Football Conference Semi-finals Saturday

The Sault Steelers will tackle the Mississauga Wolverines in Northern Football Conference semi-final playoff action on Saturday. With the teams not meeting each other during the regular season, both teams will prepare on scouting reports alone. Mississauga finished the regular season in third place with a 6-2 record. Game time is 7 p.m. at Rocky DiPietro Field. Mississauga advanced to the game with a 21-15 win over Mega City on Saturday night in quarter-final play. The Steelers advanced with a 20-0 shutout of the Tri-City Outlaws at Rocky DiPietro Field while Oshawa edged North Bay 26-24. The Oakville Longhorns, which received a first round bye because of their first place finish, will entertain Oshawa in the other NFC semi-final on Saturday night. *** OVFL PLAYOFFS: It was a weekend for upsets as the Ontario Varsity Football League completed quarter-final playoff action on Sunday afternoon. On Saturday in the Adam division, which the Sault Sabercats are a member of, the Steel City Ironmen marched into TD Waterhouse Stadium in London and stunned the number two ranked London Falcons 28-27. Also, the Halton Invictas scored a road playoff win in Windsor with a 17-9 upset victory over the Essex Ravens. Steel City will visit Halton for the division championship next Saturday. In the Wettges division, the favourite Ottawa Myers Riders fell 39-14 at home to the Mississauga Warriors on Saturday. On Sunday, the OVFL's top ranked Toronto Thunder narrowly defeated the Metro Toronto Wildcats 24-22. Mississauga will visit Toronto for the division title next Saturday. The division champions will meet for the OVFL championship on Saturday, August 16 at University Stadium in Waterloo. *** STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Several members of the Sault Steelers finished at the top or near the top of the NFC statistical leader board during the regular season. Keegan Franklin, who is the league's fourth leading rusher, became the league's scoring champion after the "K-Train" ran for 12 touchdowns and 72 points from his fullback position in eight regular season games. Kicker Anthony Posteraro was fifth in scoring with six field goals, 24 converts and four singles for 48 points while receiver Tim Higgins finished 10th with six touchdowns for 36 points. Receiver Kyle Lansdell finished first in catches with 28 and yards with 524. Defensive tackle Brandon Lewis finished ninth in tackles while Troy Boyer finished tied for third with four interceptions, tied for second with five batted balls and second in kickoff return yards with 282 on 13 returns for a 21.7 yard average. Gord Campbell finished third with four batted balls. Posteraro is the top ranked kicker in kickoff yardage while finishing sixth in punting yardage but second in average with a 39.05 yard average per punt. Posteraro also finished second with 24 converts in 28 attempts and lead the league with six field goals in nine attempts.