Super utility player Isaac Amalia caught two touchdown passes, kicked two field goals and converted four extra points as the Bonnyville Voyageurs romped over the visiting Vermillion Maruaders 34-12 on Friday night.
“He had a huge game,” said Head Coach Larry Godziuk. “This is his first year playing offence for us and he took the bull by the horns and made the most of it.”
Throughout the first half of the game Amalia showed off on defense and with his leg converting a field goal and two extra points. It wasn't until the late in the second quarter when he and quarterback Reid Skrypichayko connected.
“We had chemistry back in bantam. We have always been able to connect on the long ball,” said Amalia. “Practice makes perfect.”
After a holding penalty had the Voyageurs staring down an unfavourable first and 20 situation, the duo went to work. Skrypichayko slipped a bullet of a pass through tight coverage and found Amalia in the back of the end zone.
“I was just focused on catching the ball,” said Amalia. “Reid threw it up in a good spot for me and I was able to find it and catch it.”
Late in the fourth quarter the Voyageurs offensive duo was at it again. With 6:14 remaining and the Voyageurs back in their own territory, Skrypichakyo called his own number and rumbled 55-yards down the field to set Bonnyville up in prime field position.
A few plays later he was able to find Amalia open in the corner of the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown catch. The play was all for not, as a holding call erased the score and pushed them back 10-yards.
“After it got called back I didn't get the call for the next play. I wasn't paying attention because I was busy getting hyped,” said Skrypichayko. “So I called the same play. I knew that it was going work.”
Skrypichayko was able to thread a perfect pass through double coverage and find Amalia in the front left corner of the end zone for the score.
The touchdown capped off a huge drive and put the Voyageurs up by 19 points.
“I love our offense. It is great,” said Skrypichayko. “It allows our talent range to do what we do best. Everybody had monster games; Isaac Amalia, Zach Hesson, and Aaron Goulet.”
Goulet, Bonnyville's rookie receiver, got the scoring started in the game when he caught a 25-yard lob from Skrypichayko in the corner of the end zone. The score, at 5:06 of the first quarter, gave Bonnyville the early 7-0 lead.
Minutes after that the Voyaguers defense was caught flat-footed leading to a Vermillion touchdown.
Marauders receiver Donovan Yaceyko caught a 20-yard pass and was gone, running another 55-yards to the end zone for a big score. After a missed extra point, Vermillion trailed 7-6.
“That won't happen again,” said Godziuk. “We have to work on some tackling. We were a little high in the first half, but overall the defense played well for the first game.”
An Amalia field goal at 8:54 of the second quarter gave Bonnyville the 10-6 lead.
A Skrypichayko touchdown run at 2:34 of the second quarter gave Bonnyville the 17-6 lead, before the Amalia score made it 24-6.
Amalia added another touchdown and field goal, while Yaceyko scored another touchdown for Vermillion and the game finished 34-12.
“We played as a team,” said Amalia. “We had to work hard because we were shorthanded, but it was a big team effort to get the win.”
The game, which was the first under the new stadium lighting at Walsh Field, saw the Voyageurs persevere with an undermanned roster of just 25 players.
Bonnyville will be in action again next week when they travel to Lloydminster to take on Holy Rosary, a team that is coming off a provincial championship victory.
“We are not really sure what to expect,” said Godziuk. “Last year even when we played them and they made substitutions they always kept the majority of their starters in, so it was also hard to tell how good their backups were.”
While Godziuk is uncertain what Lloydminster team they will be facing, his quarterback is confident Bonnyville has a chance to improve to 2-0.
“If we execute and everybody plays there best we can win games,” said Skrypichayko. “There is no doubt.”
