The Notre Dame Cougars defeated the Hunting Hills Lightning in the Central Alberta High School Football League championship final on Saturday. (Photo contributed by Ian Rattan)

By Ian Gustafson

undefeated season

Notre Dame Cougars win first league football title since 2016

Nov 5, 2024 | 12:34 PM

The Notre Dame Cougars are Central Alberta High School Football League champions.

On Saturday they defeated the Hunting Hills Lightning 34-24 in the league championship to win their first title since 2016.

They also finished undefeated at 8-0 for the first time since 2009.

Thomas Barrett had two rushing touchdowns for the Cougars, his longest came in the first quarter at 24 yards. He finished with 269 total yards rushing.

The Cougars Ben McAuley also had a big game with two rushing touchdowns. His first came in the first quarter with an 86-yard run and again in the fourth at 59 yards. Notre Dame quarterback Natty Thain Liptak threw for 72 yards.

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Down 24-0 in the second quarter, the Lightning didn’t go away quietly, scoring 21 straight points on three touchdown passes by quarterback Deegan Rutherford, who finished the game with 251 yards.

He threw two touchdowns to Ilya Keeper and one to Cooper Niedermaier all in the second quarter to make it a game.

Niedermaier finished with 146 yards receiving followed by Keeper with 116 yards.

The H.J. Cody Lakers defeated the Lindsay Thurber Raiders 47-14 in the bronze medal game.

The Cougars are ranked sixth overall in the Alberta Schools Athletic Association (ASAA) 5A football rankings.

This weekend they’ll take on number one ranked Harry Ainlay High School on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 3 p.m. in the north region semifinals at the JP Bowl in Edmonton.