Sarnia Imperials Win in Oakville
July 20, 2015
COMMUNITY NEWS
They did it
again. Ryan Lounsbury caught his
third touchdown of the game,
this time from 18 yards out with
2:30 left, as the Sarnia
Imperials came back to defeat
the Oakville Longhorns 31-30
Saturday night at Bronte
Athletic Park in NFC Football
League action.
The win improved the Imperials
record to 5-2, with four of
those wins being come from
behind victories within the
final two and a half minutes.
Lounsbury opened the games
scoring catching a 22 yard
touchdown from quarterback Pat
Wright five minutes into the
first quarter. After Oakville
answered back, Wright found
slotback Brad Churchill for a 78
yard touchdown pass to put the
visitors ahead. Oakville again
answered to get within 2, but it
wasn’t for long as Wright again
found Lounsbury for a touchdown,
this time from 12 yards out.
Kevin Allaer booted a 49-yard
field goal as time expired to
end the first half to leave the
Imperials up 24-18 heading into
the locker room.
The Longhorns scored two
unanswered touchdowns to go up
30-24, but after two catch and
runs by running back Terry
Mauldin, the Imperials scored
the go ahead touchdown that put
them ahead for good. After a
long kickoff by Kevin Allaer and
special teams tackle by Dalton
Cooper pinning the Longhorns at
their own 2, the Imperials
defence stopped the Longhorns
around midfield to secure the
win.
“We’ve played a lot of close
games this year that have come
down to the wire where it’s one
or two plays that determine the
outcome” said quarterback Pat
Wright who finished the game
18-24 for 312 yards and 4
touchdowns while also adding 55
yards on the ground.
“All 12 guys remain calm when
we’re driving to win the game
and everyone knows their
responsibilities. In the huddle
we have that ‘here we go again’
mentality and thus far, we’ve
been on the right side of most
of these close games.”
The Imperials played the game in
honour of John Cooke, long time
Imperials fan and father of
Imperial Floyd Graham’s fiancée
Jessica, who passed away
Wednesday.
“Floyd played the game with a
heavy heart and for him and Jess
to make the trip, it was
awesome.”
The Imperials return home
Saturday to face the Sault
Steelers at Alix Field at Norm
Perry Park. With an Imperials
win, they will clinch their
first ever west division title.
They can also clinch with a loss
and Steel City Patriots loss.
Kickoff is at 7:00 and youth 12
and under get in for free.
