One thing is almost a certain for the South Delta Sun Devils' high school football home opener on Saturday.
The hosts will get to play all four quarters.
For the second time in three games, the Sun Devils saw their game cut short, this time in a 22-15 win over the Earl Marriott Mariners last Friday in South Surrey. The pre-season tilt turned out to be more like a controlled scrimmage when the officiating crew failed to show. The delay resulted in the teams only playing three quarters which were enough for an improving South Delta squad to pick up its second win.
"We're a young team," said Sun Devils head coach Ray Moon. "We're slowly putting things together. We can see improvement with each game, as well as taking note of a number of areas that need more work."
Grade 11 quarterback Kyle Menzies continues to make strides. He connected on seven of 11 passes for 88 yards, highlighted by first half touchdown strikes to Danny Stranger and Cody Taylor.
The running game also featured a collective effort as five different backs combined for 120 yards. Menzies led the way with 63 yards, while David Mann rounded out the scoring on a seven-yard run.
The defensive effort was keyed by Martin O'Hara who drew the tough assignment of covering the Mariners' top receiver. He responded to the challenge with five tackles. Defensive end Travis McDonald also enjoyed a solid outing with three tackles and a quarterback sack.
Rookie kicker John Longay connected on two of three converts and had an impressive 42-yard punting average. One of his kickoffs also resulted in a safety.
The Sun Devils will face an immense test on Saturday when the the Mission Roadrunners visit at 1: 30 p.m. The province's second ranked team Double-A level, is coming off a huge 22-15 win over TripleA powerthouse WJ Mouat Hawks.