Their offence was never in question.
No team held the Mount Douglas Rams below 40 points scored this season, but it wasnB次元官网网址檛 until the playoffs that the RamsB次元官网网址� finally stopped the bleeding in their own end.
With the defence in place, the Rams steamrolled to their second-straight AAA high school football championship, blowing out the Vancouver College Fighting Irish 51-14 in the 2012 Subway Bowl at B.C. Place on Saturday (Dec. 1).
B次元官网网址淥ur D-line took leaps and bounds from the beginning of the season to the end,B次元官网网址� said Grade 12 linebacker Mason Swift. B次元官网网址淏y the end, (opposing) quarterbacks didnB次元官网网址檛 have time to throw and running backs didnB次元官网网址檛 have space.B次元官网网址�
The 6-foot, 210-pound running back was named Subway Bowl MVP for the second time in two years, namely for punching in four touchdowns against the Irish on Saturday. HeB次元官网网址檚 a renowned offensive star in B.C. high school football, and is credited as B次元官网网址渢he heart and soulB次元官网网址� of the 2012 team by Rams coach Mark Townsend.
Swift downplays his second Subway Bowl MVP, saying it has to go to the winning team, though he recognizes its benefit on the resum茅.
ItB次元官网网址檚 easier for him to admit the Rams lagged defensively at the start of the season, especially since his team rampaged through the playoffs with wins of 45-20 and 41-15.
The biggest scare of the season came on Oct. 13, when the Rams suffered a last minute 52-49 loss to the W.J. Mouat Hawks. That day Maleek Irons rushed against the Rams at will for 491 yards and scored five touchdowns. To put it in perspective, the RamsB次元官网网址� total offensive gains in the Subway Bowl is said to be just over 500 yards.
B次元官网网址淚t had a lot to do with trust,B次元官网网址� Swift said. B次元官网网址淲e eventually filled the holes and kept to our assignments.B次元官网网址�
Away from the football field, Swift and some of the Grade 12s had a challenging weekend trying to prepare for a Biology 12 midterm, which they wrote Monday morning. Academically, Swift wants to keep his options open, and that includes sciences, as well as which university heB次元官网网址檒l play football for.
Canadian schools want him, but Swift is holding out hope for a spot down south.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not actually sure if thereB次元官网网址檚 a deadline but IB次元官网网址檓 hoping to get some attention with Team B.C. (U18) when we travel to Texas in January.B次元官网网址�
Team B.C. holds another round of tryouts later this week and will soon cut from 60 to 40 players. Making the team should be a formality for Swift, however, as he was Team B.C.B次元官网网址檚 running back in 2011. He will likely have a spot somewhere in the back field, perhaps beside Irons. Marcus Davis and other Rams are also vying for a spot on Team B.C.
As the Rams look back on their second B.C. title, some of the key pieces stand out a little more, Swift included. SwiftB次元官网网址檚 leadership cannot be replaced, Townsend said. There may not be another Mason Swift on the Mount Doug Rams, but his attitude and discipline will live on as an example through other players, part of the Rams B次元官网网址渇amilyB次元官网网址� that Swift has become so fond of in the last four years.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e come to realize how much it doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter how well I do, itB次元官网网址檚 about earning the win with the boys, and honestly, if the team doesnB次元官网网址檛 win you wonB次元官网网址檛 get the MVP, so itB次元官网网址檚 all about the W.B次元官网网址�
Subway Bowl summary
SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 win marked the Rams third B.C. championship in four years, including their 2009 AA win.
The Rams opened the scoring in the first quarter on a drive capped by a five-yard TD rush by Swift.
A few minutes later, the Irish punted. Marcus Davis returned the punt (pictured below), pulled some "jukes" to open up space, made a player or two look silly, and darted 65 yards for a touchdown, 14-0.
Davis soon struck again, one minute into the second quarter. He took the ball from quarterback Ashton MacKinnon deep in Rams' defensive territory and ran it back 85 yards for his second TD, 21-0.
"Marcus has a thing for (punt/kick) returns. He has field vision like no other, sees holes and is patient and shoots through them before anyone can react," Swift said.
Before the half was over Swift ran in another short TD, caught an 11-yard TD pass from MacKinnon, and Callum Duke kicked a field goal. It was 38-7.
"We challenged our key, skilled players like Mason and Marcus and others to have biggest games on the biggest stage. Mason and Marcus delivered on that and more as each of them had superstar performances," Townsend said.
The Rams cranked downfield early in the second half with another successful drive, capped by another short run by Swift, his fourth TD, 45-7. Still in the third quarter, receiver Brian Dowds caught a 20-yard pass from MacKinnon for the Rams seventh and final strike, 51-14.
Swift score four TDs, three rushing and one reception. Davis scored two, Dowds one, and Callum Duke hit six of seven point-after attempts and a field goal.
Moving on
Graduating from the Rams this year is a crop of star players destined for the CIS, and possibly NCAA. Leading the way are Mason Swift at running back, Brian Dowds at receiver and Mitch Pearse at strong safety. Also gaining interest are defensive tackle Peter Allan and defensive lineman Sasha Shurvin, as well as offensive lineman Matt Power, who B次元官网网址減layed his finest game in his final high school game,B次元官网网址� on Saturday, earning the RamsB次元官网网址� Lineman of the Game, Townsend said.
Grade 11s Marcus Davis and quarterback Ashton MacKinnon return for 2013 to lead a team that will compete for a three-peat.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 like to make predictions but, I will say weB次元官网网址檒l have a competitive team that is going to work their butts off to get to the Subway Bowl in 2013,B次元官网网址� Townsend said.
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