By John DeCoste
Horton’s boys’ football team improved its season record to 4-1-1 with a 49-0 win over West Kings Oct. 20 in Auburn.
“I was pleased with the final score, but as a team, we’re still taking far too many penalties,” Griffins’ head coach Alec Hyndman said the next day. During one offensive series late in the first half, Horton was penalized on four consecutive plays.
The Wolverines had trouble at times moving the ball against the Horton defence, but Hyndman noted, “West Kings is going to be a good team down the road. They have some good, talented players.”
Cam Davidson, in the midst of an outstanding senior season for the Griffins, rushed for 188 yards on 19 carries and four touchdowns before coach Hyndman sat him down early in the third quarter with Horton leading 36-0.
James Charles caught a touchdown pass in the first half the “the first touchdown of his high school career,” Hyndman confirmed.
Duncan Hill and Isaac Melanson had rushing touchdowns and Mike Ogilvie added six converts and a single on a missed field goal.
Horton was defensively strong, Hyndman said. “We played 19 or 20 of our kids on defence, and they all played well.”
In particular, Duncan Hill had an interception and recovered several fumbles.
Horton has two regular season games remaining, at Lockview this past weekend and against Dr. J.H. Gillis Nov. 3 in Wolfville.
With J.L. Ilsley losing to Sir John A. Macdonald, Hyndman said, “if we can win our last two games, we’ll finish second in our division” and earn a spot in the Tier 1 playoffs.
CK swamps Sydney
At Central Kings Oct. 20, the Gators improved to 3-3 on the season with one forfeit by beating Sydney Academy 57-6.
“That’s two positive weeks in a row,” Gators’ head coach Larry Priestnall said.
“The kids played well. That’s the second week in a row they came to play.”
He said the game was “interesting,” but also “very rough.”
Priestnell said he felt Sydney, a new team this year, lacked discipline.
“I’m pleased at the way our players were able to keep their composure,” he said.
“The officials did a good job of maintaining control.”
Ben Best, one of the top running backs in the league, “had a superb game,” according to his coach, rushing for more than 200 yards on 23 carries, scoring three touchdowns, and picking off two interceptions on defence.
Quarterback Jacob Shepherd had another strong game, completing touchdown passes to Andrew Bezanson (his second touchdown catch in as many weeks) and Tim Hunt, who also had an interception on defence.
Matt Priestnall had the Gators’ other touchdown on a 30-yard run. Shepherd converted all the CK touchdowns and added a field goal to round out the scoring.
In addition to Hunt, Coach Priestnall had special praise for the efforts on defence of linebackers Nick Miller and Mason Rice and Bezanson at defensive end.
The Gators conclude their regular season with a home game Nov. 3 against Avon View.
NKEC defeated
Meanwhile, a disappointing season continued for the Northeast Kings Education Centre Titans who were blanked 55-0 by Prince Andrew Oct. 18 on the Burnside turf.
The Titans dropped to 1-6 with one regular season game left to play against Sydney Academy Nov. 3 in Canning.
Coach Reg Ogilvie said the team, which hasn’t had a lot of players at the best of times this season, was shorthanded to start the contest and then lost a couple of players to injury so the game was called off at halftime.
