Looking to make history for the program, the Sault Sabercats U18 team travelled south in search of a Sandy Ruckstuhl Cup provincial title.
Trailing at halftime, the Sabercats rebounded in the second half offensively en route to a 23-11 victory over the Sarnia Sturgeon to win the Ontario Summer Football League U18 title Sunday evening in Windsor.
The win marks the first provincial title for the Sabercats program and its first unbeaten season. The team capped off a 9-0 run this season thanks to Sunday’s victory at Alumni Stadium on the campus of the University of Windsor.
The Sabercats opened the scoring midway through the first quarter as Ty Koski hit a 23-yard field foal to make it 3-0 Sabercats.
Sarnia proceeded to get on the board later in the quarter. The Sturgeon moved deep into Sault territory as quarterback Josh Foulis hit receiver Tyler Hopwood for a long completion.
After a pair of penalties moved the ball deeper into Sabercats territory, Mason Brower punched the ball in from three yards out to make it 6-3 Sarnia.
The Sabercats conceded a pair of safeties in the second quarter to extend the lead to 10-3, but the Sault would pull to within one after a turnover by Foulis, who fumbled the ball.
Sault quarterback Matti Tucker hit Jaiden Trudeau on a 30-yard pass that brought the ball to the Sarnia 24. After a Sturgeon penalty moved the ball into the red zone, Tucker hit Trudeau from nine yards out to make it a 10-9 game.
Getting the ball to start the second half, the Sabercats turned the ball over on a fumble, but Sarnia couldn’t capitalize.
After a blocked punt return for a touchdown by Brandon Vecchio was quashed by a penalty, the Sault did manage to take the lead on the ensuing possession.
On the possession, Tucker eventually hit Nate Carter on an 18-yard touchdown pass. The ensuing convert by Koski made it 15-10 Sabercats.
Sarnia made it a four-point game on a rouge later in the quarter, but the Sabercats extended the lead further late in the third quarter.
Tucker hit Daniel Bumbaco on a 25-yard touchdown pass for the Sault and Koski hit the convert to make it 22-11 Sabercats.
After recovering the ensuing kickoff, the Sabercats made it 23-11 thanks to a rouge to end the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Sabercats defence stepped up to hold the Sturgeon at bay. After Foulis hit Reily Dumond for a 40-yard gain to bring the ball to the six-yard line of the Sabercats, the Sault forced a turnover on downs to get the ball back with 5:24 to go.
Om the first play from scrimmage after the Sturgeon got the ball back, Bumbaco picked off a pass by Foulis with just over two minutes to go in the contest to give the Sabercats the ball back late and ultimately sealing the win for the Sault.