#CFCOPC16 (Varsity – East vs Halton-Peel): Carlisle, Mardner and Madore named MVPs

HAMILTON – On Saturday night, Team East faced off against Team Halton-Peel in the final varsity game of the Ontario Prospect Challenge. The game remained close until the bitter end with Team East coming on top with a final score of 12-0. By the end of the game, it was Shamond Carlisle of Team East, Nick Mardner of Team Halton-Peel and Patrick Madore of Team East who had impressed the coaches enough to be named the game’s MVPs.

Carlisle, a running back who was #28 in white, felt that all his hard work had paid off when he was named Game MVP.

“I feel great man. I have been training every single week. I’ve been training Monday to Sunday every single day, hitting the hills with my friends, hitting the gym. It feels great,” he said.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my team. They’re everything to me. Everybody did a highlight of the game and I love my team,” he added.

“The running back from the East team [Shamond Carlisle] had a good, tough game,” said Tony Mandalfino, the head coach of Team Halton-Peel. “He took a lot of shots and it was a big part of their game.”

Blaine Scatcherd, head coach of Team East, praised Carlisle, but he said the overall MVP selection could have gone in another direction.

“Shamond Carlisle had a good game. But I don’t think he was a lock to win it,” he said. “I think Jamal Mavinga [#21, REC for Team East] could have won it as well for his two big catches.”

Mardner, Team Halton-Peel’s #10, was awarded the offensive performer of the game for his play as a receiver.

“It feels good. We were grinding hard last weekend and I’ve been practicing every week, every day of the week. It feels good,” he said when he won the title.

When asked about his highlight of the game, the young player was stumped.

“I don’t know. I would say most of my catches were highlights because whenever I get the ball in my hand, I feel good about myself,” he said.

For Mandalfino, there was no doubt in his mind about who should have won the Offensive Player of the Game Award.

“Nick Mardner being chosen, absolutely. Nick is a young player whose career is just breaking out and he is exciting and he is fun,” he said. “I’ve had the privilege of coaching him on my summer team. So we’ve been working with him, every practice is something new. He has a great future.”

Linebacker Madore, who sported #11, was named as the Defensive Player of the Game.

“I’m very happy about it. It’s a good success for me and I worked hard for it, so I’m really happy about it,” he said.

“On the kickoff, I ran down the field and made a play on the opposite side of my field. So yeah, that’s my highlight for today,” he added.

While choosing the game’s MVPs is a difficult task, Scatcherd said, “I think Pat Madore was an easier choice because he had a big, big game on defense.”

At the end of the game, Mandalfino said, “I think it [overall MVP selection] was accurate.”