Golden Bears take early lead, then cling to four point victory
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For the first time since November of 2010, the University of Alberta Golden Bears football team registered a win at Griffiths Stadium. The Bears hung on for a 26-22 win over the Huskies at the U of S campus on Friday night.
Alberta quieted the Huskie faithful by jumping out a 20-0 first half lead. Dakota McKay caught a six-yard pass from Bear quarterback Eli Hetlinger in the first quarter to make it 10-0. Hetlinger then capped off a successful drive with a one-yard plunge early in the second quarter as the visitors took a 17-0 advantage.
It was Saskatchewan’s defense that put up the first points of the ball game. Corner back Finn Marcotte-Cribb returned an errand Hetlinger pass 45 yards for a touchdown with less than two minutes to go to in the second quarter to cut the Bear lead to 20-7. A short time later, Huskie defensive back Katley Joseph returned an interception to the Bear 7-yard line setting up the Huskies first offensive touchdown of the contest. Everett Iverson caught a 7-yard pass with 22 seconds left to go, and the score was 20-14 at the break.
Alberta put some key offensive drives together in the third quarter which allowed kicker Jonathan Giustini to punch through field goals from 9 and 47 yards. Giustini was 4 for 5 on the night. The Bears had a 26-16 lead going into the fourth quarter. Saskatchewan could only muster a rouge, a safety and a 37-yard field goal from David Solie in the fourth quarter to pull to within four points.
