Being a Bow Valley Wolverines football fan is a tough gig.
Play by play, the Wolverines become stronger, more proficient, showing glimpses of skill and true talent that could lead to an impressive win streak. Pride bursts from the fan’s chest and thoughts of playoffs fill their head.
Then they break your heart. Coming off a thrilling come-from-behind 20-17 win over first place Pincher Creek on Thursday (Oct. 4) at McMahon Stadium, the Wolverines sputtered against the Olds Spartans, dropping a 23-6 decision, Saturday (Oct. 6).
A terrible start and poor third quarter sunk the home squad. Within minutes, the Spartans scored two easy touchdowns. Every mistake the Wolverines made resulted in big yardage gains for their well-schooled opponents.
However, by the second quarter, the Wolverines found some confidence. Then, quarterback Wes Rose connected with Jamie Reilly at the 20-yard line. Reilly shook a tackle and raced into the end zone, cutting the lead to 14-6.
The game changed again on a bad interception that Olds turned into a touchdown. The Wolverines proved their resilience and didn’t allow another for the rest of the game, as defensive stars Thomas McChesney and Landon Sandford contained the Spartans.
Head coach Chad McLenaghan put a positive spin on the result, stating he was proud to see how much the players had improved.
“The last time we played this team, they put up 58 points against us. This result does just as much for us as a win,” McLenaghan said. “For our psyche, it does wonders.”
The Wolverine played the entire fourth quarter in their own end, but kept the Spartans from scoring.
“We beat them for three quarters, even though we had guys missing. But that’s not an excuse. This team is only as strong as its weakest member and the guys are starting to see that,” McLenaghan said.
He praised the team’s dynamic offence, stating the Wolverines have seven offensive weapons on the field.
“Everyone can score. We’ll match up against every team we come up against. It’s a matter now of learning how to win.”
They proved they can win against Pincher Creek, and McLenaghan noted it was a tremendous victory for the team. Sandford had two touchdowns and McChesney had the third in victory.
“That was the best game I’ve coached in the history of Bow Valley football,” McClenaghan said. “We needed a victory, and not just a moral victory.”
The win was a huge team victory, however, the coach singled out fullback Ollie Martin for keeping the team in the match.
“Ollie Martin was the sole reason we won that game,” McLenaghan said.
The Wolverines next game is Saturday (Oct. 13) against Drumheller at Millennium Field.
