MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM -- If there was any question as to whether or not the Balgonie Greenall Griffins are the team to beat in the South Rural Football League, it was answered on Saturday afternoon.
The Griffins put up 28 second-half points and would go on to a 48-21 victory over the Central Cyclones in a battle of undefeated teams at Gutheridge Field.
Balgonie improved to 4-0 on the campaign and now have wins over each of the league’s top teams, while Central fell to 3-1 and will continue the hard part of their schedule in the coming weeks.
The first half was a back-and-forth battle, with the teams each putting up majors in the first quarter.
Keaton Belsher got things started, going 55 yards on a pass from Wyatt Craik to give Central a 7-0 lead 4:39 into the game.
Shane McDougall would get that back for Balgonie on a four-yard run with 15 seconds left in the first, and he’d haul in a 16-yard pass for another major and a 14-7 lead 2:23 into the second quarter.
Back-to-back late field goals by Ty Gorniak gave Greenall a 20-7 edge, but Central would make it a one-score game on a 29-yard passing touchdown to Belsher on the final play of the half.
After being held to 53 yards rushing in the first half, the prolific McDougall would get things rolling after the break. He’d run for a 26-yard major early in the third quarter and rack up eight carries for 113 yards in the half, finishing with 166 yards on the ground.
Chase Kee (one-yard run), Cole Oswald (17-yard pass) and Max Yanko (15-yard run) had Balgonie’s other touchdowns in the half.
Kayden Nightingale scored the Cyclones’ second touchdown on a one-yard plunge midway through the fourth quarter. He had an effective game of his own on the ground, carrying 21 times for 123 yards.
Craik finished the game 9-for-19 passing for 171 yards, with Belsher making four catches for 105 yards.
Kee completed nine-of-14 passes for 146 yards for Balgonie, Rogan Pipko was his favourite target with three catches for 70 yards.
Other results Saturday saw the Yorkton Raiders (3-2) take a 30-27 win over the Peacock Tornadoes and the Weyburn Eagles (3-1) roll to a 41-16 win over Swift Current (1-4).
League action continues Saturday with Weyburn at Central and Estevan at Peacock, with kickoff at 1 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. respectively at Gutheridge Field. Balgonie is at Swift Current.
