The Sault Steelers are gearing up for a run at the title as the team goes through its final tune-up this evening.
The undefeated Steelers will travel to Oakville to battle the undefeated Longhorns for the Northern Football Conference championship on Saturday. Game time is 2:30 p.m. at Bronte Athletic Field.
The Steelers will meet this evening for the final practise session of the season before leaving tomorrow evening for Oakville.
Oakville heads into the game as the 10-time defending league champion and overwhelming favourite to hoist the Plaunt Memorial Trophy for an 11th time but the Steelers are looking forward to the challenge of playing the best.
"Our guys are looking forward to this one. This team has worked hard all year to get into this position and we are going to go down there and give them a game," said Steelers head coach Barry Rushon.
"We have been working on fine tuning our game this week. Offensively, we are working on staying in sync and looking at the various coverages Oakville will throw at us with their 3-4 defensive front. Defensively, we have been working on pass coverage and exploring some different looks to throw at them. We have to be firing on all cylinders to give them a run."
The winner of the game will also advance to the Canadian Major Football League championship to be played September 20 in Oshawa against the winner from the Alberta Football League. Since the game was established in 2000, Oakville has won three consecutive titles.
The Steelers will be looking for their fifth NFC title in team history, their first since 1980. The game will also mark the franchise's ninth appearance in the championship game. The Steelers won their first title in 1972 over the Sudbury Spartans and followed with back-to-back championships in 1975 and 1976.
The modern Steelers, which returned to the NFC in 1996 after folding in 1987, haven't won a title but will be appearing in their third championship game against the Longhorns. In 1996, the team, then known as the Sault Storm, lost 35-14 before dropping the title match 38-3 in 2000.
*** CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES:
* A Sault Steelers/Lock City Dairies Championship Fan Bus is being organized to go the final on Saturday. The bus is scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. on Saturday morning and return home following the game. The cost is $100 per person, which includes a game ticket. For information or to secure a seat, contact Steeler president Don McBain at 946-1742, ext. 4.
* It was reported in Sunday's story that Steelers' tight end Tony Boniferro went down with a suspected broken ankle. In fact, the end result had Boniferro suffering a broken tibia and fibula in the lower leg. Boniferro went into surgery earlier this week.
* Steve Nott, the former starting quarterback of the Sault Steelers in the mid-1990's during the team's time in the Ontario Junior Football Conference and NFC, is the back-up quarterback to veteran Mark Demerling in Oakville.
* The Longhorns feature four players with Canadian Football League experience in Dana Segin, Travis Anderson, Floyd Mingo and David Stipe. Segin saw time with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Anderson with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Mingo with the B.C. Lions and Stipe with the Edmonton Eskimos.
* Steeler safety John Maione was named NFC defensive player of the week for his efforts in the team's semi-final win over Mississauga on Saturday. Maione recorded 7.5 tackles and a batted ball. Oakville receiver Theon James won the offensive honour in the Longhorns 64-0 win over Oshawa with four catches for 75 yards and a touchdown.
*** SABERCAT NOMINEES: Eight members of the Ontario Varsity Football League's Sault Sabercats are up for various awards to be presented at Saturday's championship game at University Stadium in Waterloo.
Dan Swystun has been nominated for special teams, Mark Palombi at running back, Ryan Maunu for quarterback, Dan Kennedy for defensive line, Ron Kelly for receiver, Matt Cook for offensive line, Gavin Cond for linebacker and Kurt Morrison for defensive back.
On championship Saturday, the Steel City Ironmen, which beat Halton 20-17 in overtime in the semi-final last Saturday, will tackle the Toronto Thunder, which beat Mississauga 35-16. In the Junior OVFL championship game, the Ottawa Myers Riders will battle the London Falcons.