It was a hard-fought game when the Langley Midget Stampders met their crosstown rivals the North Langley Kodiaks Dec. 4 for the British Columbia Community Football Association provincial title.
The Stampeders won 25-13 after a great deal of back and forth action. It is the Stampeders second consecutive provincial 12-man championship.
This was the fourth BCCFA playoff of the day at McLeod and the stands were filled with nervous fans on both sides of the house. The previous league game between these teams had ended in a 7-6 victory for the Stampeders.
The Kodiaks struck early in the game, returning a Stampeders kick to the Langley 31 yard line. Two plays later they scored, along with a successful convert making the score 7-0.
North Langley’s next possession, after forcing a two and out, resulted in a 12 yard field goal, making the score 10-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Action went back and forth in the second quarter until the Stampeders defence caused a fumble by the Kodiaks, which they recovered at the North Langley 30. Stampeders seized the opportunity with Wes Foss scoring the Stampeders' first points.
The Kodiaks blocked the convert attempt putting their lead at 10-6. The score held up to end the half.
Momentum started to shift in the third quarter.
The Stamps recovered their opening kickoff. While not able to score they put the Kodiaks deep into their own end of the field for the first time in the game.
The Stamps forced Kodiaks to punt. Nathan Murray caught the ball at the 53, returning it to the Kodiak 19. Three plays later Azuka Okoli plunged in from the 1.
The Stampeders missed the convert making the score 12-10.
The Kodiaks responded immediately with a seven play march from their 40 resulting in an 18 yard field goal moving them back into the lead at 13-12 to end the third.
The second play of the 4th saw Kodiaks recover a Stamps fumble and take possession on their own 26-yard line.
Unfortunately for them, Stamps intercepted an errant pass, two plays later, returning it to the Kodiak 15. Two more plays later Wes Foss hit for his second TD of the game. A two point conversion was thwarted by the North Langley defence, holding the score to 18-13 in favor of the Stampeders.
The Kodiaks were forced into a two and out on the next series. The Stampeders got the ball on their own 53 with 6:36 remaining. A nine play march, aided by a roughing penalty lead to another touchdown by Foss, leaving the Stampeders to run out the clock and end the game.