OVFL JUNIOR VARSITY (under 17) CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:
#1 MYERS RIDERS (10-0) vs #2 NIAGARA SPEARS (9-1):
THE MATCHUP: If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. That has to be the Myers tagline going into this weekend as head coach Matt Kassner leads his boys to the their third championship game in three seasons. Although none of the current players were around for the 2013 loss to Niagara in the finals, plenty were on the field last year. Thoughts of London hoisting the trophy in the Riders’ hometown had to serve as a motivator throughout this season as Myers cruised to an 8-0 regular season. The path wasn’t all that easy for Myers as they were the class off the Wettges, but received stiff challenges from Cumberland and Toronto.
Led by JP Cimankinda the Riders tend to be one dimensional but that’s by design. In the last few week’s backup quarterback James Keenan has worked some magic in limited action and could be a factor. Last week in the conference final against Toronto, Keenan came off the bench and was 2 of 3 for 67 yards and two touchdowns. When the game was still very much in doubt Keenan had a brilliant broken play shovel pass for a key score.
Underrated the Myers defense is as strong as any and have shown it the last few weekends. Led by LBs AJ Oickle and Alejandro Politis, the Myers front seven makes this team tick and play the run and rush the passer with equal zeal. Oickle, a very hard hitter sets the tone for a group that makes it a long afternoon for the opposition.
The Niagara Spears suffered one loss in 2015 and were able to avenge that loss and than some with their 33-5 pasting of previously top ranked London. The Spears dominated in every facet of the game and dispatched the defending champs with surprising ease. Offensively the Spears come into this one a very well balanced proficient attack that can move the ball. Running backs Maksym Nazartchyk and Cole Burniston make up a two headed monster that is tough to stop with both rushing for over 800 yards each in the regular season. Nazartchyk and Burniston bring different skill sets to the table, serving as the perfect compliment to each other.
WHY MYERS MIGHT WIN: I don’t need to change what I said here last week…..JP Cimankinda. If Cimankinda gets rolling there is no stopping this team and barring injury there is no reason JP doesn’t get rolling. Cimankinda has both the skill and disposition to carry a team and in the August heat will wear down the Spears. Running back Maksym Nazartchyk is the go to go while Sole Burniston can scare opponents with his speed. The Spears imroved each week and their win over London was no fluke.
WHY NIAGARA MIGHT WIN: The Spears defense had success last week shutting down the league’s second best ground attack and are coming into this one believing they can do the same to Myers. If Niagara can get early success shutting down Cimankinda his confidence will waiver. If that happens all bets are off.
MYERS PLAYERS TO WATCH: RB JP Cimankinda, RB Hayden Tripp, LB AJ Oickle, LB Alejandro Politis, DB Liam Paquette, OL Patrick Lavoie, OL Angelo Vushaj
NIAGARA PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Travis Arp, RB Maksym Nazartchyk, DB Jake Porter, LB Jack Scordino, SB/RB Cole Burniston, PR/DB Jacob Andrews
WHAT WILL HAPPEN: The Myers Riders finally get over the hump with the league’s best player putting his team on his back and carrying them to the title. True, the Spears had success shutting down the vaunted London ground attack but JP Cimankinda is the X factor in this one and for good reason.
FINAL SCORE: MYERS 33 NIAGARA 30
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