It's a steep learning curve for players, coaches and officials during the first week of high school football.
With players ranging in experience from one game to seven years, every play for the junior teams in the British Columbia High School Football League's northern conference is an opportunity to learn a new facet of the game.
In the second game of the junior season, the Nechako Valley Vikings lined up against the Kelly Road Roadrunners on Thursday in Prince George. The Vikings drew first blood with a 20-0 win.
"It's an adjustment for us as coaches too, running two practices at once," said Roadrunners coach Steve Porter, who doubles up as defensive coach for the senior team. "It's a good opportunity because they can finally play against guys their own level.
"The guys that are Grade 10s this year were trying to play against Grade 12s last year as Grade 9s and had really limited reps," added Porter. "It's an adjustment for them, because now they're the guy rather then the guy we could put in at the end of the game in garbage time."
With only 16 players, the lack of rest for the Roadrunners caught up with them after the teams were locked in a tight defensive battle for most of the first half.
Blake Kingsley showed off his star power, scoring a pair of touchdowns to give the Vikings a 12-0 lead early in the third quarter. On his first major, a wide-open Kingsley caught a pass from quarterback Dhillon Siemens late in the first half to give the Vikings a 6-0 advantage at halftime.
"I kind of laid back for the first couple of plays and I think their cornerback just didn't expect me," said Kingsley.
Then early in the third quarter, with penalties putting the Roadrunners in the shadow of their own goalpost, Kingsley reverted to his natural position at middle linebacker, pulling in an interception and running 10 yards to give the Vikings a 12-0 lead.
"That was just luck," he said. "My teammates got lots of pressure on [the Roadrunners quarterback] and he had to throw."
Kingsley said high school football opens up new challenges after four years of community ball.
"It's very different, a lot more intense," said Kingsley, 15. "It's definitely difficult teaching and supporting, but, I think, we really pulled it off today and did a good job."
Cole Daniel had the Vikings final touchdown when he caught a pass on the right side of the end zone for the 20-0 lead.
The game started about 30 minutes late as the Vikings needed to borrow sweaters from PGSS, the referees had to wait for an extra official and several members of the Roadrunners had to go pick up padding for the uprights. But the extra time gave the coaches of both sides time to drill plays and positions into their teams.
"It'll definitely improve after this, now that we can catch our breath, because after Salmon Arm - where the Roadrunners played a pair of exhibition games last weekend - and the start of school we've only had one practice."
In the first junior game ever played in Prince George, Duchess Park secondary school taught College Heights a few lessons Wednesday with a 56-6 victory.
The seniors kick off the season tonight with games at 5 and 7 p.m.
