COMFL: Stamps battle wind, rain, cold to sweep Raiders

It wasn’t the best of conditions last weekend when the Burlington Stampeders rep teams visited Markham to take on the Raiders in a Central Ontario Minor Football League tripleheader.

The visitors managed to dominate their hosts despite the cold, wet, windy conditions.

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The Stampeders are 5-1 after blasting the Raiders, using an unstoppable running game to earn a 69-0 victory.

The Burlington ground game accounted for 491 yards and eight touchdowns, led by Cavan McLellan with 99 yards, Sean Stodulski with 92, Zach Ihasz with 85 and Justin Gec with 67.

McLellan and Ihasz scored two touchdowns each and Stodulski, Gec, Jayden Dunnick and Kade Butt added one each. Joshua Meuris was good on seven convert attempts.

Gec and Ihasz each had seven tackles to lead the defence to its fourth shutout of the season. Others chipping in with tackles include Wyatt Sayers and Jack Rieger (three each) and Reid Niosi, Evan Unwin and Chedore, two apiece.

“It was nice to see all three aspects of our game — offence, defence and special teams — firing on all cylinders,” said special teams coach Billy Wright. “The boys displayed toughness well beyond their years despite the rainy, five-degree weather.”

The Stamps trail Niagara (6-0), the only team to beat them, in COMFL standings.

Bantam

The Stampeders remain unbeaten and tied with Brampton after six games following a 46-0 win over the Raiders.

Nathan Langley, Nick Casola, Dominic Mandalfino and Jason Uleryk-Carvalho scored the touchdowns and Nick Casola added five converts.

Burlington’s defence held Markham to only nine yards of offence in the first half.

Nathan Rourke and Connor Knight each picked off a Raider pass and A.J. Allen and Uleryk-Carvalho recovered fumbles. Jax Ford, Jack Miller, Zachary Hoffner and Evan Luckie topped the tackle list.

The game was called with 6:27 left in the fourth quarter when Markham no longer had enough players to field a team.

Peewee

The bad weather forced the Stampeders to use more of a running game than planned, and the backs and linemen responded by piling up 403 yards in a 42-6 win.

Matt Paul score three touchdowns while gaining 169 yards, Myles Manalo had another 165 yards and two touchdowns and Kristian Milford added one other TD.

Austin Viola logged three tackles and a fumble recovery to lead Burlington’s defence.

Michael Lehmann ran an interception back for 32 yards and Marcus Daniel and Charlie George recorded three tackles each.

• The three Stampeder teams play in Brampton Monday, Oct. 10, the bantam game being a battle for first place.