Sarnia,
ON - The Sarnia Sturgeon Bantam football team
escaped Saturday afternoon with a close 17-16
victory over the Twin City Predators, scoring in the
games final play to take home the victory.
It would
be the Predators who would threaten to score first,
as a deep pass down field put them into the Sturgeon
territory. But Sarnia's defence held inside their
twenty yard line, as Matteo Tesone stops the
Predators on a sweep, and they have to settle for a
field goal to take a 3-0 lead.
The
Sturgeon would respond quickly, as Nick Paquette
would get Sarnia into good field position with an
over 20 yard run. The Sturgeon would have to settle
for a field goal as well, as Blake Maxfield kicks it
through the uprights for a 3-3 tie game at the end
of the first.
In the
second quarter, after a long run by the Predators
quarterback, the Sturgeon defence would force a
fumble and recover. Yenel Olivero would then pick up
large yardage on a carry that brought the Sturgeon
offence inside the 10 yard line. Paquette would be
stopped at the line, but his second effort got him
through two Predator defenders on his way to the end
zone for the games first touchdown and a 10-3
Sturgeon lead.
But the
lead wouldn't last long, as on the second play of
the next Predators drive, they would rush on a
reverse 60 yards for the score, tying the game again
10-10.
But
Sarnia's offence was clicking in the second, and on
their next possession, running back Olivero would
break multiple tackles before finding open field and
running for a 73 yard touchdown. The Sturgeon would
miss the extra kick, making it a 16-10 game at the
half.
At the
opening of the second half, the Sturgeon's would
fumble and give the ball back to the Predators. The
Predators wide receivers would get in three man
coverage, but still come down with the football
inside the 15 yard line. But the Sturgeon defence
again held, as Greg Richards would come up with a
big sack to push the Predators back.
Sarnia
would take over on downs, but the play for the third
quarter would remain in their half of the field, as
they could not make any significant moves down
field. The Predators would respond with another long
run down the field to the 15 yard line, but again
another Sturgeon sack would stop the push to the end
zone.
In the
final quarter, the Sturgeon would force a four and
out on the Predators, and on a QB keeper, Maxfield
would rush it 20 yards, followed by Olivero with
another long run into the Predators half. Olivero
would keep the forward movement for the Sturgeon,
but they still could not get close to the end zone
for another score.
And it
would prove costly, as on the Predators next
posession, a tipped ball off a Sturgeon's hands was
picked out of midair by the Predators and returned
90 yards for the touchdown. Luckily for the
Sturgeon, the snap on the extra point was high, and
the score was tied 16-16.
Olivero
would again get the Sturgeon's deep with a long run
and a first down, plus a 15 yard penalty. Maxfield
would also run for twenty yards on a keeper, putting
the Sturgeon inside the five with three seconds
left. The Sturgeon would punt the ball into the end
zone, and it would go out the back, giving Sarnia a
single point, and the victory as time ran out, with
Sarnia taking the victory 17-16.
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