MOUNT DOUG 51 VAN COLLEGE 14
The Mount Douglas Rams took the fight out of the Vancouver College Fighting Irish early Saturday night on their way to becoming the first team to repeat as sa国际传媒 senior boy's triple-A football champions in 12 years.
Mason Swift scored on the very first Rams' offensive drive and, soon after, Marcus Davis electrified the sa国际传媒 Place crowd with a 69-yard punt return for a touchdown to open a quick 14-0 lead.
The Rams went on to an impressive 51-14 victory over the Irish to duplicate St. Thomas More's back-to-back titles back in 1999-2000 and can now set their sights on Richmond's three straight crowns from 1996-98.
"I think the kids are ready and having been here before is certainly an advantage," Rams head coach Mark Townsend said prior to the championship final. "This is going to be so special for all our graduating seniors."
Davis added an 86-yard TD run and Swift collected two more scores, including a 10-yard pass from quarterback Ashton MacKinnon, as the Rams built a 37-7 lead at the half. Cal-lum Duke also recorded a 34-yard field goal while Liam Mahara responded with an Irish touchdown in the first half.
Swift recorded his fourth major score of the night on the first possession of the second half and the rout was on for Mount Douglas. Brian Dowds added a touchdown catch for the Rams.
Big plays smothered the Irish, especially early.
"It's the most important thing that we will have to do on Saturday night, contain explosive plays and it's tough with [Davis] because he is not just a speed guy, he's not just a guy who is fast or quick," Irish coach Todd Bernett told the Vancouver Province entering the game.
"He is truly a football player in the sense that you still have to wrap and tackle really well because he can run through contact. He's just an outstanding player," he added of Davis, who captured that provincial award. "He has the innate ability in him and so he is a handful."
Offensively, Davis and Swift were spectacular for the Rams behind a dominant offensive line. Six-foot-six, 220-pound MacKinnon showed he's more than capable of moving around the pocket and running the impressive Rams' unit.
Meanwhile, Mount Doug's defence was also ferocious as Sasha Shurvin had a pair of early quarterback sacks, tracking down Irish quarterback Hunter Robinson. Dowds had an interception and a key knockdown in the early going.
The defence also took six-foot-six receiver Rashaun Simonise out of the equation until late in the game when he caught Vancouver College's second TD, but the game was long over.
[email protected] Twitter/tc_vicsports
