Sturgeon Bantams to Play for Provincial Championship

In only the first year of their franchise, the Sarnia Sturgeon bantams will play for the provincial championship thanks to an exciting 47-41 victory over the Twin Cities Predators in Waterloo on Saturday.  These same 2 teams met in the first game of the season with the Predators handing the Sturgeon their only loss in a 51-45 shootout.  Since then the Sturgeon improved steadily and traveled to Waterloo with the thought of avenging the only blemish on their outstanding season. 
 
The Predators took the opening kick-off and marched the ball down the field in a 6 minute drive to open the scoring.  A successful convert had the home team up 7-0.  The Sturgeon appeared unfazed by this, and as they've done all season, struck quickly.  On only their 5th play from scrimmage, the speedy Mitchell Smiley ran 45 yards to the endzone on a tackle trap.  The Sturgeon defence allowed the Predators 2 first downs on their next drive before forcing a punt.  On their second play of this possession, quarterback Josh Elsley hit Hayden MacLean on a 92 yard touchdown pass for a go ahead touchdown.  A successful convert had the Sturgeon up 13-7 after the first quarter.
 
Evin Ellwood recovered a fumble on the Predator's ensuing drive but the Sturgeon were forced to punt the ball back to the Predators after 3 plays.  Twin Cities drive took them the length of the field in 5 minutes to knot the score at 13.  Four plays later the Sturgeon were up again thanks to a 35 yard run by Alex Parete and a convert by Paquette.  Mitchell Smiley scored his second touchdown on a 39 yard run.  This touchdown was in between a pair of Predator majors with 2 point converts and the Sturgeon trailed 29-26 at the half.
 
The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter with the Sturgeon reclaiming the lead on a 12 yard pass from Elsley to MacLean.  The Predators replied with a score of their own to take a 35-33 lead after three quarters.  In the final quarter, a 1 yard plunge by Alex Parete temporarily put the Sturgeon up by 4 but the home team responded with a score of their own to lead 41-39 with 7 minutes remaining.  On their most important drive of the season, which included a pair of fourth down conversions, the Sturgeon used up 5 minutes on the clock before Alex Parete crossed the goal line.  A 2 point convert on a pass from Elsley to MacLean put the Sturgeon up by 6 with 2 minutes remaining.  On the kick-off the Predator return man appeared headed for the go ahead touchdown, but he was tackled from behind on the Sturgeon 15 yard line by a determined Mitchell Smiley.  In making the tackle, Smiley stripped the ball and recovered the fumble.  Tough inside running by the Parete twins and Josh Elsley ran out the clock for the victory.
 
Nic Paquette had an outstanding game on the D line making 9 tackles.  Other leaders on defence were Alex Parete and Josh Travis.  Hayden MacLean led the Sturgeon offence with 224 all purpose yards, 120 on the ground and 104 on pass receptions.  Mitchell Smiley rushed for 84 yards in 6 carries and caught a 20 yard pass.  Marco Parete ran 18 times for 104 yards and brother Alex 9 times for 51 yards.  Josh Elsley was 4 for 8 in pass completions for 122 yards.
 
The Sturgeon now play the winner of the undefeated Burlington Stampeders and the York-Simcoe Bucs, August 8 in O.F.C. championship Sunday, at Knight-Newbrough Field which is on the campus of Sir Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo.