After winning its home opener over the Argyle Pipers 26-0 last week the Spectrum Thunder junior football team fell to the Earl Marriott Mariners 39-9 on Thursday.
Darren Vaux heads the Spectrum program and is coach of the senior team. He isn’t worried, crediting the Mariners for a strong first half.
“Our young team struggled early against the experienced Earl Marriott team from South Surrey, but managed a close second half,” Vaux said.
While the Mariners junior team is projected to be among the top-five in B.C., the junior Thunder’s win over Argyle is also a good sign for the team.
“[Argyle] was our first game of the season and it looks like we have some new stars emerging at our school,” said coach Darren Vaux.
Against Argyle, Spectrum’s quarterback Noah McMillan rushed for two touchdowns and was productive on both sides of the ball all day.
Connor Pettepiece stood out as a defensive back and punt returner. Both are in Grade 9 and show a strong future for the school’s football program, Vaux said.
Next for the junior Thunder is a visit to Argyle in North Vancouver on Wednesday, Oct. 11.
The Tier 2 senior Thunder is next at home Friday, Oct. 13, at 2:30 p.m. against Eric Hamber from Vancouver.
The senior team played out-of-tier competition in the preseason. Spectrum played AA Pitt Meadows (the defending Tier 2 champs) and lost 12-10, then lost 10-0 to a dynamic AAA Nanaimo team, then lost to AA John Barsby in a lopsided road game.
“We did beat AAA Belmont Bulldogs and AAA Centennial during the controlled scrimmage in the spring, and we expect good things, there’s lots of reason for optimism,” Vaux said.
