When a flu bug hits a football team, it doesn't take long before everyone suffers.
"One guy catches it and it spreads like wildfire," said Centennial Centaurs AAA high school football coach Ryk Piche. "They sit and change beside each other. They share drinks. They share everything."
So when the Cents took the field on the weekend to face Vancouver College, the roster had been depleted.
Grade 11s and Grade 10s were moved up the ranks to plug holes in the lineup, but in the end it was not enough to take down Vancouver's football powerhouse.
Centennial held its own for most of the game, but came apart in the final quarter, eventually losing the game 29-20.
"Guys were shuffling around to play different spots that they normally don't play," Piche said.
"It is a learning thing."
Still, there were some bright spots.
Piche said he liked what he saw from some of his younger players and the team was still able to move the ball, earning over 350 yards of offense.
But with four missing starters on the defensive side, Centennial was not able to shutdown a strong Vancouver College offense.
This week, all but one of his sick and injured players have returned for practice, and he expects to have his full roster when the team takes on New Westminster secondary on Friday.
RAVENS WIN
Offense was sparse during a football game last Friday between the Terry Fox Ravens and the Notre Dame Jugglers, with both teams struggling to move the ball.
The Ravens were able to get on the scoreboard early, when quarterback Jake Bye hooked up with receiver Nick Agnoletto on a quick hitch, with the receiver shedding a tackle and ran for a 48 yard touchdown.
But the strong Notre Dame defense kept Terry Fox on its heels for most of the game, and the Ravens were only able to find the end zone one more time, when Mate McLeod-Genest pounded the ball in from the one-yard line.
The Ravens defense was equally stingy.
Notre Dame started to get on track in the first half, but a missed field goal kept the team off the scoreboard going into half time.
The only score the visiting squad was able to muster came off a blocked punt in the final quarter, which they fell on in the end zone for their first touchdown of the game.
"The defense started playing to their potential," said co-head coach Tom Kudaba. "They showed that they are learning from their mistakes from last week."
Two juniors - Isaiah Stevens and Mike West -were added as starters on the weekend and Kudaba said the players helped the squad take the win.
McLeod-Genest had 13 rushes for 49 yards and touchdown while Kyle Deugau had six rushes for 27 yards.
