kelvin Clippers],” noted Griffith, who sprained his ankle after getting ran over by an opponent in the Muskies’ 26-17 road loss Sept. 26 against the defending WHSFL champion Oak Park Raiders.
“But we’re getting better every week. We’re looking real good right now,” he added.
Griffith was having a standout season at linebacker before his injury, leading the team in interceptions with two, which still has him tied for second in the WHSFL.
“It was disappointing to get hurt,” remarked Griffith, who is questionable for Friday’s match-up with the Spartans. “I think I was having a much better year, mainly because the coaches have taught me to see more of what’s happening on the field.
“Last year, I was guilty of having a lot of tunnel vision.”
Muskie head coach Bob Swing would welcome Griffith’s return, especially after losing defensive back Kyle McTavish to a broken wrist in last Friday’s 27-13 defeat here at the hands of the Churchill Bulldogs in the annual Homecoming game.
But he’s not going to waste valuable game preparation time moaning about his lot in life.
“Everyone’s in the same boat at this time of year [when it comes to injuries],” reasoned Swing. “We’ve got to take things week by week. We aim to win every week.
“If Sisler keeps from making mistakes, they’re going to be right there with us,” Swing added in a familiar refrain.
“When we stop making the same mistakes over and over, like turning the ball over or making gaffes in execution on offence and defence, then we’re just as good as anyone we play against.”
The Muskies actually hold an offensive advantage over the Spartans, outscoring them 74-72 so far this season.
But the big difference is evident in the points allowed category, with Sisler allowing just 87 (tied for fourth in the WHSFL) compared to the Muskies’ total of 166 (ranked last in the league).
< *c>Unhappy Homecoming
In what has become an all too familiar pattern for the Muskies this year, Churchill (4-1) bolted out to a 21-0 advantage Friday afternoon against the black-and-gold, who were playing in front of their home fans for the first time after starting the season with four-straight road games.
Evan Bowness ran in a pair of four-yard touchdowns in the first quarter to make it 14-0, before Danny Larson added another rushing major in the second to put the Muskies in a deep hole.
Kevin Gemmell collected his team-high seventh touchdown of the year on a pass reception to cut the lead to 21-7, then Fort High was handed another two points when the Bulldogs surrendered a safety rather than punt into a stiff wind just before halftime.
But any thoughts of a comeback victory were stifled early in the third quarter. After the defence had stopped Churchill, the Muskies fumbled the ensuing punt deep in their own zone.
Bowness then charged through for his third rushing major of the game to make it 27-9.
The Bulldogs’ defence took care of the rest, neutralizing the Muskies’ attack for the entire second half—giving up just two more safeties to avoid kicking against the wind.