By Darren Lum

There was more than enough bluster for everybody at the senior Red Hawks football game on Friday Oct. 2 as gale-like winds with bone-chilling effects left everyone a little wanting of a long game at the Gary G. Brohman Athletic Field in Haliburton.

More than an hour after the scheduled start time of 2 p.m. the Lindsay Collegiate Vocational Institute Spartans showed up. Many fans and players had waited for close to an hour before they left the field to warm in the school or return to work.

The game was officially truncated to three 10-minute quarters because of the Spartans’ tardiness who are suspected of confusing the 2 p.m. start time for 4 p.m. To add to the day’s complication the junior Red Hawks football team’s game against the visiting Holy Cross Hurricanes was scheduled for 4 p.m.

Despite the delay and the short game the Hawks dominated and shutout the Spartans 22-0 with touchdowns coming from Mac Rider and a pair from first-year senior Shane O’Reilly including one safety and successful converts from Jaydon Wood.

Hawks coach Bruce Griffith smiling as always focused on the positive instead of being disappointed like many fans on the school’s Spirit Day complete with pep rally and time to see the game.

“I’m glad we had a chance to get a little bit of a game in because [my team] needs that” he said referring to being game ready.

Everyone getting some action will prove to be invaluable for this coming week when the Hawks go to Peterborough and will be tested he added.

“We got a game on Tuesday which is going to be a hard one down there at TASS [Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School] – that’s a combined school Lakefield [District Secondary School] and Kenner [Collegiate Vocational Institute] – so they’re a dominant team. So we’ll have our hands full and we’re going to stick with what we did today” he said.

He adds the offense personnel was changed calling it “beefier” and better for a run attack.

Tailback Mac Rider is now on the outside to utilize his speed and the team will stick with playing both quarterbacks second-year player Wood and first-year Rylan Gwyn each taking a quarter.

Starting linebacker Devon Bangay who runs Griffith’s defence injured his wrist. Griffith said he hopes its a bruise until X-rays say otherwise.

Being the stronger team the home side used the opportunity to  first-year players and use the bench.

“It’s fun to do” he said.

The seniors’ next scheduled home game is Oct. 16 against Crestwood Secondary School. Kickoff is 2 p.m. All games are subject to change.