Kai Kukurudza steps down after catching a long pass in McCoy's game Friday night against the Brooks Buffalos.
-- NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
It was an up-and-down battle but the McCoy Colts ultimately fell 25-21 to the Brooks Buffalos Friday night at the Methanex Bowl.
Colts head coach Darrell Grass said his team just did not capitalize on the opportunities they needed to win.
“When the opportunities present themselves we have to make sure we’re doing our jobs,” he said.
It was a quiet first quarter as both teams traded chances. After a couple of long passes on separate drives that didn’t result in a score for McCoy, the Colts got on the board first on a QB sneak from Thomas McCue in the second quarter.
Brooks took over in the third with two touchdowns in the first eight minutes of the half. The Buffalos were unable to convert their extra-point attempts on either of the touchdowns as the Colts blocked a fumbled field goal and Brooks could not complete a two-point conversion.
But the Colts were not out of the quarter yet. Logan Schlosser caught a pass from McCue and ran down the field for a 87-yard touchdown to give the Colts a 14-12 lead with two minutes left in the frame. The Buffalos would add another touchdown in the last 30 seconds of the quarter to put them ahead, 18-14 heading into the fourth. Brooks failed to convert another two point conversion on the touchdown but ended the quarter with the ball after intercepting a McCoy pass.
McCoy’s Colton Robinson caught a short pass and could not be caught for 55 yards on his way to the end zone, as the Colts pulled ahead 21-18. Robinson had an 88-yard touchdown in the Colts last game, a 32-21 win against Taber.
The Buffalos mounted a drive in the last 10 minutes, resulting in a touchdown to put them ahead 25-21 with 5:27 left in the quarter. Brooks elected to go for the field goal on the drive, resulting in a four point lead.
McCoy had a drive with less than two minutes left that included a dramatic measuring of the Colts yardage, but they could not capitalize.
Grass said he was disappointed with the result only because he says he knows they could have won the game.
“I think a little bit more confidence and a little bit more believing in themselves and it’s a different game,” Grass said.
Buffalos head coach Braedon Cameron says he was happy that his team found the fight to ride the waves of the game and come out on top.
“We’ve had a couple not go our way like that so to have this one work in our favour with the ups and downs of that roller coaster is a big one,” he said.
Brooks finished 4-2 on the season and will face the Crescent Heights Vikings next week. Cameron says their last matchup with the Vikings didn’t go their way but he believes his team has grown over the season.
As the Rangeland league’s regular season wrapped up Friday night, the Colts finished fourth in the division with a 1-5 record and will play the Hat High Hawks next week in the first round of the playoffs. Grass says they will have to reload and practice hard in the short week ahead.
Vikings blank Taber
The Crescent Heights Vikings defeated Taber 44-0 on the road Friday and finished their season ranked second in the RFC. Head coach Sean Davis says he’s happy to get another win, but they started the game slow.
“The kids came out flat in the first half but we rallied in the second half,” he said.
Davis says their offensive line dominated in the game for the Vikings en route to the big win. The Vikings will host Brooks on Thursday to open the playoffs.
