Veil AR he, LA ea

Carson

agles

ONE Egy:

NV squad to face Surrey’s Holy Cross Crusaders in single A. football final

THE TOP two ranked teams in the province — Carson Graham Eagles and Surrey’s Holy Cross Crasaders -— will meet this Saturday at 5:30 p.m. to decide who will be the 1993 B.C. single A football champions.

And a game played this time last year. between the two schools ‘will no doubt be on the minds of players and coaches on both sides of the field. ¢, In ‘fast. year’s “single A semi- ‘final, the Eagles embarrassed the Crusaders’ 25-0. Carson Graham then lost to John Oliver in last ; year’s final. :

In this seascn’s semi-finals, the Eagles managed a 14-0 victory “over North Shore rivals, the Sen- tine! Spartans, while Holy Cross beat Port Moody, 28-7. Both games were played last Saturday night at BC Place.

“The .all-North-Shore semi-final --saw the Carson:Graham offensive and defensive lines simply domi- “nate. the line of scrimmage, as: : Sentinel’s closest offensive foray into Eagles:.territory, ended with ‘the. final. gun ar’ the .Carson ‘Graham 35-yard line. |, Prior: to. that, the . Spartans’ : rarely came-out of ‘their own end, '\ as Eagle defenders Jeremy Cunn- * ingham ‘and Armen Pogossvan “were. constantly in: the face of ~ Spartan pivot. Kayvou Besharat, or gang:: ‘tackling one ‘of Sentinel’s ball carriers in the back field.

But the Spartans were. not alone

: in’: Lexperiencing a ‘sputtering of- “fence, .as ‘the Hagles managed few successes in the scoreless first half < under quarterback Josh McKay.

_: A Spartan drive, ‘on ‘their se- cond: possession - of the game, ended when defensive back Dave ‘Campbell. picked off Besharat at:

_ the Eagles’ 36-yard line with five

* minutes left in the first quarter.

’.. Sentinel’s biggest- gains in ‘the ~

half came thanks to the slashing ranning-of quarterback ‘Besharat,

» the only Spartan ball carrier to be“

able to avoid the swarming Eagles -: defence. :

With 5:20.to play in the ‘half, ‘on. third and~ 17 from. midfield, . -;McKay had'a deep pass picked off.

~ by David Leslie. :

But the Carsen defence went to work, © forcing a Sentinel’ punt _ three” plays later. that the - Eagles fielded to their own 46, with two minutes left in the half.

“"- After moving the ball into Sen- tinel territory, McKay pitched to. Shayne Gait who pulled up behind’

| “GAURANTEED SERVICE

HiGH SCHOOL SPORTS by A.P. McCredie

.good protection and threw 35

yards downfield, right into the arms of Kelly McKenzie, who fell with the ball at his own 16. The half ended with no score.

Sentinel started the second half from their 20, but the stingy -— and rested Eagles defence forced a fourth and 27 punt mo- ments later.

Taking over at midfield with fresh quarterback Arimo Evans at the helm, the Eagles’ offensive line manhandled both the left and

-right sides of the line, creating

gaping holes’ for running back Gait and slotback Dan Pierce. On first and 10 from the Sentinel 16-

-yard line, Pierce. danced through . “the middle

then cut left and outran the secondary for the first major, of the game.

Mel Browning missed the con- vert.

Sentinel’s attempt to answer - back fell short as Campbell, Cun- ningham, “Pogossoan and Dave Mcintosh all made outstanding

-defensive plays, mostly onthe

scrambling Spartan pivot. . On a critical third and 11, from his own 31, Besharat was sacked

by the defensive duo of Cunn-..

ingham and Pogossoan, again giving the Eag!es good field posi- tion following the punt.

Choosivg not to mess with what

“worked before,.the Eagles con-

tinued to go to their punishing running pair of Gait and Pierce. On a second and 20 ‘cail, fullback Mare Andrew hauled in an Evans pass. for 10 yards and dréw a face mask penalty, putting the Eagles 15 yards from the goal _line with 11 minutes left in the game. - Gait had his number called the next: two. plays, the second of which saw him plow over Mitch DeSavoye at the goal line for the Eagles’ second touchdown. Gait then carried the ball up the middle for a two-point conversion and a 14-0 lead. With . time their

now worst

enemy, the Spartans went to a shotgun offensive set, allowing Besharat more time to set up in the pocket before the Carson Graham players descended on him.

It worked for a while, with Besharat and slotback Greg Wright sharing the load of carry- ing the ball into Carson territory.

But on fourth and four from

the Eagles’ 40-yard line, the Car-

son Graham defence rose to the occasion, with a scrambling Besharat knocked out of bounds short of the first down.

With time running out, the Spartans mounted one last charge, but it was too little too late as the final gun sounded.

The final game between Carson Graham (4-0 regular season re- cord) and Holy Cross (6-0) is

shaping up to be a classic.

The Eagles’ success against the Spartans came from their ability to control the offensive. line of scrimmage, allowing their big tough backs room to get up to full speed through the secondary.

Holy Cross linebacker Rodney Pontes {provincial defensive player of the year, see sidebar) will surely present a challenge to Gait and Pierce, and the Crusader ‘cffence — outscoring their counterparts 71-7 in the two games leading into the finals — will demand the tota! concentration of the Eagles? defence.

There’s also the matter of avenging last year’s shutout.

day, Nov. 27 at 5 230 p.m.

Photo Kevin Gilites

CARSON GRAHAM running backs Dan Pierce (above) and Shzyne Gait marched the Eagles to a 14-0 win over the Sentinel Spartans last Saturday night in a B.C. A semi-final matchup. The Eagles now face Holy Cross in the provincial final at BC Place, on Satur- - -

N. Shore players named to all- stars

_ FOUR NORTH SHORE high school ‘seniors have been named

to the 1993 Pepsi Provincial All-Star first team, the definitive list of the province’s best seniors selected annually by the B.C. Secondary Schools - Football Association.

Not surprisingly, two Carson Graham Eagles —- running back Shayne Gait and defensive back David Campbell — make up half the North Shore contingent.

Hendsworth’s steady receiver Brent McLennan and Windsor’s 6° 4’, 230-pound offensive fineman Ken Baker round out the local first-team selections.

SHEER FORCE.

* Available in black

& white

, i Reg. $109.”

LYNN VALLEY CENTRE 1199 LYNN VALLEY RD.

__ 980- 9211

ae

North Shore high school foot- ball programs captured sever: of the 15 offensive and 15 defensive positions. on the second-team selections.

The offensive list includes: Carson Graham gunter Mel Browniag; Windsor place-kicker Dan Campomizzi; Handsworth tight-end Dan Elliott; West Van- couver lineman Morgan Johnson; and Sentine! wide ‘receiver Greg Wright.

The second team defensive squad iscludes linebacker Greg

Legault, of Windsor, and Sen- ::

tinel defensive back Mitch DeSavoye.

You'll get a ; FREE

Nike tcoreurt

Offer Expires December 8,1993

The Eagles will - have their hands full next Saturday against. Holy Cross in the provincial’ A‘ final as the Crusaders: bring a strong team, including the 1993 Pepsi. Provincial ovtstanding defensive player, . linebacker Rodney Pontes, and the 6°4’’, 230-pound tight-end (and -first | team selection) Alex Hazenack,

The matchup between Carson

ball carrier. Gait and Crusader

linebacker Pontes is. likely to determine the single A provincial championship. Kick-off is scheduled for 5 p.m on Satur- day, Nov. 27 at BC Place.