Two midget football teams faced each other Friday at Surrey’s Bear Creek Park, and one came away still perfect: the Langley Stampeders.
The Stamps battled to a 23-8 win over the Surrey Bears to improve to 4-0.
The Bears suffered their first loss of the campaign and dropped to 3-1.
The teams met in a pre-season tournament game which resulted in a scoreless tie.
This, along with both teams having 3-0 league records going in, promised to be a great game under the lights.
Fans were not denied.
Both defences proved their merit in the first quarter, with most of the action taking place between the respective 35 yard lines.
The longest drive was a nine-play march by the Stampeders. Surrey came up big, forcing a turnover on downs at the end of the period on their 29 yard line.
The defensive battle continued in the second quarter.
Langley put together a series, assisted by a 30-yard fake kick run by Kyle Clarot.
A missed field goal resulted in a single for Langley.
On their next ball possession the Stamps moved the ball from their 46 marker in three plays to bag a touchdown with a 55 yard scamper into the Bears’ end zone as Langley took an 8-0 lead into halftime.
The third stanza saw Surrey bounce back with an impressive march, after blocking a third down Langley kick attempt.
Two plays later they hit pay dirt and added a two point convert to tie the score 8-8.
Going into the final stanza, Langley’s offensive line came to the fore, opening some sizable holes in the Bears’ defence.
The Stampeders moved downfield over six plays, putting another point on the board with a boot deep into the Bears’ end zone for another single.
The Bears took over on the 35, but fumbled the ball, due in part to the wet conditions, with Langley recovering on the Bears’ 42 yard mark.
Two plays later Azuka Okili carried the ball all the way for the Stamps, adding another touchdown.
With the three minute warning and the rain pelting down, the Stamps took over the ball on the 55 yard line.
Seven plays later Okili added his second touchdown of the night.
The Bears had one final opportunity with the ball but were turned back by the Stampeders' defence.
The victory was Langley’s 23-8.
These two teams have another league game in a few weeks.
The teams gave special recognition to the cheerleaders from Langley and Surrey for keeping the fans entertained during the contest, in difficult conditions.
Next up for the Stamps is the Westside Warriors Sunday in Vancouver.