Buccaneers rout Airdrie 48-7 in home opener

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“Last week I had some good returns and coach Devo [defensive coordinator Devon Hand] just told me to hit it full speed,” Olstad recalled. “That’s all I was thinking about when I caught [the ball].”

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Quarterback Judah Knip, who got the start for the Buccaneers in place of Brandon Leyh, connected with Josh Blanchard on a six-yard touchdown pass 1:29 into the game.

The Bucs defence intercepted a pass deep in Airdrie territory, Knip found Preston Bailey for a 14-yard score.

Knip threw his third touchdown of the game when he and Olstad teamed up for a 14-yard score. A late field goal from Tylor Johanneson made it a 31-0 game after one quarter of play.

“He was just throwing hot stuff, just giving it to all our receivers and we were just making plays,” Olstad said of his pivot’s premium performance.

The offensive onslaught continued in the second quarter when a scrambling Knip heaved one deep for Bailey, who fought off an Airdrie defender to make the catch for a 28-yard touchdown and a 38-0 Buccaneers lead.

A short punt and a no yards penalty set up the Irish with great field position at the Buccaneers 15-yard line, but they came up empty.

With 27 seconds left in the half, Knip connected over the top with Ben Hnatiuk for an 85-yard touchdown bomb and a 45-0 Buccaneers lead.

With the game already decided, the lone second half score for the Buccaneers was a 30-yard third quarter field goal from Johanneson.

Airdrie broke the shutout when James Balsdon hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass with 3:11 left to play in the final quarter.

“This week we just came prepared, we just knew what we wanted,” Olstad surmised. “Last week was kind of just getting off all the rust and this week we came with more of a purpose and knew what we wanted.”

The Buccaneers are back in action next Saturday, June 16 at Great Park versus the Lloydminster Vandals. Game time is at 6 p.m.

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Former Buccaneer Tanner Green survived cut down day with the Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday. The Lacombe native was selected by Edmonton in the fourth round of the CFL Draft in May.