Opportunity knocks, Redcoats answer
Governor Simcoe takes advantage of Centennial turnovers to advance to final
Both the calendar and senior high school football schedule said “post-season.”
However, the play on the gridiron in the Tier 2 semifinal between the Welland Centennial Cougars and the host Governor Simcoe Redcoats Thursday in St. Catharines shouted “pre-season.”
There were training camp mistakes and season-opening jitters aplenty as the two teams combined for nearly 30 penalties.
Indeed, they lost far more yardage on plays nullified by flags than their respective offences were able to gain on the ground and in the air on offence.
Simcoe’s 16-6 victory was testament to the host team’s ability to capitalize on their opponent’s mistakes in a game marred by turnovers.
Case in point. Redcoats defender Joe Fusek found himself in exactly the right place at the exactly the wrong time for the Cougars when he caught the ball in the end zone on a botched punt return by Centennial.
Instead of conceding a single, the Cougars tried to punt the ball out of the end zone. However, a stiff northeast wind blew the kick back deeper in the end zone, starting a bizarre, chain reaction of hot potato.
“What is happening, this is a video game!” someone shouted from the sideline.
A Grade 11 student who has played football for the past 10 years, Fusek knew from experience that he should stick around and keep his eyes on the ball.
“It was a messed-up play, which I decided to read,” he said. “With all the years of playing I have learned that when the play goes away, stay home.”
Fusek was “very surprised” when Centennial attempted to kick the ball out of the end zone.
“I did not see it coming at all, that was something else.”
A little more than a minute later, Simcoe went up 13-0 when Nicholas Langelaan recovered a fumble and ran it back 15 yards.
Danny Lewis rounded out the scoring for the Redcoats with an 11-yard touchdown.
Caleb Pelletier’s six-yard major for Centennial was the only score generated on offence, and even that was set up by a penalty. An unnecessary roughness penalty assessed against Simcoe on the play before moved the Cougars 15 yards closer to the goal line.
“I think our kids got a little over-excited, this being a playoff game that we haven’t had in a couple of years,” Redcoats head coach Jamie Brophy said. “With this being a transition of a Division I team coming down, I think our kids were a little amped up, ready to go.
“We just made too many errors, right from the beginning kickoff from our onside kicks.”
In terms of penalties, Thursday’s game was the “sloppiest” of the season for Simcoe. Brophy said that’s one area the team will be working on between now and the championship final between the winner of today’s semifinal between the Grimsby Eagles and the Thorold Golden Eagles.
“We made plays when we needed to, but we took far too many penalties today,” he said. “I think we just need to refocus, come back on Monday and get ready for the finals.
“I just think we can’t be too excited, and it being an away game next week, most likely, I think we will be able to focus a little bit more.”
Centennial head coach Dom Nero wasn’t that surprised by the number and frequency of the penalty calls.
“I think that’s going to happen, especially when adrenalin kicks in. When you’re really battling, sometimes you get those penalties.”
Both teams were excited coming into the must-win game.
“I was one of those games where I think you lose your head a little bit sometimes, and that’s what obviously happened on that punt,” Nero said. “Some of these guys watch enough Canadian football and they see all the weird, fancy-looking stuff, but they don’t put it into context and understand there’s a time and a moment for it.
“That was not the time, and not the moment for that type of thing and, unfortunately, we gifted them seven.”
Nero was proud of the way the Cougars responded after finding themselves in a 13-0 hole.
“Defensively, we gave them very little, we were able to stop them when they were on our one (yard line), hold them to a field goal.
“We just have to figure out a way to limit our mistakes for next year.”
Thursday’s game was only Josh Boyle’s second under centre for Centennial. Their regular quarterback suffered a concussion in the final game of the regular season.