Wide receiver Dario Vares runs with the ball in the second half of Saturday night's tilt between the Central Alberta Buccaneers and Fort McMurray Monarchs at Setters Place in Red Deer. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

alberta football league

Bucs hold off Monarchs in AFL home opener

Jun 1, 2019 | 10:21 PM

Charged up for what was the Central Alberta Buccaneers’ 2019 AFL home opener, both the Bucs and their opponents from Fort McMurray came out firing in the first few minutes Saturday night at Setters Place.

“We have a lot to clean up on offensively,” admitted Bucs quarterback Jarrett Burzuk following the win. “We had four or five turnovers, and just cleaning up the passing game too. We have a bye week coming up so we’ll get to the film, we’ll be able to have lots of time to recover and get ready for Airdrie.”

After receiving the kickoff, the diminutive Burzuk tossed a pass up which Ben Hnatiuk would take to the house for a 70+ yard score.

The Monarchs didn’t flinch, however, coming back on their first possession with a touchdown and two-point convert to take an 8-7 lead.

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Soon after, Burzuk fumbled the ball on a handoff, leading the Monarchs back up the field.

The Bucs’ defense looked to make a stand, but pass interference on a crushing hit near the goal line gave Fort Mac the ball at the two. They capitalized, but failed on another two-point attempt and it was 14-7 Monarchs headed to the second.

Minutes in, Buccaneer Trent Kroetsch made a crucial interception close to his own end zone.

The Buccaneers kept possession for several minutes, methodically taking it down the field before Hnatiuk earned his second score of the night, a five-yard touchdown, and it was 14-all.

On the ensuing drive, Fort Mac got caught deep and were forced into taking a safety. CA went up 16-14 on the play.

Then, with a chance to extend their lead, the Bucs fumbled for a third time at the Monarchs’ goal line. Fort McMurray then took it all the way down the field finishing it off with a 37-yard TD to take a 20-16 lead.

With less than 30 ticks to go in the half, it looked like CA would go to the locker room trailing, but a paltry seven-yard kick allowed the Bucs to pummel their way to the end zone with a 51-yard catch by Dario Vares. A two-point convert made it 24-20 Buccaneers at the half.

In the third quarter, the offense went silent, neither team adding to their score, but it was only 45 seconds into the fourth when that changed.

Ben Hnatiuk scored his third touchdown of the night, this one a nine-yard haul, and it was 31-20.

In the fourth, the Monarchs’ lack of a kicker hurt them as they turned it over on downs multiple times in lieu of kicking field goals.

The Buccaneers sealed it with another touchdown and eventually went on to win 38-28, knocking off the reigning national champions.

“It’s a new season. It’s just another game in the books,” Burzuk added. “Sure it’s cool to beat the national champs, but we’re an A team, they’re an A team, and I look forward to playing them again down the road.”

Hnatiuk, who had the hat trick of touchdowns, reflected after his big game.

“I think they were hurting. They didn’t have too many guys come down with them, so a couple guys got tired,” he said. “Scheme-wise, we knew kind of what they were going to run, but we just attacked on what we thought their weaknesses would be and it turned out we were right.”

The Buccaneers next matchup is June 15 on the road against the Airdrie Irish.