The 2015 S.M.A.A. Football season concluded on Saturday November 7,
at Norm Perry Park, with championship games in all 3 divisions.
Atom
In the Atom Division, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 62 Iron Hides
took on the Robinson Design and Drafting Razor Claws. The Iron Hides
came on to the field ready to play and scored 5 unanswered
touchdowns in the first half by Jack Vozza, Josh Manning, Parker
Wyant, Ethan Hacker and Tyler Collins.
The second half was far more competitive as the only major was
counted by the Razor Claws, on a 2 yard run by Chayton VanBarneveld.
The Iron Hides prevailed 30-6.
Peewee
The Peewee Championship game pitted the BrownStones Sky Fire against
the Sarnia Lakeshore Optimists Vortex. Both teams had 7-2 records in
the regular season. The Vortex took the lead on a five yard run by
Brody Hornett with time winding down in the first quarter. Tyler
Hopwood's convert staked them to an 8-0 lead. Speedy Orion Vazquez
dashed 50 yards to the end zone in the second quarter for the Sky
Fire, reducing the lead of the Vortex to 8-6, a score which held to
the half. In the second half the Sky Fire came out a blazing. Josh
Foulis put them up on a 9 yard touchdown pass from Josh Hillsdon.
Four minutes later Hillsdon counted a major of his own on a 3 yard
run. Turnovers plagued the Vortex in the second half when they were
mounting their drives. In the fourth quarter Hillsdon's second
touchdown opened up an insurmountable 24-8 lead for the Sky Fire
that they held till time expired, to claim their crown.
Bantam
The Bantam Championship featured the Mechanical Contractors
Association Toros tackling the Jim Easson/Brian Guenette Exit Realty
Grizzlies. Both these teams had a 6-3 regular season record. The
Grizzlies took two of the three regular season encounters with the
Toros, however the aggregate score in these games was only 88-84 for
the Grizzlies. These two teams put on one of the most entertaining,
competitive performances seen in a championship game in a long time.
The Toros took the opening kick off and
moved the ball down the field on a methodical drive that took all
but one play of the first quarter. This drive culminated on a 1 yard
quarterback sneak by Ethan Kerby. Zachary Tremblay's convert had the
Toros up 8-0.
The Grizzlies responded when Ethan Isaac powered in from the 4 yard
line. Justin Cain's convert knotted the game at 8. From then on, the
defenses took over, forcing the ball to be turned over on downs on
numerous occasions. Brady Gladwish stood exceptionally tall for the
Grizzlies as it appeared he was in on almost all his team's tackles.
Regulation time ended with the scored still tied at 8, forcing a
shoot out to determine the winner. In this overtime each team would
get a possession beginning 25 yards from the goal line. If the score
remained tied after these possessions, each team would get another
possession. This pattern would continue until a victor is
determined.
The Grizzlies had the ball first. Their possession ended on a 19
yard touchdown run by Avery Smiley. Their convert was blocked. The
Toros next had their turn with the ball. It seemed like Joe Rose and
Kerby took turns carrying the ball as they slowly approached the
goal line. Kerby eventually broke the plane on a 1 yard sneak.
Zachary Tremblay's convert was successful and the Toros were
victorious 16-14.