Junior Wolverines drop home opener

The Peterborough Junior Varsity Wolverines are in a rebuilding mode after winning the organization’s first Ontario Football Conference championship in 2017.

The JVs have just 13 of 55 players back from the 2017 roster which went undefeated. The lack of experience showed on opening day of the 2018 season in a 41-14 loss to the Scarborough Thunder Saturday afternoon at Thomas A. Stewart Athletic Field.

The Thunder are one of six new entries to the OFC this season after the collapse of the Ontario Varsity Football League.

Wolverines JV head coach Ken Butcher understood this year’s squad would be a work in progress.

“We weren’t sure what we had,” Butcher said. “We found out during tryouts we do have some speed, although, you didn’t notice it today because that team was basically a track team, they were quick. We’re trying to keep it simple to start with. We don’t have the plays in place that we did at this point in time last year for the defence or offence. .. this year, we’re going to have to build every game to get to a championship.”

Max Levasseur and Brett Bjorgan recorded the Wolverines’ touchdowns with Spencer Vesnaver kicking two converts.

Scarborough built a 14-0 first quarter lead, led 21-7 at half-time and 34-7 after three quarters.

Jevon Layne scored two majors with one each to Sadeek Ashley, Greg Sealy III and Dante Jean Noel. Kirill Niari kicked 11 points.

Wolverines quarterback Kurt Cantello, who played on last year’s championship team, said some of the new entries like Scarborough will make it a tougher league.

The Wolverines’ senior varsity and bantam teams opened the season on the road Sunday against Scarborough. The three Wolverines squads visit the Huronia Stallions for the Cottage Cup on Saturday.