New Westminster Hyacks Vs Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers

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Another week, another gut-wrenching loss for the New Westminster Hyacks. Up by double digits yet again this week, the Hyacks just couldn't put away a tremendously talented Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers squad that scored eighteen unanswered in an 18-17 victory.

The Hyacks were in complete control early. Executing their Wing-T offense to perfection. Running the ball with Kah'ri Johnson off tackle and Tyson Godspower up the middle, the Panthers couldn't stop the Hyack's ground attack early.

Throw in a couple of receptions to Benny Hageleit, who made some great plays despite the unfavorable, rainy conditions, and the Hyacks were quickly up 17-0. 

After the Panthers answered to make the score 17-6 with an eight-yard touchdown run by Peyton Mansfield, the Hyacks were driving to extend their lead to 24-6.

A fumble on Hyack's handoff exchange in Panther's territory led to a turnover. The Panthers may have been trailing 17-6 at halftime, but the momentum had swung entirely in their favor. That swing was not lost on Hyacks offensive coordinator Darnell Sikorski.

"We started off the game so well going up 17-6. We had a chance to extend our lead going into halftime with the ball on their 10 yard line and we turned it over on a fumbled exchange. That gave them some life and momentum going into halftime." 

Once the 2nd half hit, everything was going the Panther's way. Tweedsmuir was able to move the ball with ease in the 3rd and start of the 4th quarter.

Mansfield punched in another short touchdown run, and then a long catch and run by Matthew Reid had the Panthers up 18-17. Hyack's defensive coordinator, Chad Oatway, saw his defensive unit's attitude and play change in the second half.

"Defensively, we played very well to start the game but played more tentatively in the 2nd half. We need to be more decisive, fearless, and come with bad intentions on a consistent basis if we want to win these close football games."

The Hyack's defense did enough in the 4th quarter to make the Panthers punt twice, but the team's offense again couldn't avoid turning the ball over. With five total turnovers on the day, the Hyacks lost the turnover battle for a second week in a row, and you just can't win games that way.
Hyacks Head Coach Andrew McKechnie says his team is stunned after a second straight heartbreaker.

"Tweedsmuir played a great game for the last 30 minutes so they deserve credit and that is a solid football team. But this was an absolute gut punch. The kids responded with a solid week of practice and we started off the game so well. But you don't win games in the 1st quarter or 1st half, you win them in the 4th quarter. And right now we are not finishing games. That is a very hurt locker room right now. But coaches and players all need to point the thumb and not the finger so we can get this corrected as a family and as a team. There is still a lot of football ahead of us and if we all commit to making the necessary changes, I have no doubt in my mind we can turn this around. But it will take every single one of us."

For the Panthers this marks their third straight win. With the team on a roll, they'll look to continue their success next week in another big game against the Centennial Centaurs.