The U18 Viragos faced a challenging game this past weekend, ending in a significant 62-13 loss. Despite the defeat, there were some positives to take away.
“The young players showed some jitters when the game first started, but they got a feel for what a game is actually like. Now they know more preparation is needed and practices are an important part of the game,” said coach Mark Tribiger.
The team was tested early when the opponents scored a touchdown on the first play. Morgan Hayes quickly responded with a kickoff return for a touchdown, but the excitement was short-lived. Hayes, the starting running back and a key player, was injured and missed most of the game.
“She missed the next two full quarters and about half of the fourth quarter. When she did come back in, she scored another touchdown,” Tribiger said.
Despite Hayes's return and her additional touchdown, the Viragos struggled with defensive sweeps and found it challenging to get their offence going after her injury.
Looking ahead, the team is optimistic about their upcoming game against the Moosomin Generals. The Generals, though historically strong, are currently low on numbers.
“They’ve won the league once and reached the finals three times, so they’re a good team and can’t be counted out,” said Tribiger.
The focus ahead of the weekend will be on bolstering the defence to better counter outside sweeps.
“Defence is our main focus. We need to figure out how to stop their sweeps to the outside. If our defence can shut them down and our key players stay healthy, we should be able to secure a win,” Tribiger said.
The Viragos will hit the field at Woodlawn on Saturday at 4 p.m.