The Swift Current Comp. Colts will have a shot at a third straight SHSAA 5A South Rural Football League Tier 2 Championship after a convincing win over the Estevan Elecs on Saturday afternoon.
Colts quarterback Owen Sletten went 8-for-20 throwing for three touchdowns and 189 yards while rushing for an additional touchdown in Swift Current's 39-12 semifinal victory over the Elecs at Colts Field. Receiver Nate Siemens had two touchdown catches combining for 73 yards on the two receptions and running back Jake Woods rushed for 196 yards on 19 carries.
"This game was really important to all the grade 12s as it was the last home game, so we had to put on a show for the crowd," Sletten told Country 94.1 post-game.
Colts linebacker Zachary Potter made the most of a rare carry, opening the scoring on a nine-yard run almost four minutes into the game.
Receiver Riley Wingert pushed the Colts edge to 14-0 early in the second quarter as Sletten tossed him a six-yard touchdown pass. Swift Current's defence registered a safety midway through the quarter helping them begin to pull away at 16-0.
However, Elecs running back Preston McGuire stopped the Colts' run with a 24-yard lateral touchdown pitch from Khalifa Elshein with 2:31 remaining in the first half.
Sletten connected with Siemens on a 38-yard passing touchdown as time expired in the half, halting the Elecs' momentum.
"They had the energy built up, so we had to make a play, we had to go out there prove a point," he said. "It was more of a Hail Mary type shot and then the table flipped and we had all the energy."
Sletten continued to leave his fingerprints all over Swift Current's offence, rushing a 15-yard touchdown early in the third quarter up the middle, tilting the game in their favour 30-6.
The Colts' defence recorded another safety about a minute later, setting the table for Siemens to ice the game halfway through the third quarter with a 35-yard receiving touchdown making it 39-6.
McGuire scored his second touchdown of the game with four minutes left in the fourth quarter converting on a nine-yard run to close the book on the scoring.
Swift Current will travel to Moose Jaw on October 26 to battle the Peacock Tornadoes for the Tier II trophy. The Colts fell early in the season 21-0 on September 14 to the Tornadoes.
"I'm convinced with some of the changes in the last couple of weeks we'll be great to go," Colts head coach Derek Murdoch said.