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.
VINTAGE CAR EXPERIENCE from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum in Cumberland Village. Explore the rapid design and mechanical advancements made during the earliest years of the automotive era. Cost: Adult - $9.42; Senior (ages 65 and up) - $6.65; Student (valid full-time student ID required) - $6.65; Youth (ages 6 to 17) - $6.65; Child (ages 5 and under) - Free; Family (Up to two adults, and accompanying children, all living in the same household) - $23.83.
TRIVIA NIGHT from 6:30 p.m. at the Stray Dog Brewing Company. Exercise your grey matter before it turns to mush over the holidays. Reservations are a must to secure your spot. Send your team name and number of people to info@straydogbrewing.ca. The Stray Dog Brewing Company is located at 501 Lacolle Way in the Taylor Creek Business Park.
LIVE MUSIC at the Orléans branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, 800 Taylor Creek Dr. featuring the band Snap Crackle Pop. Everyone welcome.
CUMBERLAND FARMERS’ MARKET from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the R.J. Kennedy Arena in Cumberland Village with a variety of local farmers and vendors ready to showcase their freshest produce, handmade goods, and unique finds! FREE ADMISSION
