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You could feel that penalties were going to catch up to the Timberline Wolves football team eventually on Saturday.
And they did.
The flags were seemingly more often on the field than in the waistbands of the officials’ pants most of the game, and with just seconds left in the fourth quarter, and the score knotted at eight, the Wolves took yet another penalty (roughing the kicker) on a Wildcats missed field goal, allowing Burnaby another shot at the end zone.
They capitalized on Timberline’s gift with a running play up the gut to take a 14-8 win back to the mainland, but the Timberline Wolves football team can still hold their heads high.
With a shortened pre-season and limited practice availability due to the teacher’s dispute, particularly harmful for developing skills in a roster full of rookies, the Wolves managed to keep the game close with a solid defensive effort, led by the zealous play of Dale Callendar , Kristian Drake and Austin Donaldson.
With a short bench, most players played every down on offence, defence and special teams. Callendar, especially, was integral to his team’s play, making an interception deep in his own end in the second quarter and returning it more than 90 yards for the team’s only touchdown. He was also in on many defensive tackles besides being a key target for quarterback Damien Meier on offence. Callendar was also the one sent back to field the Wildcats’ kicks at possession changes.
Donaldson was all over the field, as well, particularly on defence. He went down with a shoulder injury in the third quarter after a throwing a massive hit that blew up a Wildcats screen pass behind the line of scrimmage, but later returned to the game and continued to be tenacious in his pursuit of the Burnaby Central ball carriers.
With what looks like a strong defence, and an offence that should gel over time with more practice, the Wolves seem to be in pretty good shape going forward, especially if they can be disciplined on the field and minimize their penalty for/against ratio.