The game had that many moments that there is too much material to really address. However, I will try my best to break it down to the best of my ability. Forest City started on offense first, they looked to spread the Sturgeon defense out and attack them with four and five wide receiver sets in order to get more one on one matchups. To add to this they ran their offense entirely without huddling between plays. The Sturgeon looked confused and outmatched and the Thunderbirds struck first when quarterback Tristan Arndt connected with Colton Robbins for a six yard touchdown pass. Robbins as many people know is the star running back for the Thunderbirds but in order to utilize him further the Thunderbirds lined him up as a wide receiver in order to further add to the offenses big play ability. Reid Barber added the extra point to make the score 7-0 in favour of the Thunderbirds.
The Thunderbirds also adjusted on the defensive side of the ball for they changed to a five man front. In the last meeting between the two teams the Sturgeon offensive line dominated the defensive front of the Thunderbirds. Despite the improved play of the defensive line of the Thunderbirds the Sturgeon still looked to run the ball. Big third down conversions were made by tight end Dale Bressette and running back Mitchell Smiley to keep the drive alive. Sturgeon quarterback Josh Elsley connected with wide receiver Ramone βbutterβ Bustillo for a forty yard touchdown pass. The extra point was added by Blake Maxfield. This tied the score making it 7-7.
The Sturgeon despite being caught off guard with the Thunderbirds no huddle attack on the first drive responded by forcing what looked to be a three and out. However the Thunderbirds ran a fake punt and converted on a fourth down. Despite this the Thunderbirds were still forced to punt.
The Sturgeon could not grab any momentum and were forced to punt the ball back to the Thunderbirds. When the Thunderbirds took the field they continued with their potent passing attack and it worked to perfection when Arndt connected with Noah Olynyk for a forty five yard touchdown pass and with Barberβs extra point the score was now 14-7. This brought an end to the first quarter.
It was clear that the Thunderbirds had some momentum but a mistake by their defense kept the Sturgeon offensive drive alive when they committed a pass interference penalty on third down which gave the Sturgeon a first down. However the Thunderbirds looked to still have control and they forced the Sturgeon into another fourth down situation. The Sturgeon ran a fake punt of their own and Smiley converted and kept the drive moving. Smiley eventually scored on a thirty yard reverse play and Maxfield extra point tied the score one again. The score was now 14-14.
The Thunderbirds offense again provided matchup problems for the Sturgeon and the offense struck again. Robbins once again lined up as a wide receiver and burnt the defender for a forty five yard touchdown pass thrown to him by Arndt. Barberβs extra point made the score 21-14.
The Sturgeon could not answer the call this time and were forced to punt the ball back to the Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds no huddle offense was starting to make the Sturgeon defense look perplexed. Olynyk caught another touchdown pass from Arndt, this time coming on a tipped ball for thirty five yards. Barberβs extra point extended the Thunderbirds lead to 28-14.
The Sturgeon offense could not respond and were forced to settle for that score at the end of the first half. The Sturgeon had only ever trailed at half one other time the whole season and that resulted in their only loss. The Sturgeon looked defeated and time would tell if they had the heart and the desire to claw their way back into the game.
To start the second half the Thunderbirds saw a case of dΓ©jΓ vu for the last time they played the Sturgeon, Smiley returned the kickoff to start the second half for a touchdown but this time it was not Smiley, it was Bustillo and he took the kickoff forty yards for a touchdown. The Sturgeon needed that in order to give them some life. However, Maxfield missed the extra point. The score moved to 28-20 in favour of the Thunderbirds.
The Thunderbirds offense tried to continue its no huddle aerial attack. However, the Sturgeonβs defense was feeling it after the big kickoff return for a touchdown and they forced the Thunderbirds to punt the ball back to them. The Sturgeon took the field looking to tie the game. They were successful when Smiley scored on a twelve yard run and after converting on a two point conversion the score was now tied, 28-28.
The Thunderbirds looked to try to assert themselves once again. The drive started off with great field position when Mackenzie Ferguson had a great kick return. After devastating the Sturgeon defense lined up as a receiver Robbins showed how much of a threat he can be as a running back. Robbins scored on a forty five yard touchdown run and after Barberβs extra point the Thunderbirds took the lead again, this time by a score of 35-28.
The Sturgeon knew that they had to answer; they needed something big something different. They found that in the form of their tight end Bressette when he broke a sixty five yard touchdown run. Maxfield added the extra point and once again the game was tied, this time the score was 35-35 and this brought an end to the third quarter.
The game was a constant blow for blow game and it was fitting that the beginning of the fourth quarter the game was tied. The Sturgeon defense finally forced a punt. However, the Thunderbirds defense also put their foot down and made the Sturgeon punt the ball back to them.
The Sturgeon managed to break the tie when once again when Bressette broke another big touchdown run, this time for seventy yards. Maxfieldβs extra point gave the Sturgeon their first lead of the game. The score now was 42-35.
The Thunderbirds refused to go down and they knew they had to answer to the Sturgeon taking their first lead of the game. The Thunderbirds did just that when their drive was capped off when Robbins scored yet again, this time on a one yard touchdown plunge. Barber knocked the ball through on the extra point and the game was tied yet again. This time the score was 42-42
After both defenses had been scored on almost at will for the gameβs entirety you could feel that one of them was bound to make a play. One of the defenses was going to say enough is enough. The Thunderbirds were the defense to do just that when Ferguson intercepted a pass thrown by Elsley.
With the ball and the game tied the Thunderbirds had the chance to drive the field and score. The offense had been a well oiled machine all day long and with the game tied nothing could stop them. The Thunderbirds drove to the Sturgeon thirty yard line and looked to be in control. However, with just under a minute left Marco Parete of the Sturgeon intercepted a pass thrown by Arndt. It would be very easy to criticize the decision made by the Thunderbirds for they had the ball in Sturgeon territory and with the game tied they could have very easily milked the clock down and tried a field goal for the win. This is made even easier for people to question when the Thunderbirds have a consistent and reliable kicker in the form of Barber. However, with the way their offense was playing and with the way Arndt had just been brilliant throwing the ball why would the Thunderbirds let up? The decision could be questioned but I saw nothing wrong with what they did. They had all the momentum why not go for it. Moreover, this decision many people are for sure to have an opinion on but if you ask me I see nothing wrong with going for the big play.
The Sturgeon with little time left could not do anything offensively and the game went to overtime. Overtime in the OFCΒ Β works in the form of a shootout with either team getting an offensive possession from the opponentβs thirty five yard line. If both teams are able to match what the other team does then the prcoess is continued. The game is over when one team is unable to match what the other team does. This form of overtime is very exciting to watch.
The Sturgeon got the first offensive possession and Elsley was able to score a touchdown on a one yard sneak to give the Sturgeon the lead. However, Maxfield hit the upright on the extra point attempt which meant that the Thunderbirds offense could win the game if they also scored a touchdown and they made their extra point. The score moved to 48-42 in favour of the Sturgeon.
The Thunderbirds looked to go for the big play on the first offensive play they had in the overtime period when Arndt looked for Robbins for the big play once again. After being burned by Robbins all game long. Defensive back Paul Webb finally said enough is enough when he broke up the pass play. The Thunderbirds several plays later fumbled the ball and the ball was recovered by Smiley. Nick Paquette of the Sturgeon forced the fumble.
Sturgeon head coach Steve Belrose had never won a playoff game as the head man for the Sturgeon. I approached him after the game for some comments and even after he got the Gatorade bath, a soaked Belrose even gave me a hug and he answered the question of how does it feel to get your first playoff win as a head coach, he responded with an enthusiastic βawesome.β
βIt was a great game and our boys played great, we were on the ropes,β said Belrose who knew that his team had trailed for the majority of the game but they made the big plays when needed in order to get the win.
When I asked coach Belrose how he felt about the effort his team showed tonight in true Belrose fashion he stated βbig time proud.β As mentioned earlier the only other time the Sturgeon had trailed at halftime all year was in a losing effort to the Twin City Predators.
It pains me to say this about the Thunderbirds for they played such a great game but they never slammed the door on the Sturgeon. They had several chances to put the game away but they never did. On the flip side of that argument credit has to be given where it is due for the Sturgeon never quit and they continued to battle for they trailed for the overwhelmingly majority of the game.
The rematch is now set for the Sturgeon must once again travel to Kitchener where they will play the only team that beat them in the regular season this year; they will take on the Predators of Twin Cities. In the first meeting of these two teams the Sturgeon had trouble stopping the potent running attack of the Predators and they struggled moving the ball on offense against them, the final score of that game was 17-8. This time around the Sturgeon have to get more offensive production for their defense cannot play any better than they did the first time they played. The running attack of the Predators just wore them out as the game went on.
I apologize in advance for my article being as long as it is but there are just so many great things about these two teams that needed to be said. With how great this game was it would be easy for me to write a novel about what happened. Once again your final score in overtime was the Sarnia Sturgeon 48 and the Forest City Thunderbirds 42.
Great game by the Thunderbirds and I wish continuing success to the Thunderbirds football program.
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