It was sweet and it was worth waiting for.
The Howe Sound Sounders football team won their first game of the season last Sunday. The team won 21-18 against the Mission Roadrunners.
"It's uplifting," said coach Rex Reece. "It's what we've been working for."
"They've really been improving," said Christine Fitzpatrick, the teacher sponsor for the team. "I expect they'll win a couple more before the season is over."
"We're starting to come together and work as a team for the first time," Reece said.
Football at Howe Sound is relatively new - the program has only been at the school for four years. And although the Sounders have only won one game and lost three, the team is doing better than last year.
"They didn't win any games last year," Fitzpatrick said. "It takes a long time to build a team." The team played strongly in the first half of the game on Sunday, Reece said.
"Our offensive tackle plays worked well," he said. "All our running backs are strong."
The offensive line has been improving during the season, but the defensive line has been solid all year, Reece said.
"I can't say enough about our defence," he said.
Brian Eckersley scored the first touchdown on a 25-yard pass. Tailback Luke Johnston scored a touchdown on a 50-yard counter, and another touchdown on a 45-yard counter, Reece said.
Johnston is averaging 200 yards a game with the ball, while Jordan O'Neil is the leading tackler for the year.
"The second half of the season is looking good," Reece said.
"If we all apply ourselves ad work together and play smart football we'll win it overall," said Daniel J. Arnold, who plays right tackle.
He thought the team did well at the last game.
"I saw some excellent leadership that really helped the win," Arnold said. "I thought I played better than I normally do."
But football isn't just about winning. "When you're in the game and you're playing as hard as you can it is satisfying," Arnold said.
Arnold, a Grade 12 student, has only played football for two years. Many of the players are new but they all get a turn on the field.
If the Sounders win a few more games the team will be on the road to the provincials.
"The way we're playing now we'll beat all of the teams," Reece said.
The next game is Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the football field behind Squamish Elementary. The Sounders face Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School.
"The next game will be the biggest test for the year," Reece said.
