Two title favourites are performing up to par, while an unlikely program is not far behind, as the Peel region’s South division enters the second half of the season.
The St. Joan of Arc Angels and the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Crusaders are tied atop the seven-team standings with a 3-0 record and, based on the manner of most of their victories, appear on course to dispute the division’s leadership and the automatic postseason berth.
The Angels, who were a combined 57-10 in their first two games, encountered their first real test on Friday, rallying to beat the St. Marcellinus Spirit 14-13.
Saad Amir’s touchdown put the Angels on the board with a run play on the game’s second drive, only for the Spirit to wrest the lead and stay ahead until late in the fourth quarter.
With some 90 seconds left in the game, quarterback Nate Hobbs connected with Kyle Sparks for a touchdown to make it 13-all and the Angels kicked the game-winning field goal to notch what coach Tom Pianta calls “a character win.”
“A close victory can show that a team can come together and handle diversity and I think itβs a good character-builder,” Pianta said.
“Marcellinus came out to play. They were well prepared and they obviously had scouted us. They tried to take away some of our big players. We didnβt execute very well for a lot of the game, but we found a little bit of heart, a little bit of momentum and we managed to squeak one out.”
The Crusaders are coming off a bye week, a rest that’s well deserved.
The Mount Carmel juggernaut has scored 130 points in three games and limited their opponents to 19 points combined.
If Hobbs, Sparks and their offensive line have played top notch for the Angels, the Crusaders have been getting their points from Tyrell Rogers, Jahvari Bennett, and quarterback Kaine Summerfield with a lot of help from the O-line.
Mount Carmel coach Pat McCallion said he’s been keeping an eye on the other teams and where they are in the standings.
“I think with the balance that’s in the league, you almost have to look to see what’s going on,” McCallion said.
“That way you’re constantly measuring yourself, you constantly understand where you sit amongst the standings so you can motivate your players more to give their best effort.”
Behind the Angels and Crusaders at 2-1 are the St. Francis Xavier Tigers, a team that endured personnel struggles dating back to last season but has cleaned house this year to take sole possession of third place.
After being blanked 20-0 by the Angels in Week One, the Tigers have strung together two wins.
Coach Gianpiero Forgione’s team upset Lorne Park, 17-11, in Week Three then flexed their offensive muscle in a 31-3 shellacking of St. Joseph.
βWe knew this was a team that we had a good chance of beating. Theyβre not the regular Lorne Park team that weβve seen in the past,” Forgione said, adding that it might have been the first time the Tigers have ever beaten the multi-titled Spartans.
“We knew that we had to keep it close. We made a decision in the game to take a couple of safeties, gave them some points. They had a one punt-return touchdown, so our defense really played well and gave our offense the opportunity to go out and do what we do and smash the ball, and we did that.”
Against St. Joseph, Forgione said his players seemed to have “wanted the game more.”
“We executed and played disciplined ball and it paid off well. The score wasnβt an indication of the game itself. Once it gets out of hand like that, kids tend to give up a little bit.”
Nick Barnes, who scored a touchdown in each of St. Francis’ two victories, Miguel da Silva and Mark Nespeca are some of the names who have been key in the Tigers’ resurgence.
βThe team is now learning to compete in tier one,” Forgione said. “It should be good moving forward to next year as well.
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