A key snap decision
‘ Rogue’ play results in game- winning touchdown as Notre Dame upsets Myer
Give the Notre Dame defence a game ball for limiting the three- time defending Ontario champions to one touchdown.
Give Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Graziani the Academy Award for improvisation.
And give Notre Dame the Niagara senior high school football championship.
Despite coming into the week banged up and playing at only 80 per cent, Graziani scored the gamewinning touchdown on a “rogue” play with 1: 12 remaining in regulation as the Fighting Irish upset the A. N. Myer Marauders 20- 13 Wednesday night at Kiwanis Field in St. Catharines.
Graziani also connected with Jonah Gruarin on a pass and run play that covered 65 yards as Notre Dame ended Myer’s winning streak at 28 games.
Before the opening kickoff for the nightcap of a championship doubleheader between the top junior and senior teams from the region’s two high school athletic associations, the crowd was reminded that the Marauders were ranked sixth in Canada while the Irish were 27th.
Notre Dame, which last won advanced to the provincial playdowns in 2013, when it also was a big underdog to Lakeshore Catholic, didn’t let those numbers affect their preparation for the title game.
“We knew we had a chance, we knew we had great athletes,” the Grade 12B student said. “We didn’t go undefeated for nothing.
“We played with that ‘ nothing to lose mentality.’”
The play that gave the Irish the win, and broke the Marauders’ hearts, wasn’t in the game play. It was supposed to be a run up the middle, but Graziani called his own number in the huddle.
“I went rogue on that, I knew the opportunity was going to happen because they’ve been cutting their ends all game,” he said after rushing eight yards to the left side of the turf field.
Notre Dame head coach Tim Bisci couldn’t say enough about Graziani, who earlier this week was selected to the Niagara Catholic Athletic Association ( NCAA) all- star team and named the offensive most valuable player.
“Graz was hurt this week. He didn’t practise Monday. He practised very little yesterday,” Notre Dame head coach Tim Bisci said. “I told him, ‘ You got to grit your teeth, this is forever, but that pain is going to go away.’
“At the end of the day, the best player in Niagara was the best player on that play. He improvised that and ran it and we won.
“He was banged up and hurt — he might have at 80 per cent — but he was still the best player today.”
Myer turned the ball over three times in the first half, twice on interceptions, yet it was Marauders who took a 3- 0 lead into the break.
Bisci said the inability to capitalize on those opportunities didn’t faze his team. At no point did the Irish feel snakebitten.
“No, I didn’t think that,” he said. “I thought, ‘ You know what, it’s 3- 0. They’re in shock because they only have three.’”
Dallas Bone kicked a 35- yard field goal late in the first half to put Myer on the scoreboard.
Notre Dame drew first blood in the second half on Justin Succar’s seven yard run. An attempted twopoint conversion failed when the holder bobbled the snap.
Ryan James found Trent Hunter in the end zone with a 20- yard pass to put the Marauders up 10- 6.
Myer extended its lead with a 33- yard field goal from Bone, but the Irish got back into the game with the long pass and run play between Graziani and Gruarin.
Marauders head coach Dave Buchanan credited his defence for keeping Notre Dame off the scoreboard after Myer turned over the ball three times in the opening half.
“Our defence played phenomenal,” he said. “This is as potent an offence that we’ve seen all year and we held them.
“We did our job on defence. We just didn’t do enough on offence.
“We had some moments when things were going really well, but they ( the Fighting Irish) made plays when they needed to.”
With the win, Notre Dame advances to play the Hamilton champion next Tuesday on the road.
Marauders 21, Thunder 14
Kyle Qua ran back a kickoff 90 yards and T. J. Cronwright scored a 70- yard touchdown to lead A. N. Myer into the winners circle at Wednesday night’s junior final.
Jacob Burke, on a six- yard run, also made his way into the end zone as the Marauders qualified to host an opening- round provincial playoff game next week in Niagara Falls.
Corbin Paterson, 35- yard run, and Hunter Oakley, 37- and 30- yard field goals, scored for the Thunder. Blessed Trinity also kicked a single.