The U14 Cumberland Panthers are provincial champions after beating the London Jr. Mustangs 28-0 in the Ontario Summer Football League AAA bantam title game on
Aug. 3 The win was the perfect ending to what has been an impressive season for the Panther.
The team went 8-0 during the regular season, posting four shutouts along the way and outscoring their opponents by an average score of 68-7.
It was much of the same in the playoffs as the Panthers completely dominated the Myers Riders 55-14 in the first round and then did the same to the Burlington Stampeders in the semi-finals, beating them 50-6.
The championship game was a thrilling showcase of talent and teamwork with the Panthers displaying both strategic and physical resilience.
Panthers’ running back Connor Hamelin scored the first of his game high three touchdowns in the early going to give his team a 7-0 lead, while the Panthers’ defence stymied the Jr. Mustangs’ efforts to get anything going themselves.
Leo Zbitnoff made a number of crushing tackles for the Panthers and generally harassed the Jr. Mustangs all game long.
On offence, the Panthers took advantage of their superior O-line play led by their captain Max Legros who created hole after hole for Hamelin to run through.
The Panthers fourth touchdown was scored by receiver Joenny Ngondion on a pass from quarterback Andrew Coulson.
In fact, there were a number of standout performances on both sides of the ball ensuring the team maintained its perfect record.
After the game, Panthers’ head coach Ryan Gaucher praised the team’s dedi-cation and hard work throughout the season.
“Our players have shown incredible commitment and skill and it’s wonderful to see their efforts culminate in a pro-vincial championship,” said Gaucher. “We have a very professional group and we did our talking with our shoulder pads and the scoreboard, this victory is a testament to their perseverance and teamwork.”
Unfortunately, the Panthers U16 team did not enjoy the same success as their clubmates in their title game.
After compiling a 7-1 regular season record and winning their first two playoff games in impressive fashion, the U16 Panthers came up against the undefeated West Division champion Burlington Stampeders in the final and came out on the short end of a 47-12 loss.
THE STRAY DOG BREWING COMPANY presents Hemlock Hotel perform originals as well as The Tragically Hip’s “Fully Completely”, front to back! Tickets $10 available at www.straydogbrewing.ca. The Stray Dog Brewing Company is located at 501 Lacolle Way in the Taylor Creek Business Park.
THE STRAY DOG BREWING COMPANY – Wednesdays are Trivia Night at the Stray Dog Brewing Company from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Reservations are a must to secure your spot. Send your team name and number of people participating to info@straydogbrewing.ca.
ORLÉANS BREWING CO. – Every Thursday evening is DJ Night at the Orléans Brewing Co. featuring local DJs from 7-10 p.m. The Orléans Brewing Co. is located at 4380 Innes Rd.
MIRIAM CENTRE STAMP SALE + KNITTING OF ALL KINDS from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 1803 St. Joseph Blvd, Unit 107. Excellent condition! Wide selection!
THE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY (CAFES) will be holing an eco-event from 10am to 3:30pm at École secondaire Gisèle-Lalonde, 500 Millennium Blvd. near Millennium Park. RSVP to https://bit.ly/3XSOHxl. Admission is $15.
