DSFL Season 27 prospect Saleem Spence is heading into the DSFL Prospect Showcase with a full head of steam, having helped the Battlefords Bandits to a 27-24 win over the Prince Albert Knights in the Saskatchewan Intermediate Football League championship tonight.
Spence mildly impressed watching scouts from DSFL teams with his toughness, determination, good hands, and good eyes for holes in zone defense, racking up plenty of catches and being an integral figure in the win, although a stout team effort from the Bandits in their title win should not be ignored.
The game was a back-and-forth affair in a snowy, cold day on the Prince Albert turf. Prince Albert started with the ball and seemed to be moving it good through the air, although a goal-line stand from the Battlefords defense pushed Prince Albert back tot he 14, forcing Prince Albert kicker Rocky Fitzgerald to kick a 31 yard field goal to give Prince Albert a 3-0 lead.
Battlefords went to work and started moving the ball well, getting a key 3rd down catch from Spence, followed by a reverse play that sprung Spence for 25 yards down to the goal-line. Quarterback Dave Alford finished the drive off with a two yard keeper on the QB draw play to make it 7-3.
Prince Albert fired back in the second quarter, connecting a slant from quarterback Marcus Taylor to wideout Jerome Wilson, who took off and outraced the Bandits defense for an electrifying 63 yard gallop, putting the Knights ahead 10-7.
Towards the end of the first half the Bandits struck back, with a 70 yard, 12 play drive full of grit and determination. Spence caught 2 more key 3rd down passes to move the chains, and Battlefords Running Back James McDaniel finished the drive off with a 7 yard touchdown. A shanked extra point by Kicker Vandell Sharpe prevented the Bandits from extending the lead though, and Battlefords went to the locker room up 13-10.
Battlefords had the ball to start the second half and took advantage of it, moving the ball slowly but well once again. Alford then sprung a rare deep passing play, throwing a 25 yard bomb to the back of the endzone where it was caught by Saleem Spence for the touchdown. Sharpe was successful with the extra point and Battlefords extended the lead to 20-10.
Back came Prince Albert, however. Marcus Taylor found fullback Terry Powell on a wheel route, and Powell trucked 3 defenders en route to a 22 yard touchdown. Battlefords were then victimized by a fumble on the first play of their followup drive by McDaniel, recovered in a pile of bodies by a Prince Albert player inside the 30 yard line. Taylor then hit receiver Jeff Bridges on the deep crossing route, and Bridges turned it up-field untouched for a 22 yard touchdown. Prince Albert lead 24-20 going into the 4th quarter, and things looked bleak for the Bandits faithful.
Battlefords then used their workmanlike offense to great effect in the middle of the 4th quarter, chewing up territory with short passes and shorter runs that kept extending just beyond the 1st down marker to keep hope alive. Eventually, Saleem Spence made his 3rd catch of the drive in the redzone on 2nd and goal, throwing aside his man at the line and catching a touchdown off a playaction pass to put Battlefords in the lead 27-24 with four minutes left.
Prince Albert made their drive and got just past midfield, but were stuffed on a 4th and 2 by young Bandits edge rusher Willie Jarvis, who picked a good time to get his 3rd sack of the game, forcing a turnover on downs. Prince Albert's last hopes at a comeback were snuffed out by Saleem Spence catching a slant on 3rd and 5 for 9 yards, giving the Bandits a fresh set of downs and just enough time to run out the clock, winning their first SIFL title in the league's 5 year history.
Saleem Spence all told made 14 catches for 146 yards and 2 touchdowns (in addition to his one rushing play for 25 yards), being a crucial factor throughout in keeping the chains moving for the Bandits. Quarterback Dave Alford was professional as always for Battlefords, going 23 for 28, throwing for 230 yards and 2 touchdowns, and running 5 times for 24 yards, 4 key 1st downs, and a touchdown.
Prince Albert moved the ball well, with Quarterback Marcus Taylor going 17 for 30 with 301 yards and 3 touchdowns, and running back Garry Warrick getting 14 carries for 71 yards. However, bad penalties, 4 sacks allowed, and an abysmal 4/14 conversion rate on 3rd down sunk the Knight's chances. Prince Albert's linebackers and secondary also struggled to contain Battlefords receivers in the short to intermediate passing game (Cornerback Darren Logan in particular was thrown around by Spence constantly at the line of scrimmage.), and did not get a sack on Alford all day.
With the win, Spence is improving his draft stock, after his tumultuous mid-season exit from the University of Manitoba, and looks to be in peak form along with the other college prospects coming off their bowl games. However, some scouts are questioning whether Spence has played football at a high enough level throughout his career to cope with DSFL and ISFL competition. Spence has enjoyed a size and strength advantage over most opponents in Canada, being too physical for even some linebackers, but may find bullying his man to be harder in the pro leagues against tougher, craftier defensive backs.
Still, a good showing at workouts and the DSFL Prospect Showcase could start to change some of that, as people in the know do believe that Spence might have enough upside to be a useful player. Spence will join other promising receiving talents in Luke Quick and Sam the Onion Man in the Showcase, and standing out amongst this season's crop of wideouts will be Spence's main goal.
"I'm ready for the Prospect Showcase, I had a good time here in Battlefords, caught some passes, learned a few things from these veterans, and I feel I'm in the best form of my career. I'm gonna show the DSFL what kind of player they'll get if they draft me,...... they'll get a hard worker, a determined player, and a guy who makes the catch and keeps the drive going. I'm ready for this."
The DSFL Prospect Showcase will take place in several days, with the format unknown as of press time.
Spence mildly impressed watching scouts from DSFL teams with his toughness, determination, good hands, and good eyes for holes in zone defense, racking up plenty of catches and being an integral figure in the win, although a stout team effort from the Bandits in their title win should not be ignored.
The game was a back-and-forth affair in a snowy, cold day on the Prince Albert turf. Prince Albert started with the ball and seemed to be moving it good through the air, although a goal-line stand from the Battlefords defense pushed Prince Albert back tot he 14, forcing Prince Albert kicker Rocky Fitzgerald to kick a 31 yard field goal to give Prince Albert a 3-0 lead.
(Saleem Spence slides to make a catch as Prince Albert Linebacker Chad Turner looks on.)
Battlefords went to work and started moving the ball well, getting a key 3rd down catch from Spence, followed by a reverse play that sprung Spence for 25 yards down to the goal-line. Quarterback Dave Alford finished the drive off with a two yard keeper on the QB draw play to make it 7-3.
Prince Albert fired back in the second quarter, connecting a slant from quarterback Marcus Taylor to wideout Jerome Wilson, who took off and outraced the Bandits defense for an electrifying 63 yard gallop, putting the Knights ahead 10-7.
Towards the end of the first half the Bandits struck back, with a 70 yard, 12 play drive full of grit and determination. Spence caught 2 more key 3rd down passes to move the chains, and Battlefords Running Back James McDaniel finished the drive off with a 7 yard touchdown. A shanked extra point by Kicker Vandell Sharpe prevented the Bandits from extending the lead though, and Battlefords went to the locker room up 13-10.
Battlefords had the ball to start the second half and took advantage of it, moving the ball slowly but well once again. Alford then sprung a rare deep passing play, throwing a 25 yard bomb to the back of the endzone where it was caught by Saleem Spence for the touchdown. Sharpe was successful with the extra point and Battlefords extended the lead to 20-10.
(Spence catches it over Prince Albert Cornerback Darren Logan with room to spare.)
Back came Prince Albert, however. Marcus Taylor found fullback Terry Powell on a wheel route, and Powell trucked 3 defenders en route to a 22 yard touchdown. Battlefords were then victimized by a fumble on the first play of their followup drive by McDaniel, recovered in a pile of bodies by a Prince Albert player inside the 30 yard line. Taylor then hit receiver Jeff Bridges on the deep crossing route, and Bridges turned it up-field untouched for a 22 yard touchdown. Prince Albert lead 24-20 going into the 4th quarter, and things looked bleak for the Bandits faithful.
Battlefords then used their workmanlike offense to great effect in the middle of the 4th quarter, chewing up territory with short passes and shorter runs that kept extending just beyond the 1st down marker to keep hope alive. Eventually, Saleem Spence made his 3rd catch of the drive in the redzone on 2nd and goal, throwing aside his man at the line and catching a touchdown off a playaction pass to put Battlefords in the lead 27-24 with four minutes left.
(Spence catches it on the out route to give Battlefords the lead!)
Prince Albert made their drive and got just past midfield, but were stuffed on a 4th and 2 by young Bandits edge rusher Willie Jarvis, who picked a good time to get his 3rd sack of the game, forcing a turnover on downs. Prince Albert's last hopes at a comeback were snuffed out by Saleem Spence catching a slant on 3rd and 5 for 9 yards, giving the Bandits a fresh set of downs and just enough time to run out the clock, winning their first SIFL title in the league's 5 year history.
Saleem Spence all told made 14 catches for 146 yards and 2 touchdowns (in addition to his one rushing play for 25 yards), being a crucial factor throughout in keeping the chains moving for the Bandits. Quarterback Dave Alford was professional as always for Battlefords, going 23 for 28, throwing for 230 yards and 2 touchdowns, and running 5 times for 24 yards, 4 key 1st downs, and a touchdown.
Prince Albert moved the ball well, with Quarterback Marcus Taylor going 17 for 30 with 301 yards and 3 touchdowns, and running back Garry Warrick getting 14 carries for 71 yards. However, bad penalties, 4 sacks allowed, and an abysmal 4/14 conversion rate on 3rd down sunk the Knight's chances. Prince Albert's linebackers and secondary also struggled to contain Battlefords receivers in the short to intermediate passing game (Cornerback Darren Logan in particular was thrown around by Spence constantly at the line of scrimmage.), and did not get a sack on Alford all day.
(Prince Albert takes the walk of shame, as the Bandits prepare for the celebratory sideline keg stand.)
With the win, Spence is improving his draft stock, after his tumultuous mid-season exit from the University of Manitoba, and looks to be in peak form along with the other college prospects coming off their bowl games. However, some scouts are questioning whether Spence has played football at a high enough level throughout his career to cope with DSFL and ISFL competition. Spence has enjoyed a size and strength advantage over most opponents in Canada, being too physical for even some linebackers, but may find bullying his man to be harder in the pro leagues against tougher, craftier defensive backs.
Still, a good showing at workouts and the DSFL Prospect Showcase could start to change some of that, as people in the know do believe that Spence might have enough upside to be a useful player. Spence will join other promising receiving talents in Luke Quick and Sam the Onion Man in the Showcase, and standing out amongst this season's crop of wideouts will be Spence's main goal.
"I'm ready for the Prospect Showcase, I had a good time here in Battlefords, caught some passes, learned a few things from these veterans, and I feel I'm in the best form of my career. I'm gonna show the DSFL what kind of player they'll get if they draft me,...... they'll get a hard worker, a determined player, and a guy who makes the catch and keeps the drive going. I'm ready for this."
The DSFL Prospect Showcase will take place in several days, with the format unknown as of press time.