Skip to content

Switch to defense nets three interceptions for Lancers player

Rayona Van Den Bosch moves from offense to defense in second year with team
Football
Catch up with SDSSAA flag football action with Randy Pascal's report. (File)

Rayona Van Den Bosch just needed a slightly different perspective on the football field.

A wide receiver with the Lasalle Lancers' flag football team in her rookie campaign last fall, as well as week one of the 2017 season, Van Den Bosch made the move to the defensive secondary this week.

"I was playing offense, but I was way too in my head," said the 15 year old grade 11 student. "They switched me and something just clicked." 

Van Den Bosch recorded three interceptions in helping shut down the Lively Hawks through three quarters of play, helping Lasalle double the Hawks 12-6.

Kiera LeBreton opened the scoring with a 65 yard run in the first quarter and Mackenzie Roberts increased the lead to 12-0 just before half, hauling in a 27 yard pass from quarterback Jena Ethier.

Lively would make things interesting in the fourth quarter, as new signal caller Tiia Nurmikivi rambled in to the end zone from five yards out, but that was as close as it got.

With thirteen SDSSAA teams in the mix spread between Division "A" and Division "B", flag football continues to attract a wide variety of high school girls, each with their own unique reason for taking up the sport.

"My boyfriend is a football player and I fell in love with the games, so I wanted to join," said Van Den Bosch. 

And while the look of the passes being thrown in her direction is opposite to her former role as a wideout, the pick specialist acknowledged that there was also a transformation at play in terms of the mindset with which she approached her new position.

"It's a mental thing where I am thinking I'm going to take this (ball) from you, you can't have it from me," she said. "I get into a state of aggression more. When I played offense and I got my touchdown, it was an amazing feeling. But then now, getting an interception is my touchdown. Getting those yards on top of it made it the most amazing feeling ever." 

The Confederation Chargers improved to 2-0 in the Monday evening affair, bouncing the Notre-Dame Alouettes 27-0, largely on the strength of two touchdowns and a pair of field goals from Madison Laberge.

Amelia Masterson-Pinedo capped off the Charger scoring parade, returning an interception to the end zone in the second half. 

The Lockerby Vikings broke the ice on a scoreless draw in the fourth quarter on Tuesday, as Kaylie Cameron scored the game's only touchdown, a run set up by an interception return from Darcie Roy in a 7-0 win over the Lo-Ellen Park Knights.


Comments

Verified reader

If you would like to apply to become a verified commenter, please fill out this form.