The Cold Lake Fighter Jets defense was all over Bucs backup QB Mustapha Yekini on Saturday at Setters Place in Red Deer. Yekini was called for intentional grounding on this play. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

PERFECT START OVER

Bucs crushed on home turf by Cold Lake Fighter Jets

Jun 22, 2019 | 6:05 PM

Any dreams the Central Alberta Buccaneers had of a perfect season flew out the window during their game on Saturday against the Cold Lake Fighter Jets.

Both teams entered the game at Setters Place in Red Deer with 3-0 records, but it was the visitors who were far and away the better squad.

The final score was an eye-opening 38-3, a result credited to a calamity of errors, if you ask Bucs head coach Gary LaGrange.

After going down 7-3 early, the Buccaneers turned it over a few too many times, and wound up in a 23-3 hole at halftime.

The second half wasn’t much better.

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The Fighter Jets continued to pour it on, racking up interceptions and stops against the Bucs.

One bright spot for the Bucs was Andrew Taylor’s three interceptions, however those were cancelled out by Cold Lake’s four INTs.

“We had a young fella in there that we’ve got to get under fire. He’s not getting under it in practice, so he doesn’t really feel the pressure. He’s trying to feather the ball in there and he’s got a good arm, and he’s an athlete, but he’s just young,” LaGrange said of QB Mustapha Yekini.

Yekini played with regular starting quarterback Jarrett Burzuk out for personal reasons.

“That’s part of it. These guys played pretty good, and we had our chances, if (only) we’d had conversions and actually executed,” LaGrange added.

“We knew they were going to have a solid run game. Our defense settled in, but we just s**t the bed offensively.”

Up next for the 3-1 Buccaneers is a road game in Fort McMurray against the Monarchs, a team the Bucs beat 38-28 at home on June 1. That games goes July 6.