RECAP: CFC#43 Greyhounds, Purple Knights continue dominance

Both the Moncton High Purple Knights and CFC #43 Saint John Greyhounds continued to dominate their respective conferences in week five of the 12-Man Division in New Brunswick High School Football League (NBHSFL).

The Purple Knights’ offense overwhelmed the Mathieu-Martin Matadors (2-3) by scoring 54 points in the lopsided contest. The Knights’ offensive unit has a league leading 183 total points in five games.The team have not been defeated by Eastern Conference opponents and their only regular season defeat came at the hands of the 5-0 Greyhounds..

Josh Hicks has been the Purple Knights main offensive weapon.  He scored four touchdowns in the blowout victory and has proven to be one of the more dynamic players in the conference. Purple Knights Assistant Coach Dylan Rogers described Hicks as a quasi slot back/running back or wingback.

“He has set the tone for our offense all season,” added Rogers.

The Tantramar Titans’ defence held strong Saturday afternoon, blanking the Bernice MacNaughton Highlanders 26-0. The Highlanders (2-3) struggled to capitalize on favorable field-position and will need a victory this week versus the Matadors in order to stay alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

The Riverview Royals moved into third place by overpowering the Harrison Trimble Trojans 44-20 on Friday night. The Royals will visit the Titans this week in a game that could decide the second and third place seeding. Their battle promises excitement, as both squads possess equally talented offensive and defensive units. The winner will gain the head-to-head tiebreaker heading in to the season’s final week.

In the Western Conference, the Greyhounds remain undefeated, handing the Oromocto Blues a 55-10 beat down. The Greyhounds have dominated every Western Conference opponent, except for the Fredericton High Black Kats, who fell 38-37 in last week’s nail biter.

The Black Kats offense had their way with the last place Simonds Seabees, posting 60 points against the winless squad. Aside from the single point rouge, the Seabees were held off the board and did little to threaten the Black Kats’ defense. Each week, the Black Kats continue to improve and will certainly have a chance to defend their title and recapture the Ed Skiffington (‘AAA’) Trophy.

After losing their first three games of the season, the Leo Hayes Lions have shown some life, winning on back-to-back weeks. The Lions defeated Kennebecasis Valley Crusaders 43-20, as their offense has begun to effectively move the ball. The Crusaders fell to 1-4 on the season with the loss and will need victories in their next two contests to have any chance of earning a spot in the Western Conference playoffs.

Both the Black Kats and Greyhounds’ offenses have both posted over 200 points in just five games.  Their meeting in the Western Conference finals seems inevitable, as both teams seem to be more than a few steps ahead of the rest of their Conference opponents.

Thus far, the Eastern Conference is less predictable, as the Titans and Royals seem capable of upsetting the Purple Knights, while the Highlanders have shown some potential throughout their inconsistent season.