Saskatchewan gives Bears football second loss of the season
The Bears saw their second loss of the season, their fourth in a row against the Huskies.
Martin BendicoOn Friday September 23, the Golden Bears football team saw their second loss of the season against the University of Saskatchewan, their fourth in a row against the Huskies. Saskatchewan took a 22-point lead, for a final score of 16-38 for the Huskies.
The Bears scored a safety off the initial kickoff, making the score 1-0. Halfway through the quarter, Huskies David Solie successfully completed a 27-yard field goal, bringing the score to 1-3.
With just under six minutes left in the quarter, Huskies quarterback Mason Nyhus, took an intentional grounding penalty, resulting in a loss of down. This penalty, left the Huskies near their own end zone, and caused Solie to take a knee in their end zone. The Huskies, having given the Bears the safety point, left the score at a 3-3 tie.
Later that quarter, Nyhus completed a pass to Daniel Perry, standing within 5 yards of the Bears end zone. Following this pass, Huskies Ryker Frank scored the touchdown, followed by an extra point kick. The play was flagged for offside by the Bears Riley Szafranski, which was then declined, leaving the score at 3-10 for the Huskies.
The second quarter began with the Saskatchewan team running a post with Rhett Vavra, leaving the Huskies player to score their second touchdown of the game, while facing double coverage. The touchdown was then shortly followed by the extra-point kick, leaving the Bears down 14 points.
Saskatchewan’s John Stoll caught an interception off of Hetlinger — the quarterback’s second of the game and third of the season. In return, Bears Jassen Brown caught an interception pass, Nyhus’ first of the season.
However, less than 30 seconds later, Huskies Nick Wiebe tackled Bears Jonathan Rosery for a loss of Bears yardage. Following a 15-yard penalty, on their third down, Bears Jonathan Giustini took a knee in their end zone, setting the score at 3-19 for the Huskies.
During the last six minutes of the second quarter, Solie took two field goals, both successful, extending the Huskies lead to 3-25. The Bears punt return saw the Huskies drop the ball and the Bears regained possession. Hetlinger made a pass to Kolby Hurford, securing Alberta’s first touchdown of the game. After an extra-point kick, the score sat at 10-25 and the end of the first half.
There were three field goals during the third quarter and no touchdowns on either side. Solie made a goal from the 44 yard line for the Huskies, and Giustini made two for the Bears. By the end of the quarter, the Bears held 16 points and the Huskies had 28.
The final quarter began with a Huskies touchdown as Nyhus, off the dropped snap, passed to Branson Pipko in the endzone. The following extra-point kick set the score at 16-35 for the Huskies. The Huskies scored one more field goal, ending the game at 16-38.
Bears Hetlinger made several excellent plays, including running through the Huskies defence to the line of scrimmage in order to make a clean pass to Bears Carter Kettyle in the second quarter. Jonathan Rosery ran the ball 90 yards in the second quarter alone. Additionally, Jassen Brown caught Huskies Nyhus’ first interception of the season. The Bears lost 138 yards in penalties, receiving 13 flags by the end of the third quarter.
