The Crusaders defense made a couple of big plays Thursday on goal line stands that show the potential of what the young group is capable of this season. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Part of the process

Crusaders take loss to Humboldt as learning experience, chance to get better

Sep 15, 2023 | 2:11 PM

It wasn’t the end result the John Paul II Crusaders had hoped for in their home opener, as the team fell 40-6 to the visiting Humboldt Mohawks at Crusader Field Thursday evening.

However, as head coach, Paul Fransoo pointed out, with many of their players still learning the game for the first time at the senior level – or even in their first year of the sport in general – it’s all about taking steps to progress and build consistency.

“What we’re finding right now is our small mistakes are turning into big plays for the opposition,” Fransoo said. “It’s all part of the curve for this group, they’re hungry for the win, but we’re carrying only so many guys who have played the game before, and right now where we’re making mistakes and getting burned is often in an over-pursuit.

“Everyone’s hungry to stop the play or make the guy turn back, but then he turns back and everyone’s on the other side of the field and we’ve got a long run to make. There were plays like that – cutbacks through the defense – that cost us two or three touchdowns, but we see shining moments of what we’re coaching and it’s now just a matter of making that the consistent way we play.”

Fransoo said despite the tough loss, there were still some key positives the team can take out of the game and build on, such as a pair of goal-line stands that kept the Mohawks on the outside looking in and forced them to settle for a red-zone field goal.

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“Every time we play – and last year was similar – we see the bits and pieces that are coming together from practice and we see the [evolution] of the process,” he said. “We’ve gone through the steps to show the players how and when to do certain things on the field, and when you end up inside your five-yard line and you hold the opposition to a field goal, that’s big for us.”

He said now with a week to prepare for their next game, back on their home field against Delisle next Thursday, the key is to stick with the process, continue to gain valuable reps in practice, and not be discouraged.

“It’ll come, it just takes time,” he said. “They have the ability to put things together to win, it’s just a matter of being able to do the same things over and over again for four quarters of football.”

Kickoff against Delisle next Thursday, Sept. 21 will be at 4:30 p.m. at Crusader Field.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1