The 22nd annual Steel City Bowl was played before a very wet crowd on a soggy Friday evening down at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Despite the unfavourable conditions, spirits were high and those rooting for the East Team went home very happy as the East cruised to a 42-6 victory over their rivals from the West.
Quarterback Jacob Marquetteβs dominant performance, which saw him throw for three touchdown passes and run in another one, was good enough to take home the game MVP award for the East, while his counterpart Sam Malavolta took home the MVP honours for the West.
East quaterback Jake Marquette passed for 165 yards and 3TDs to take home the MVP honours.
βThis means the world to me. Having my family here to watch just makes it that much more special,β gushed Marquette, βI mean with the rain and everything, I just wanted to come out here tonight and do something, but to win the MVP award is beyond anything I could have asked for.β
The rain proved to be a factor immediately. After an early defensive stand by the East, the Westβs kicker had the ball slip out of his hands off the snap and had no choice but to try to run it out, he was promptly stopped, setting the Eastβs offense up inside the ten.
Running back Eric Mezzolina, who had a humungous day on the ground, punched it in from two yards out to give the East a 7-0 lead. West quarterback Sam Malavolta answered the score with an impressive drive, highlighted by a deep throw to wide receiver Nathan Brown. The big play along with a roughing the passer penalty set the offense up inside the 20.
The West seemed poised to score until an uncharacteristic fumble from star running back Michael Brown brought the drive to a screeching halt. The East recovered and Marquette went to work from inside his own 10-yard line.
Marquette went on to engineer an impressive drive of his own ending the first quarter on a long bomb to slotback Daniel Peterman. After one quarter of play the score remained 7-0.
Marquette opened the second quarter right where he left off hitting Peterman with a beautiful back shoulder throw for a 27-yard touchdown. The Westβs offense came onto the field knowing they needed a spark. That spark came in the form of running back Michael Brown.
βHe played a hell of a game tonight,β praised head coach Darrell Adams, βwe wanted to use Mike as our feature back. He showed a lot of potential, heβs proved that he can play at that next level.β
Brown played at that level all night, running all over Eastβs defense and occasionally going right through them, but however well Brown played, he couldnβt do it all by himself. The West Teamβs quarterbacks were under fire all night, forcing them to punt it away.
After another bad punt set the East up with excellent field position, Marquette made sure they took advantage of it, running it in himself for an 8-yard score on the very next play to put the East on top 21-0.
The Westβs offense finally got going thanks to their phenomenal rushing attack anchored by Michael Brown who finished the drive off with a 15-yard touchdown run late in the quarter. The West failed on a two-point conversion attempt, leaving them behind 21-6 at the half.
After the West Teamβs onside kick went for not, the offense took to the field again. Led by Marquette and Mezzolina, the East pushed the ball all the way inside the five, before Marquette hit wide receiver Austin Kit with a 3 yard goaline fade for the touchdown.
With the score reading 28-6 and the game slipping out of reach, the West Team decides to gamble on a third and short at midfield, with everybody covered downfield, quarterback Zac MacNeil had no choice but to run for it. He got stopped just shy of the marker and the East took over.
After a short series, the West got a boost in the form of a big Michael Brown punt return, but they failed to take advantage and put the ball back in Marquetteβs hands to start the fourth quarter. Marquette then proceeded to put the ball in the hands of wide receiver Lloyd Justin, hitting him in stride for a 40-yard bomb that went for six.
That big play proved to be the dagger in the hearts of the West. They tried everything, but just never got into a rhythm on offense.
βOffensively, we didnβt execute, we didnβt block the right gaps.β said Adams, βitβs tough to get into a rhythm when youβre trying to roll four quarterbacks into the lineup.β
The offensive struggles of the West could be relayed to the defensive play of the East. Linebacker Dhaliwal played a great game and was in on almost every play while Devin Josephβs interception late in the fourth quarter put an exclamation mark on what was a dominant defensive performance.
The East scored late off of a touchdown run by running back Cameron Ewan to make the final score 42-6.
βIβm glad to see how well the kids ran the system out there,β Wade beamed, βthey played fast and they played smart. I couldnβt be happier for them.β
While Coach Adams was obviously disappointed with the outcome, he thoroughly enjoyed the experience of coaching in the Steel City Bowl.
βI loved it regardless of if we won or lost, the whole weekβs been great.β Adams smiled, βIβm really proud of these guys.β
Coach Wade echoed the same praise for his team and had nothing but kind words when I asked him about his quarterback.
βJakeβs a very talented player. He played really poised and calm tonight. Heβs still a sophomore, so heβs only going to get better,β said Wade, βbut as good of an athlete as Jake is, heβs an even better kid.β
How much better? Take his response when I asked him about the play at the end of the half. As time was expiring Marqeutte hit a wide-open Peterman inside the 20. However a penalty gave the East time for one more play with the ball inside the 10. After scrambling away to avoid a sure sack, Marquette hit his man right in between the numbers, only to have it pop loose to end the half. His thoughts?
βYeah, I apologized to him for that one. I saw him open earlier, but I was undecided whether to run it out or not. Too much scrambling on my part,β he laughed, βmy fault, not his.β
One could not possibly have picked a better MVP.
After the game was over and the playersβ families and friends had flooded onto the field to congratulate their guys, I asked Coach Wade if he had said anything to his team, a group of young men that very likely will not ever be in the same room again. His answer was both surprising and touching.
βI told them all to focus on their education, because without education, they would not be able to play this beautiful game.β Wade thoughtfully replied, βI want them to use the game, instead of having the game use them.β
Inspiring words for any athlete to live by. As the book closes on the 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] chapter of the Steel City Bowl, one cannot help but feel elated. West or East, win or lose, I think anyone can agree that in the end all the players come out as champions.
2012 Steel City Bowl Summary
West 6 vs. East 42
Qtr. Team Time Play Convert
1[SUP]st[/SUP] East 7:28 E. Mezzolira, 2 yard run (Mark Milon)
2[SUP]nd[/SUP] East :36 D. Peterman from J. Paquette, 31 yards (Mark Milon)
2[SUP]nd[/SUP] East 10:40 J. Marquette, 8 yard run (Mark Milon)
2[SUP]nd[/SUP] West 13:16 M. Brown, 15 yard run (no good)
3[SUP]rd[/SUP] East 5:24 A. Kit from J. Marquette, 3 yards (Mark Milon)
4[SUP]th[/SUP] East :41 L. Justin from J. Marquette, 30 yards (Mark Milon)
4[SUP]th[/SUP] East 10:25 C. Ewan, 13 yard run (Mark Milon)
TEAM STATS
WEST / EAST
Rushing (att.-yds.) 27-207/20-130
Passing Yards 50/165
Team Losses -21/-5
Net Offence 236/290
First Downs 14/16
Return Yards 91/14
Fumbles-Lost 1-1/0-0
Interceptions by 0/1
Penalties-Yards 4-50/5-50
INDIVIDUAL STATS
WEST / EAST
Rushing (atts.-yds.)
Michael Brown 15-142, TD/ Eric Mezzolira 10-51, TD
Kyle Shallow 2-26/ Jacob Marquette 3-37, TD
Joshua Leegstra 1-12/ Cameron Ewan 4-33, TD
Sam Malavolta 2-11/ Jason LeDonne 3-9
Nathan Brown 2-10
Zac MacNeil 3-5
Receiving (cat.-yds.)
Nathan Brown 1-40 / Daniel Peterman 4-97, TD
Matt Price 1-10 / Lloyd Justin 1-30, TD
/ Eric Mezzolira 1-13
/ Jason LeDonne 1-12
/ Austin Kit 1-3, TD
Passing
(comp.-atts.-tds-int)
Sam Malavolta 2-3-0-0 / Jacob Marquette 8-14-3-0
Joshua Leegstra 0-2-0-0
Zac MacNeil 0-2-0-0
Matt Sartori 0-2-0-0
Game M.V.P.
Sam Malavolta β Westdale / Jacob Marquette β Cathedral
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