A healthier and better prepared Sutherland Seahawks Colts team defeated the Sydney University Cubs 38-8 at Neptune Park Revesby on saturday, a significant improvement over the prior meeting.
The Seahawks offense scored 5 touchdowns with another being added on a punt return that was blocked.
Running back Haoping Tang scored the first of his 2 touchdowns from 6 yards out, the ground game gained 168 yards in the game against a Cubs’ defense that was determined to play tight cover 0 all game, load the box and demand deep throws.
Receiver Justin Whiting scored his 6th receiving touchdown of the year, finding space in the middle of the field to break the tight coverage and put the Seahawks ahead 12-0. Safety Josh Hayward’s interception and 23 yard return put the offence in excellent field position. The Seahawks made huge improvements in the kicking, coverage and return game compared to the previous contest between the 2 teams. 10 of the Cubs’ 11 possessions started inside their own half; 3 of them inside their own 20.
Jackson Young played on both sides of the ball, scoring a touchdown, a 2 point PAT, making 4 tackles, breaking up a pass and blocking a punt. His 25 yard catch and run typified a ferocious physical attitude that the Seahawks have worked on developing in its Colts program.
Tang’s second touchdown, this time from 33 yards out, came from a concerted blocking effort against a loaded box by the Cubs which lasted the whole game. Nothing is more pleasing than running the ball right down the throat of an opponent and the Seahawks offense did this right behind John Englezos in his first game at right guard.
It wasn’t all on the the offense. The defense made key plays to both thwart Cubs possessions and set up the offense for scores in their own right. Andrew Di Cesare made an important sack that dented a Cubs possession in Seahawks territory.
Daniel Besz hadn’t had a lot of help from his receivers early on, several catchable balls were dropped in the tight man coverage that the Cubs were attempting. His ability to extend the play and find rookie receiver Nick Predkowski for his first ever touchdown though was one of the plays of the game.
Safety Alex Mellor finished off the game and the scoring with a punt return touchdown. After Jackson young partially blocked the punt, Mellor quickly regathered the short gain and turned it into 6 points.
Next week the Seahawks (7/11) will play UTS at Pennant Hills 5pm.
SEAHAWKS 38, SYDNEY UNI 8.