OFC: Bantam Cougars hold on for championship victory

The Ontario Football Conference (OFC) bantam final took place Saturday afternoon in Hamilton. The Peterborough Wolverines, in their first season in the OFC, took on the Chatham-Kent Cougars. The crowd was evenly dispeared with Green (cougars) and Orange (Wolverine) colours.

Unfortunately for the Wolverines is was all green in the opening quarter. Jake Anderson scored two first quarter touchdowns and Ross Krieger hauled in a Kelton Evans pass for the third touchdown of the quarter. Unfortunately for the Cougars all 3 convert attempts were unsuccessful.

Before the end of the half the Wolverines were driving deep into the Cougar end but the defense bent but did not break, forcing a turnover on downs. The half ended 18 to 0 for the Cougars.

The second half was a much more evenly played one. The cougars went out early and scored their 4th touchdown of the game. A great catch by Krieger set up the 4th touchdown, a 25 yard TD pass from Evans to Ethan Smith. Same result on the convert, 24 to 0 cougars.

This time the Wolverines answered back with a score of their own. A big screen pass to Braden Frise and two pass interference calls set up a one yard QB sneak by Patrick Pearson. Two-point convert attempt from Pearson to Johnny Watson was good, making the score 24 to 8 with 1:52 remaining in the 3rd quarter.

After the TD the cougars Anderson returned the ball over half. During the play Wolverine Cole Batholomew went down with an apparent broken leg…get better Cole.

The Wolverines stopped the cougars on the drive and MacKenzie Berardi partially blocked the 4th down punt. The next drive resulted in another Wolverine touchdown. This time the TD was set up by a big QB scramble by Pearson and an enormous catch by Frise. Sidney Parkes took advantage scoring on a 2 yard rush. The 2 point convert was no good, 24 to 14 with 4:03 remaining in the game.

The cougar offense responded with a touchdown of their own to seal their fate. Ethan Smith scored his second of the game, set up by a big first down catch by Robbie Wright. And for the first time all game the convert was good by Owen Dorssers. Final score 31 to 14.

Defensive player of the game: Cougars Quintin Forgie
Offensive player of the game: Wolverines Braden Frise