September 23 – History Is Made.
Written by: Allie Stanton
September 24, 2017
September 23, 2017. A day that will forever be etched into the memories of anyone involved in the Edmonton Wildcats Organization.
It had been 40 years since the Wildcats had gone face to face with the Hamilton Hurricanes in the Armadale Cup (now known as the Canadian Bowl) in 1977. At the beginning of the evening, the Wildcats honoured the Alumni of the 1977 team and Coach Lazaruk by bringing the players out of the field for pre-game, and off in the distance you could see bright yellow LAZ written in the stands.
This game was different than those of the past. Players were ready to go, they had an energy and buzz that was infectious to those both on and off the field. The first half finished with the score sitting at 22-13 in favour of the Hurricanes. During halftime, the Wildcats recharged and came out of the locker room ready to go.
The second half was LOUD. Fans were electric, and the players and coaches were ready for a win. The score of the second half began at 22-13 for the Hurricanes. As the game continued, so did the Wildcats touchdowns, field goals, and energy. It is a feeling that is truly hard to explain. The fourth quarter started with the Hurricanes ahead with a 30-23 lead, but at 12:30 of the fourth the game became tied with a touchdown and completed field goal. 30-30. At 8:01 of the fourth quarter another touchdown and field goal placed the Wildcats ahead at 37-30. The sideline was on fire, you could feel the emotions of the players, but also of the crowd. 3:13 of the fourth, and the score moves to 40-30 for the Wildcats. Tensions were high, but the energy remained positive. The last minute of play was easily the most memorable. The Wildcats lined up side by side on the field, arms wrapped around each other – they were ready, and they earned this huge win. The game clock ran out, and with that, the Wildcats had won a well-deserved win against the Hamilton Hurricanes.