The Estevan Power Dodge Cudas worked with some young players this year and had an enjoyable season, despite the final loss to the Moosomin Little Generals.
The atom-age Cudas fought hard in a 24-0 exhibition loss to end their season.
“I'm not disappointed one bit,” said Cudas head coach Kevin Mortenson. We're playing up to nine-year-olds, they're playing up to 10- and 11-year olds. We just have two different programs on the go right now. I'm just grateful that they came down and played our kids.”
The Cudas played solid defence against slightly bigger players with a bit more experience in some cases.
“Even offensively, we were moving the ball a little bit,” Mortenson said. “Great all around effort. Coach Carl McKenzie had the guys on offence ready to go and Dustin Fischer was helping him...
“I'm not disappointed. I couldn't be more proud of them.”
The atom season lasts less than two months but Mortenson was proud of the way the team learned the game.
“They learned a lot this year,” Mortenson said. “Not bad mouthing the kids I've coached in the past but this group was just incredible. They listened well... I think as these kids get older, we're going to have a really good program.”
The Cudas, who aren't playing in a league this season but play in some exhibition games and practice a lot, had a pair of other games on the season in which they defeated the Weyburn Ravens in atom division play.
“I know they were scrimmages, but in the kids' eyes, beating their down-the-highway rivals twice, and once pretty convincingly (means something),” Mortenson said.
The Cudas will graduate eight players into the peewee team. Some of them may practice with the Century 21 peewee Chargers as they head into the last part of their Moose Jaw Minor Football League regular season and playoff.
