Fighting Irish clinch Metro Bowl berth
Notre Dame scores two touchdowns in the air, two on the ground
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish scored two touchdowns in the air and two more on the ground Tuesday, punching their ticket to the Metro Bowl, with a 28-13 victory over the Westmount Wildcats at Ron Joyce Stadium in Hamilton.
The Niagara Region champions also intercepted two passes in the whistle-to-whistle win over the Hamilton champions, for their second Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association (SOSSA) senior football title in three years.
The Irish remained undefeated and stayed on track to become the first team in Welland high school’s 70-year history to go 11-0.
This despite having only two practices to prepare for the comparatively well-rested Wildcats.
Westmount’s last game was Nov. 7, while Notre Dame played the A.N. Myer Marauders for the Niagara Region title last Thursday.
Irish head coach Tim Bisci said the quick turnaround made it difficult to adequately prepare to play Westmount after the victory over Myer.
“That was a huge thing for us. Our kids were fired up,” he said. “It’s tough to come back five days later with very little preparation, and try to get that intensity back.”
Notre Dame’s pre-scouting of the Wildcats was limited to one film.
“We really didn’t see a lot of their stuff. They did some things that we weren’t expecting,” Bisci said.
Westmount enjoyed success moving the chains by lining up with two tight ends.
“We don’t see much doubletight in Niagara, and we had to adjust to it and adjust to it like crazy,” Bisci said.
“It’s tough to bounce in there and make a lot of adjustments,” he added.
“Our kids had to really pay attention to what was going on.” The Fighting Irish, who scored on their first drive of the game, came out to play against the Wildcats despite their lack of preparation.
“Our kids just go and play. That’s been their whole thing all year long,” Bisci said.
“They don’t really care, they just go and play, and they do a heck of a job doing it.”
Jacob Succar capped a sevenplay drive on Notre Dame’s first possession, an 11-yard touchdown run.
Irish quarterback Hunter Cropper found Zack Melnyk with a two-yard scoring strike to increase the lead to 14-0, before Seth Cabezas found the end zone for Westmount on a two-yard quarterback keeper to round out the scoring in the opening half.
Notre Dame regained the twotouchdown lead when Cropper found Owen Tofano in the end zone with a 21-yard pass.
Westmount, which enjoyed some success on short passes from Cabezas and runs by Kyle Nalpea, made it a one-score game midway into the fourth quarter on Nalpea’s eight-yard run.
Notre Dame blocked the convert attempt.
Jared Tessier rounded out the scoring with a three-yard touchdown run for the Irish.
Place-kicker Cole Smith’s convert attempt hit the post, but he split the uprights with his second try after Westmount was penalized for having too many men on the field.
Succar and Tofano each intercepted a pass while Westmount was driving on Notre Dame’s end of the field.
When it came to picking a personal highlight in the win, Succar didn’t pick his touchdown or his interception.
“Probably, the hits. That brings momentum to me,” he said with a chuckle.
The Niagara Catholic Athletic Association’s offensive player of the year wasn’t surprised at how physical Westmount was.
“I knew they would stack the box. We’re a run-first team, that’s why we have to bring out big plays on the pass.”
Notre Dame, which improved to 10-0, advanced to play the Toronto District Catholic Athletic Association Chaminade Gryphons in next Wednesday’s Metro Bowl, also at Ron Joyce Stadium.
Westmount goes on to face the National Capital Secondary Schools Athletic Association champion in the National Capital Bowl the following day.