The Assiniboia Composite High School Rockets football team dropped a game 44-14 to the Lanigan Raiders on October 5 at the Bearss Field in Assiniboia. Lanigan spoiled a perfect fall day with a strong offense that put 30 points on the board by half-time and a crunching defense that kept the Rockets to only one touchdown in the first 30 minutes of the game. The Raiders fielded a much larger-sized team which proved to be challenging for the smaller players.
“They played their best game of the season,” said Raiders coach Ryan Wilson about his players.
Despite the score line, the Rockets defense worked hard to contain Lanigan’s offense. The defensive game was riddled with incomplete passes, turnovers and crunching tackles heard across the field into the stands. Most of the game was played in mid-field as both defenses blocked running plays quickly and shut down receivers. The Rockets were able to contain the Raiders offensive line in the second half.
Late in the game Lanigan was trying to pressure the Rockets’ offense. When the Rockets did slip the solid Lanigan defensive line, they were able to move the ball quickly down the field and gain yardage for first downs. They even took the ball into the end zone, but it did not count because it was out-of-bounds. But the Rockets could not be denied. Late in the game with 38 seconds left on the clock, the speedy Logan Fettes slipped around the Lanigan defense and sprinted into the end zone to give the Rockets another touchdown.
The Rockets have fielded many new young players this year and seen the departure of many senior experienced players after graduation in June. The Rockets’ coaches say the team is on a learning curve as the young players gain experience.
