If football isn't your thing, feel free to skip this post, but this is a terrific sports story in the community and I feel it should be shared with the Kindersley ex-pats as well.
"On to the next one" for provincials-bound Kobras
KCS squad dominates Meadow Lake, now faces Humboldt
It's hard to imagine anything being more impressive than the Kindersley Kobras' 42-6 playoff win in Meadow Lake on Saturday, but for head coach Al Neufeld, there was something.
"Any adversity, a call gone against us or they (messed up) a play, it was just, 'Okay, next, let's move on.' The best way to describe it was it was all business. Even after the game, we celebrated briefly and said, 'Okay, on to the next one.'"
Following the dominant win over the Spartans in North West Football League playoff action, the next one is no small task.
The Humboldt Mohawks have averaged only 14 points against per game en route to an undefeated season so far. And they are the team awaiting the Kobras this Saturday when provincials begin.
But the Kobras didn't get this far by listening to the oddsmakers. They may have won their first playoff game Saturday since the program relaunched a decade ago, but this is not a team just happy to be here.
These players have worked hard for the better part of four years and they want victory, not just the team jacket.
"The people that have been keeping track of what we've been doing, they say, 'We're not surprised.' We put in the effort, we've been working, it's exactly what we expected," Neufeld said of the run so far. "We've got a good core of guys and we felt very confident with what we were going to do. We didn't expect to have that big of a (margin of victory in Meadow Lake), but we felt we had a decent shot and we just walked in there and owned their house."
After the long four-hour trek north, it didn't take long to stretch the legs. Kindersley took a 14-0 lead five minutes in and kept the heat coming.
"We came out right from the gate, just slugging. It was awesome," said Neufeld.
"They sucked it up and got off the bus ready to play. On (the Spartans') home field, with all that entails, they responded very well."
It's believed that Saturday's game was the first home loss for Meadow Lake in three years.
Greg Gassner led the way with three touchdowns and Bobby Fries scored two. Mitch Borgal chipped in with a spectacular rushing major.
"Mitch's run was awesome. He started out to the right, weaved his way to the left and straight down the left sideline. It was fantastic," said Neufeld.
The Kobras did not allow a play over 20 yards on the day.
Neufeld said the turning point came late in the first half after the Spartans scored their only touchdown. Gassner ran for six on the very next play, carrying the ball about 70 yards.
"They scored and we came right back and scored on the first play afterward, and that killed them. They were done," said Neufeld.
Seven former Kobras made the long trip from Saskatoon, wearing their old jerseys, to cheer on the squad Saturday. About 40 supporters in all made the journey.
"I think that says a lot about what we're accomplishing for this program," said Neufeld. "That's a hell of a long trip."
In a touching gesture, the players packed Tim Quinney's gear for the bus ride. The starting quarterback has been out with a broken leg all year and got his walking boot off last week.
"The guys packed his equipment on the chance he may be able to dress and get into just one play. It speaks to the character of our guys," the coach replied.
The Kobras are now in full prep mode for their game in Humboldt on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Meadow Lake victory made the Kobras the runner-up in Conference 4, and that pits them against the Conference 1 champ i
in the provincial quarter-final.
Neufeld said the Mohawks are a very athletic team and one key will be keeping a pair of defensive ends at bay.
"They just fly around and make plays. They step up and make tackles. They're a disruptive force, so we've gotta account for those guys. If we don't, it's going to be a long day for us," he said of the linemen.
"On the offensive side of the ball, their backfield is pretty solid. They've got a couple of guys that can move the ball really quickly. They're shifty, they're elusive. Their quarterback's got a good arm; it looks like he can move around pretty well," Neufeld explained.
"I think we've got to contain their playmakers. They do some interesting things offensively. They're not flashy. They don't light it up like Delisle does, where they throw the ball all over the field. They don't pound (opponents) like Meadow Lake. They're just a good, solid, executing team."
There are some parallels to be made. The most interesting is that Neufeld and Mohawks head coach Shaun Gardiner played together at the University of Saskatchewan in the late 1980s. Neufeld said that the Mohawks being solid, not flashy, embodies the way Gardiner played.
And there are similarities in the playbook.
"We see a lot of what they do in what we do. So some of the stuff they do is familiar," said Neufeld. "I think the biggest thing will be how we match up their personnel. They've got some good athletes. They're undefeated for a reason. They've earned their spot there and you take nothing away from that.
I think we can match up with them in certain respects, so it'll be an interesting game. That's why we play the games. I think it's going to be a fun game to see."
The Kobras were looking into sending a fan bus to Humboldt as of Monday.
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