The Calgary Area Midget Football Association season won’t be any longer than it ever is for the Cochrane Midget Lions. It’s six weeks, like any other.
It’s just going to seem longer.
Playing two games in less than a week to open the CAMFA season, the Lions are 0-2. The team had just 20 players dressed for the 30-7 Week 2 loss to Calgary Hilltoppers on April 7 at Calgary’s Shouldice Park, one of those jerseys hanging off injured starting quarterback Des Catellier who was dressed simply to ensure the team had the required number of players in uniform to be eligible to play the game.
Catellier, nursing an injured ankle, didn’t take a snap.
“We’re really short on numbers, especially at practice,” said Lions offensive/defensive lineman Case Braun, who spent pretty much the whole game on the field. The Grade 11 plays high-school ball for the Springbank Phoenix. “We need more kids to come out.
“We just have to keep grinding and keep getting better. It’s the only way we’re going to win this year.”
With Catellier, who also handles the kicking chores, currently injured, Lions lineman/linebacker Justin Sambu had little rest against Hilltoppers as he was pressed into punt duty on top of his regular work. He struck a couple of beauties that set Calgary back on a couple of possessions.
“We have to do our best,” Sambu, who plays high school football for the Cochrane Cobras, said following the Hilltoppers game. “Our confidence gets better when we have more players.”
On a positive note, Cormac Scholz’s one-yard dive for a touchdown against Hilltoppers was Cochrane’s first score of the season. The Lions were blanked 28-0 by Airdrie’s Northern Raiders in Week 1 play April 1 at Shouldice.
Cochrane tackles Calgary Mavericks in Week 3 play, April 11 at Shouldice Park, 11 a.m. kickoff.
