Sturgeon JV
Victorious
in an Epic
Battle
July 30, 2012
They stared
down the
barrel and
didn't
flinch. The
Sarnia
Sturgeon
Junior
Varsity team
summoned all
their
courage and
skill to
prevail in
the South
Division
O.F.C.
semi-final
Friday night
against the
Forest City
Thunderbirds
from London
at Norm
Perry Park.
To those who
were
fortunate
enough to
see it, this
was one of
the most
exciting
football
games to be
witnessed at
Norm Perry
Park in
recent
years.
The
Thuderbirds
came out
flying, with
a surprise
no huddle
offense and
drove the
length of
the field in
6 plays to
take a 7-0
lead before
the game was
3 minutes
old. The
Sturgeon
responded on
their
resulting
possession
with a 40
yard
touchdown
pass on a
third and 17
from
quarterback
Josh Elsley
to Ramon
Bastillo.
Following a
couple of
defensive
stands, the
Thunderbirds
connected on
a 45 yard
pass and run
play to the
speedy Noah
Olynyk for a
14-7 lead at
the end of
the first
quarter.
The first
time Sarnia
had the ball
in the
second
quarter, the
Forest City
defense
appeared to
force the
Sturgeon to
punt, but a
daring fake
punt call
and
resultant
run by
Mitchell
Smiley kept
the drive
alive. Three
plays later,
Smiley
streaked 38
yards on a
reverse and
Blake
Maxfield's
convert tied
the game at
14. Forest
City scored
twice more
before the
half, on
touchdown
passes of 45
and 35
yards, for a
28-14 half
time lead.
Prior to
this game,
the most
points
surrendered
by the usual
stingy
Sturgeon
defense in
any full
game was 19.
Bastillo ran
the opening
kick-off of
the second
half back
for a
touchdown,
the convert
was missed
but the
Sturgeon had
closed the
gap to
28-20.
Sarnia's
defense
stood tall
and forced a
punt on the
next
Thunderbird
drive. The
Sturgeon
then began a
long,
surgical
march down
the field
that
culminated
on a 14 yard
run by
Smiley. A
two point
convert on a
pass from
Elsley to
Yenel
Olivero
evened the
score at 28.
Each team
scored once
more in the
third
quarter as
first Forest
City
regained the
lead, then
Dale
Bressette
ran 65 yards
and the
convert by
Maxfield
knotted the
game at 35
after three
quarters.
In the
fourth
quarter,
after a
couple of
defensive
stops by
each team,
Bressette
again
scampered
for a
touchdown,
this time 78
yards and
the Sturgeon
had their
first lead
of the game.
The
Thunderbirds
did not fold
and scored
to tie the
game at 42
with 4
munutes
remaining.
Sarnia then
began a
drive they
hoped would
win the
game, but an
interception
by Forest
City, the
first
turnover of
the game,
put contol
of the game
back in
their potent
offense's
hands. They
slowly drove
down the
field for
the winning
points. With
the ball on
the Sturgeon
20 and less
than a
minute to
play,
Tristan
Arndt, the
brilliant
quarterback
for Forest
City, had
his first
turnover of
the game. A
stunning
interception
by Marco
Parete saved
the Sturgeon
season and
sent the
game to a
shootout,
where each
team would
have a
possession
from the 35.
If the score
remained
tied this
pattern
would
continue
until there
was a
victor.
Forest City
won the toss
and elected
to play
defense
first. The
Sturgeon
offense was
up to the
challenge
and drove
the ball
down to the
1 yard line
behind the
bruising
running of
Yenel
Olivero and
effective
blocking by
the
offensive
line. A one
yard
quarterback
sneak by
Elsley
resulted in
a touchdown.
More drama
was yet to
follow
however, as
the convert
hit the
upright. A
touchdown
now by the
Thunderbirds
and a
successful
convert from
their place
kicker, who
was 6 for 6
on the
night, would
give them
the victory.
On their
first play
from the 35
the
Thunderbirds
went for it
all but the
pass was
broken up on
the Sturgeon
5 yard line
by Paul
Webb. A
short
completion
moved the
ball to the
Sturgeon 30.
On the next
play Arndt,
who threw 74
passes in
the game,
hit his
receiver on
the 20 for
an apparent
first down.
A hard
tackle by
Nick
Paquette
jarred the
ball loose.
The
opportunistic
Mitchell
Smiley
pounced on
it and the
Sturgeon had
a dramatic
48-42
victory.
Sarnia now
move on to
play the
Twin Cities
Predators at
Sir Wilfrid
Laurier
University
in the
Southern
Conference
final this
Sunday at 1
pm. The
Sturgeon
will be out
to avenge
their only
loss of the
year, a 17-8
defeat
against the
Predators in
the fourth
week of the
season. The
Sturgeon
currently
sport an
excellent
8-1 record.