COLTS RUN INTO REGINA ‘REALITY CHECK’ AS THUNDER LIGHTS UP THE SCOREBOARD

REGINA — This electric storm sure caught the Calgary Colts by surprise.

The upstart Colts had boarded the bus for the Queen City and a much-anticipated measuring-stick game on Sunday afternoon against the Regina Thunder, the outfit picked by many this year to win the Prairie Football Conference crown. The result was a crushing 59-10 loss at Mosaic Stadium.

“We know where we sit now,” said fourth-year Colts offensive coordinator Rob McNab, whose squad’s record falls to 1-1. “It’s a little bit of a reality check for us. I still believe we have a good football team, but definitely a reality check.

“I haven’t been involved in a loss like this, so it’s going to be a tough ride home,” said McNab. “Then you’ve got to get back to work on Tuesday, and get ready for your next opponent. Take it for what it is. It’s over, it’s done, and away you go.”

The Thunder (2-0), which counts 24 players in their fourth or fifth years, racked up six passing touchdowns and one along the ground. Regina chalked up 522 yards’ worth of total offence, including 338 through the air.

The Colts’ lone TD came early in the fourth quarter on a 20-yard run by Jake Harty (2[SUP]nd[/SUP] year, Calgary, Henry Wise Wood HS). Even more troubling than the scoreline was the fact that starting quarterback Jeremy Long (2[SUP]nd[/SUP] year, Calgary, Notre Dame HS) left Sunday’s game in the second quarter with a torso injury.

“We had issues with their defence and what they were doing. We thought we had it worked out, but they came at us pretty hard, and we just couldn’t string first downs together,” said McNab. “We threw a load of interceptions (six in total). That just killed us.
“They’ve got a pretty good football team, and we didn’t execute plays. They took advantage of things, and we just made mistakes,” added McNab. “We had two touchdowns called back. We had penalty problems again. They just kind of took it to us.

“The game started out, they go down and score. We get a third-and-half-a-yard, and we don’t get it. That just set the tone, I think.”

Regina quarterback Reid Quest, the CJFL’s offensive player for Week 1 of the PFC season, tossed five TD passes and threw for 282 yards in total. Thunder receiver Kolten Solomon hauled in 205 yards’ worth of that total and one major score.

“It just wasn’t our best effort, in terms of being ready to play a tough, physical football team, and I think (the Thunder) were,” said Colts defensive consultant John Stevens. “Regina wanted to win a lot more than we did on this day.

“Defensively, you have to play with emotion. We didn’t do that consistently, and I think that’s the thing we really need to improve upon,” added Stevens. “Schematically, I think I can put the players into some better positions, so I take responsibility for some of the schemes we were running, as well.”

Calgary QB Brett Serhyenko (2[SUP]nd[/SUP] year, Cochrane, Alta., Cochrane HS), who replaced Long, passed for 71 yards, but was intercepted three times. Harty, who lines up at both slotback and running back, ended up with 83 yards on the ground and 57 more through the air, while Colts running back Cuong Thai Lieu (2[SUP]nd[/SUP] year, Nanaimo, B.C., John Barsby HS) lugged the leather 18 times for 99 yards.

The Colts head into their bye week with some issues to sort through. They’ll next hit the gridiron Sept. 12 at McMahon Stadium for their 2010 home opener against the defending PFC champion Edmonton Wildcats, who have stumbled to an 0-2 start after a 27-13 home loss to the Saskatoon Hilltops (2-0) on Sunday.

Calgary’s young roster is dominated by second- and third-year players, and McNab said Sunday’s whitewash reflected some growing pains: “These kids have got to come prepared mentally and physically. They were on the first long road trip of the year, an overnighter, and we’ve just got to teach them how to focus and be prepared for a game.”

Todd Kimberley – Media Consultant – Jace Communications – 8/29/2010