Bisons win again on the road
Topple Thunderbirds 21-12
JORDAN CHITTLEY, THE UBYSSEY (UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA)
The University of Manitoba Bisons football team continued their road-winning ways on Saturday at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver B.C., beating the UBC Thunderbirds 21-12. The win marked their sixth consecutive road victory, dating back to last season.
Head coach Brian Dobie is satisfied with the win, though the play wasn’t the prettiest.
“It was a real tough football game,” said Dobie. “When you win on the road in Canada West it’s a big victory because it’s a tough conference.”
The Thunderbirds were a bigger challenge for the Bisons than last week’s opponents the University of Regina Rams, who the Bisons beat 36-13, but Dobie maintained that the Bisons still weren’t playing their best.
“I’m a little frustrated with some of the things that occurred during the game in terms of our inability to score when we got down on the 15, 12, 10-yard line,” said Dobie.
For next game, Dobie said the Bisons need to focus on focusing — and not make as many end-zone mistakes.
“We need to find a way to focus better week to week and not look at the big picture.”
Rookie Manitoba kicker Scott Dixon put the Bisons in the early lead a little over halfway through the first quarter with a short field goal. Then after the Bisons defence forced a two-and-out, quarterback John Mackie drove the offence into the red zone but were unable to capitalize with the big score and had to settle for a Dixon 23-yard field goal.
The Thunderbirds finally got on the board when Dixon, who has also taken over punting duties for the team this year, decided to run it out the back of his own end zone instead of punting, therefore conceding the safety but attaining better field position.
Just over halfway through the second quarter, Matt Henry ran it in from 11 yards out capping off a long drive that started well into Thunderbird territory. The score gave the Bisons a 13-2 edge.
The Thunderbirds pulled together a good drive late in the second quarter, getting all the way into red zone territory. But, before they could cap off the drive with six points, the half clicked away, forcing the Thunderbirds into taking a 27-yard Shawn McIsaac field-goal that split the uprights. The Bisons took a 13-5 lead into the locker rooms.
The Thunderbirds, meanwhile, returned down only a single score — but failed to turn it around in the second half.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Bisons came out in the fourth with a long drive that started from their own 29-yard line. They capped off the drive when receiver Simon Blaszczak caught a short six-yard pass from Mackie for the major, and to put the Bisons up by what would be an insurmountable 21-6 tally.
The Thunderbirds did manage a touchdown late in the game when receiver Tyler Hamade had two receptions for first downs, which set up quarterback Doug Goldsby for the quarterback sneak. However, the touchdown was too little, too late.
The loss was the first on the season for the Thunderbirds (1-1). They play their third consecutive home game Sept. 15, when they play host to the Alberta Golden Bears.
The Bisons (2-0) maintain their undefeated record. They will continue their march for the Vanier Cup on Saturday, Sept. 15 for their home opener against the Calgary Dinos.
