How far can they go?
That’s what local football fans are wondering as the still-undefeated Creighton Kodiaks head into a season-ending match-up with first place on the line.
“That’s a good question and we as coaches sometimes ask ourselves [that],” says coach Ryan Karakochuk.
The Kodiaks host the La Ronge Churchill Chargers tomorrow afternoon, Thursday. The winner tops the regular season standings in the Northern Saskatchewan Football League and earns a bye to the league final.
The game follows yet another victory for the Kodiaks, who improved to 3-0 on the season with a 60-50 road win over the Cumberland House Islanders last Thursday, Sept. 24.
If that sounds like an unusually close score for Creighton, that’s because it is.
Ahead 52-12 at the halfway point, the Kodiaks played mostly rookies, Grade 9 and 10 players, in the second half.
Karakochuk says he didn’t want to risk losing a starter “meaninglessly” and was eager to give his rookies valuable playing time.
“It’s live experience that you can’t really simulate,” he says, adding that the game allowed all of his players to be part of a close match-up.
Leading the Kodiaks offence in Cumberland House were two of the team’s stars, running back Tyler Williamson and wide receiver Chris Reynolds, with two touchdowns apiece. Picking up one touchdown each were linebacker Dean Rainville, tight end Jordan Panagabko, defensive end Brennan Van Meer and quarterback Blair Pietsch.
Looking to their next game, a victory on Thursday would see the Kodiaks earn an automatic berth in the league final on Oct. 17 in Prince Albert. A loss puts them into the semi-finals.
If the Kodiaks repeat as league champions, Creighton would host its first ever provincial playoff game for a shot at the provincial semi-final.
But that is neither here nor there. As always, the Kodiaks are taking it one game at a time.
As it stands, Creighton remains undefeated in its history, going back to its inaugural season last year, with a franchise record of 10-0.
“We’ll just keep riding the wave until someone knocks us off,” says Karakochuk.
Game time Thursday is 4:30 pm at the Creighton soccer field.
