Bantam Comets set to face Airdrie Raiders in Tier 1 provincial final

Posted on November 14, 2024 by admin

By Garrett Simmons
Westwind Weekly News

The Raymond bantam Comets football team has championship aspirations.

Last Saturday, in the Tier 1 Minor League Provincials 2024 semifinal, Raymond defeated the Calgary Colts by a score of 21-7.

That win sets up a championship final against the Airdrie Raiders, who topped the Sherwood Park Rams by a score of 44-14 in the other semi.

Raymond will head into the Tier 1 final on a roll, after a victory over a Calgary team that gave the Comets everything the team could handle. 

“We played a great game and executed very well to beat a tough, physical Colts team,” said head coach Jimmy Ralph. 

Cache Beazer, Khyrum Boehme and Thomas Walburger scored the majors for Raymond’s offence, as the Comets defence also had a big day. 

“Thomas Walburger had a big red zone interception that gave us huge momentum and a game-changing play,” said Ralph. “Defensively, we played stellar all game.”

The head coach added the defensive gameplan also had to account for the Colts QB.

“They had a big line and an explosive quarterback that could beat you with his feet If you lost contain on him,” said Ralph. “We had a great plan that the boys executed well.”

The provincial semifinal represented a step up in competition, and Ralph added his team responded the right way. 

“I was most impressed with the fight the boys had for a full game,” he said. “When we don’t always have competition in our league, where our starting group can prepare for four quarters of football – they have shown that they are conditioned and have a will to win it.”

Along with that will to win, the coach added his team’s mental game is also coming around at exactly the right time.

“You can feel the belief and confidence these boys have and they’re probably the most focused and detailed group of leaders I have ever coached,” said Ralph. 

The Comets made it through league competition and with a provincial semifinal win now in the rearview mirror, the Raiders will present a new set of challenges, according to the coach.

“Airdrie is going to be a very tough opponent who has a skill set similar to ours where they like to spread out their offence and use speed and the pass game to make it hard on the defence,” said Ralph. “We have our work cut out to stop this Raiders team and the boys have already bought into a game plan. It’ll be important to understand our plan and execute it one last time with a very difficult opponent.”