The University of Regina Rams just might want to move their entire facility a few kilometres north to Leibel Field these days.
Now 4-0 all-time in that park, the Rams steamrolled the Alberta Golden Bears 47-23 Friday night in a match their running backs, Marshall Erichsen and Christian Katende, ran for a combined 283 yards and two touchdowns. It was the first time in school history that multiple running backs rushed for more than 100 yards each.
"I think me and C.K. both grew up playing on this field. Lots of memories and lots of touchdowns scored here. It's just easy for us to play here," Erichsen said.
"It's great to have (Katende) out there. I'm so thrilled to see his success and we feed off each other's successes and it makes playing so easy. To know that when's he's in there's going to be a play made or anything like that it makes it super fun."
Head coach Mark McConkey, calling the offensive plays for the Rams again these days, was raving about his offensive line after the final gun. "Those guys did an outstanding job," McConkey said. "That's a commitment to the run game, a testament to coach Roe (Borgmann) and (Travis) Serke and (Brett) Jones up front training with those guys all offseason, getting them ready. It's a veteran group."
Three first half fumbles kept the game close before the Rams pulled away in the second half, out-scoring the Golden Bears 24-6 over the final 30 minutes to put it away, capped by Carson Sombach's late fourth quarter 109-yard-interception-return-touchdown.
"Once I caught it, I saw a lot of open space and I started running," Sombach said. "There was only (Alberta quarterback Eli Hetlinger) who was running down there and once Brandon (Wong) got the block on him, I knew it was a house call."
The Rams, as a team, ran for 298 yards on the night and have the only two running backs in Canada west averaging more than 100 yards per game with Marshall Erichsen leading the conference himself with 286 yards in the first two games of the season.
As for what nickname the fans should give the Regina Rams two headed monster running the ball, coach McConkey had this to say: "I'll let you guys come up with that."
The 2-0 Rams and 2-0 Saskatchewan Huskies are the last undefeated teams left in Canada West football. but will have both wait at least one more week before colliding with each other. The Rams will fly over the rocky mountains for their next game Friday, September 12th in a game that will be heard live on 620 CKRM radio.
