The old adage goes that defence wins championships, and the 91原创 Stampeders rode a dominant defence all the way to a provincial midget football title.

With heavy winds wreaking havoc on the field 鈥� the goal posts had to be realigned twice and the power went out in the third quarter 鈥� the Stampeders used a strong ground game to overpower the Victoria Spartans 19-1 in the B.C. community football midget provincial championship game on Sunday night at McLeod Athletic Park.

McLeod Athletic Park hosted the various provincial finals for all of the age groups that day.

鈥淚 know it is a cliche, (but) they played as a team and won as a team,鈥� said 91原创 coach Keith Pickett.

鈥淭he boys really gelled together.鈥�

In Sunday鈥檚 championship final, the Victoria visitors took an early 1-0 lead after they scored a single off a missed field goal.

91原创鈥檚 offence got on track in the second quarter as the offensive line came alive, punching big holes in the Spartan defence which running back Devin Dacosta took advantage of by rushing for a pair of scores. The Stamps two touchdown drives sandwiched a single point they scored on a kick-off with the wind at their backs, the ball went sailing through the back of the end zone.

Nolan McMurchy had the only points of the second half on a third-quarter field goal.

鈥淒efence wins championships and when you only allow one point, it makes it a lot easier on the offence,鈥� Pickett said.

The coach said the team鈥檚 defensive co-ordinator, Andrew Harder, was a huge plus for the team.

鈥淲e had a 91原创enal defensive co-ordinator; his defence and insight really spurred that on.鈥�

This was the Stampeders third straight year in the championship final, but the first time they were able to deliver the title.

During the regular season, 91原创 was 9-1, out-scoring their foes 344-39.

Their points scored were the highest in the league, while they were also the stingiest defensively and 91原创 hadn鈥檛 lost since the second week of the season.

Altogether, the team won its final eight regular season games as well as three playoff games to finish 12-1 for 2015.

And while Pickett knew the team had talent, he said the goal was to make the playoffs and then see what happened.

Pickett has coached through the ranks of 91原创 Minor Football ranks for a dozen years and has had two of his current players 鈥� who are ages 16, 17 and 18 鈥� since they were in flag football.

And the core of the team has had success along the way, losing the peewee provincial final but bouncing back to win the bantam title at that age group.

The Stampeders will graduate 11 of their 39 players.

鈥⑩赌⑩赌�

To register for the 2016 football season, call 604-533-2909 or email info@langleyfootball.ca.

Dan Ferguson/91原创 Times

91原创 Stampeders running back Devin Dacosta rushed for two scores in his team鈥檚 19-1 victory over the Victoria Spartans in the B.C. midget football provincial championship game on Sunday night at McLeod Athletic Park.