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Cougs give Knights early lesson

Just like the first days of school, the opening days of football season can be a grind but the payoff is further down the road.

Just like the first days of school, the opening days of football season can be a grind but the payoff is further down the road.

The young Holy Trinity Knights saw their first action hitting someone in a different jersey when they dropped a 45-6 exhibition tilt against the Tier I Notre Dame Cougars out of Red Deer Saturday in Okotoks.

“We have a pretty young team — less than 10 seniors,” said Knights head coach Matt Hassett. “We have young guys, and they made young mistakes.

“I thought we were a little bit further ahead than we were, but we just have some things to work on.”

Tackling drills will be at the top of the to-do list at practice this week.

“There were a lot of times on defence when we were right there and we just didn’t make the tackle,” Hassett said. “The bright side is that is something that can be fixed.”

The Cougars opened the game with back-to-back drives for majors, both capped off with TD runs by Justin Fedun. His second TD came on a third-and-two gamble from the HTA 27 in which he found a hole and was off to paydirt.

After the Cougars’ opening salvoes, the Knights defence was able to calm the Cats.

“The first two drives we had problems with their tight-end set, but after that we settled down a bit,” Hassett said.

“We still didn’t tackle well and allowed too many yards on first down.”

The Cougars four other TD came on a pair of punt returns from Payton Lagrange just before the end of the first half. Notre Dame would add a pair of TDs on pick sixes of Knights QB Cameron Fietz in the final 24 minutes.

The Knights’ lone TD came on a seven-yard swing pass to Grade 10 slotback Spencer Kessel in the second quarter to close the gap to 14-6.

Kessel had kept the Knights’ drive alive when he made a one-handed catch on a third-and-10 gamble from the Cougs 45-yard line. He wasn’t stopped until he got to the eight-yard line.

“I was able to kind of tip it to myself and as soon as I caught it, I knew I had to run,” Kessel said. “I was kind of surprised I caught it.”

The Knights showed a much more diverse offence than 2015 when HTA’s attack was line-plunge left, then line plunge right.

Much of the reason for the new-look offence is due to the off-season work of Fietz, who is entering his first-full season as the man behind centre.

“Last season, I learned that I love the position so I worked really hard over the summer so I wouldn’t let my teammates down,” Fietz said.

“This game showed us some good things and a lot of things we have to work on for next week.”

The academic student will learn from his two picks.

Lesson no. 1, learn from it, don’t dwell on it.

“Those were good reads by the defence I just have to trust my arm more and get it there and keep my head up — reload and get ready for the next game,” Fietz said.

Grade 12 veteran lineman Spence Howson said HTA will only get better.

“Usually our defence is better at the start of the season, but it is going to get better,” Howson said. “There are a lot of young guys, and a lot of talent.”

The Knights kick-it off for real on Thursday when they host the Tier II Catholic Central Cougars from Lethbridge at 7 p.m. at Knights Field.

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