The Bonnyville Bandits are off to the Wheatland Bantam Football League championship final for the first time in the team's four-year history.
The Bandits punched their ticket to the finals with a huge 20-6 win over the Royals in Cold Lake this past Saturday, in the league semifinal.
“The boys played unbelievably,” said Bandits head coach Dan Jubinville. “Our defence was spectacular, they weren't letting anything through. Everybody was focused on the game coming in and it was a treat to be a part of.”
This has been the Bandits most successful season by far, especially considering the rebuilding year they had in 2010, where the Bandits went winless.
This season the Bandits went 3-1-1 and finished third. They continued to roll through the league quarter-final with a 55-0 win over the St. Paul Bengals Oct. 22.
The Bandits only loss during the regular season came at the hands of the Royals in week three. Jubinville said the semifinal win was redemption for his boys.
“They wanted this one bad,” he said. “We knew Cold Lake has a strong team and they showed us that all season, but we knew we could have success against them. We went out there and scored early and our defence stood tall the rest of the way.
“Our boys were just overjoyed. It was a very emotional win for the team.”
Jubinville said all areas of his team's game have improved by leaps and bounds coming from last season and through this season.
“Our O-line and D-line have been solid all year for us. That's where it all starts. Our offence has consistently put points on the board when we need it to and our defence has really stepped up over the past few weeks. We know we can compete for a championship.”
With snow on the ground for the semifinal in Cold Lake, the game plan quickly changed, said Jubinville.
“Our cuts weren't as effective, which affected our running game. The ball was wet so that affected our passing game. So it was really up to our defence and they were unstoppable.”
Heading into the championship final, his team must remain focused, said Jubinville
“We have a few mottos here. One is ‘respect is earned'. We expect our guys to give it their all out on the field. Another is ‘focus and finish'. We have to focus on the job at hand and finish the task you start.”
Jubinville said this week will consist of practice and watching game footage of their opponent, the Lloydminster Mustangs, who finished the season first overall.
The teams have only faced each other once so far this season, which came in the season opener all the way back on Sept. 10. The game ended in a 27-27 tie, leaving the championship final as the deciding match between the two best teams.
“The game is going to be huge,” said Jubinville. “We can expect a very entertaining battle and if we can focus in on stopping their key guys, I know we can have success.”
The championship final is scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. at Holy Rosary School in Lloydminster. For any further Bandits information, including any possible schedule changes, check the Bonnyville Football website www.bonnyvillefootball.ca or the Bandits Facebook page.
