The varsity Mission Roadrunners won the provincial champions this December capping off an incredible football season.
After losing in the semi-finals to the John Barsby Bulldogs last year, the senior football squad from Mission secondary edged out this same team 16-12 to clinch the B.C. AA title Dec. 3 at BC Place stadium.
The Roadrunners got off to a fast and early scoring start after quarterback Kevin Wiens popped a four-yard pass to Jesse Forcier who carried it into the endzone.
The second quarter saw no score, but by the third, Forcier rushed four yards again for another TD, and Erik DiGuistini nailed a 21-yard field goal to round out the Roadrunners’ effort.
Midway through the fourth quarter the Bulldogs had a chance to take its first lead, but fumbled on Mission’s five-yard line, the fourth drop of the day.
Barsby’s Robert Morris gave his team one final opportunity, intercepting a pass on his own four-yard line, but the ’Dawgs couldn’t gain ground and punted the football away with three and a half minutes left. They never got it back.
Mission’s players of the game were standouts Kevin Wiens and Jesse Forcier. Barsby lineman Jordan Kuziek won a player of the game award.
For head coach Kevin Watrin, this victory cements all the hard work of the past nine years.
“The emotions ranged from surreal to relief to excitement,” he said. “We knew it would be a real battle ... Barsby is a very physical team, but we were expecting that kind of game.”