By Darren Lum

Published Oct. 24 2017

The junior Red Hawks football team left the visiting Rams of Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institute with virtually nothing dominating the yellow and blue 41–6.
There was a lot for the partisan crowd to cheer for on Tuesday Oct. 17 at the Gary G. Brohman Athletic Field in Haliburton as the entire Hawks squad from its defence the special teams to the offence units executed well and often with pressure on the quarterback swarming tackles and punishing runs up the middle as well as defence stretching sweeps.

The success was a huge morale boost for the team said Hawks coach Dan Marsden.
“We have 25 Grade 9s and eight Grade 10s. We’re a young team but just building on character and heart so just be sure you work hard. Again limit our mistakes. Mistakes are what gives the other team points sometimes” he said.

This was the team’s first win since the season opener 2-0 victory on the road against the Fenelon Falls Falcons.
Marsden spoke about how the team’s 32-7 loss at home on Friday Oct. 13 against the St. Peter Catholic Secondary School Saints didn’t show how close that game really was. That game he said could have been closer if not for a touchdown that was called back. Down 1-0 and if the Hawks get those seven points who knows what could have happened?

It didn’t help that the Saints were finding their success in the air punctuated by one in a hundred circus-like catches by their receivers.
However Marsden thought the overall performance from the defence to the offence were better this game than others this season.
“The team collectively just played better today” he said.
There were many positive aspects that solidified the team compared to the rest of the season.
“We didn’t turn the ball over and were able to move the ball and score early … in other games we’ve had chances but penalties and dropped balls kind of changed – I’m going to say – the outcome of the game early for us” he said.

He adds the development of the youngest players has come along nicely.
The team’s mantra in practice has been “get reps get reps” – running through plays.
“When we get a chance like this with a lopsided win to get more people on the field and get exposure to the game [it helps everyone]” he said.
As of Tuesday Marsden wasn’t certain about the playoff scenarios. He believes the Hawks will likely need another win to secure a spot in the post-season. The team was in fourth place as of Wednesday Oct. 18.