Still winless, the Cochrane Lions midget football team hasn’t stopped clawing for its first victory of 2013.
Along the way, players have shown real signs of improvement in Calgary and Area Midget Football Association play. And if the skills are developing, the coaches are content.
“It’s exciting ball,” Lions head coach Ed Quillian says. “The guys are fingertips away from touchdowns. These guys are getting better and better every week. I’m very happy with what they’re doing.”
Case in point, his quarterbacks.
Springbank Community High School Phoenix QB Liam Manns got the start May 2 against the Calgary Stamps at Shouldice Park. Without the services of starting running back Scott Haigh (broken finger, probably gone for the season), Mann was asked to throw a lot of passes in the first half.
Some had great spin on them. Others looked like they still needed more development.
“Liam’s got the quickest read of the three quarterbacks,” Lions offensive coordinator Cam Cote assessed. “He’s working on mechanics.”
Which brings the team back to its mandate of developing high-school-aged players and sending them back to their schools with more skills.
“But he (Manns) works so hard, you’ve got to give him the start. It goes back to that skill development,” Cote continues. “Could we do something a little bit different and possibly pull a win out? At the expense of skill development.”
So in comes former bantam Lions starting QB Des Catellier for the second half. Catellier, too, was heaving the rock into the night. Nice, tight spirals. Several hitting their mark, even more hitting the ground and at least one hitting the other team for an interception.
“That wouldn’t have happened in bantam,” Cote said of Catellier’s interception that went for a Stamps TD. “That DB probably doesn’t go and hunt that ball down. He’s just got to fire it a little bit more.”
Catellier agreed.
“It’s a lot harder (in midget than bantam),” the Grade 9 QB related. “Everybody’s bigger and better. The speed of the game – it’s much faster.”
But he likes where the team is headed in the twilight of the season.
“We’re really closing the gap, so we’re hoping to win one the next game. We’re getting close. Hopefully we’ll put a full game together by playoffs.”
The Lions get another chance at that first win tonight (May 8) at Calgary’s Shouldice Park against the Falcons, 6:30 p.m. kickoff.
