Bisons rally to remain perfect
Late flurry seals victory over Thunderbirds
Ajitpaul Mangat, Staff
UBC Thunderbird Corey Hamade (10) fails to catch Manitoba Bisons Randy Simmons (3) as the Bisons defeated UBC 26-14 at University Stadium Saturday October 13.
The third-ranked Manitoba Bisons left a raucous crowd of 1,200 Bison faithful holding their collective breaths until the fourth quarter, as the undefeated Canada West division leaders required a late comeback to defeat the importunate UBC Thunderbirds by a flattering 26-14 score.
“We’re a very methodical team on both sides of the ball. You’re seeing a lot of close games this year with us, because that’s how we operate. But also, on the whole, the conference is way better. This is a loaded conference of veterans across the board,” said Bisons head coach Brian Dobie.
Early miscues prevented the Bisons from playing the first three quarters of the game like a team that has dominated the opposition of late. The Bisons have amassed an impressive 15 victories over their past 16 games.
Punt return coverage was a glaring problem with UBC’s electrifying punt returner Derek Townsend amassing 50 punt-return yards in the first half alone. In fact it was Townsend who provided the impetus for the first points of the game. With the Bisons punting in UBC territory the Thunderbirds should have taken over possession deep in their own half, but a 22-yard Townsend punt-return gave the Thunderbirds’ young quarterback Marc McVeigh and the UBC offence unexpectedly good field position. Two passing first downs later, kicker Shawn McIsaac booted a 43-yard field goal to give the Thunderbirds a 3-0 lead.
Another concern was the Bisons’ red zone play, which has been a major problem all season. Taking over possession late in the first quarter, trailing 3-2, quarterback John Makie lead the offence down the field via the passing game. However, once inside the red zone, the Bisons lost sure points after Karim Lowen fumbled at the UBC nine-yard line.
The lone offensive highlight of the Bisons’ first half occurred with 2:51 remaining when Makie found receiver Terry Firr for an eight-yard touchdown grab. A UBC field goal by McIssac with no time left on the clock meant there was everything to play for at halftime as the Bisons lead 9-6.
With the Bisons’ offensive struggles continuing into the third quarter, giving up another safety and scoring no points, it was the defence that dominated the frame. The standout was safety Bob Riest who, flawlessly manning the middle of the Bisons’ cover-three defence (a scheme where three defenders each cover a deep third of the field), intercepted McVeigh twice in the quarter.
“It’s all about preparation. I mean, we spend a lot of time on the scouting report and watching film. That’s something I pride myself on, I try to really prepare well for each team,” said Riest. “The ball found me, and you’ve got to take advantage of those [situations].”
Both offences finally showed up in the fourth quarter with the Bisons leading 9-8. UBC was able to take advantage of excellent field position, due to a botched punt by the Bisons, as McVeigh capped off a short drive by rushing for a touchdown on third and goal.
Makie responded, revitalized after being benched for a drive earlier in the quarter, single-handedly leading the team down the field with little-to-no running game to aid him. Passing for more than 80 yards on the drive, Makie connected with four different receivers, ultimately throwing a 26-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jeff Strome to give the Bisons a 16-14 lead they would never give up.
“For whatever reason we have the capability of switching into a gear, and sustaining it, but only for a very short period of time,” said Dobie.
A 32-yard field goal by kicker Scott Dixon, and a late touchdown off an interception return by linebacker Kenton Onofrychuk finished off the scoring to send the relieved Bisons fans home happy.
“They are a good football team. We played with them for three quarters, but we did not play well when we needed to at the end of the game,” said UBC head coach Ted Goveia. “Maybe we will get a chance to play them again, but they are a great team.”
The Bisons (6-0) will face the Regina Rams (5-1) in their final home game of the regular season. The Bisons defeated the Rams 36-13 to open the 2007 CIS football season. The game is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. here on campus at University Stadium.
The Thunderbirds (3-4) now head into their bye week.
