OVFL GAME PREVIEW: Win and you’re in situation for Warriors, Ravens

After fending off rival Brampton in Week 8, the Mississauga Warriors are looking to finish the regular season with a win against the Essex Ravens.

Win and you are in is the situation that both the Mississauga Warriors and visiting Essex Ravens will face in the last week of the regular season. With both teams sitting at 4-3, each team needs a win to secure a spot in the OVFL post-season.

However at this point in the season, Warriors’ Head Coach Lucas Cenedese is embracing the opportunity to control their own playoff fate.

“You couldn’t ask for a better situation to be in. You don’t want it to come down to tie breakers or things of that nature. I think we all realize the importance of this game and the rivalry that’s been formed in the past.”

With such an important game ahead for the Warriors, Cenedese acknowledges that a tough and hard earned victory over rival Brampton may have been just what Mississauga needed as they head into their final game of the regular season.

“They grinded it out, we knew going into that game it was going to be a grind. I think it showed a little maturity and a little fight by our guys. It’s nice to see that compared to what happened the week before.”

For the Ravens, they will be looking to redeem themselves after falling to the Ironmen 18-1 in their last game. That loss came at a bad time for the Ravens, as the team seemed to have their destiny in their own hands by reeling off three straight wins before they met with Hamilton.

Despite the recent setback, the Warriors will still not take their Week 9 opponent lightly as the Ravens have gotten the better of Mississauga recently, including the 42-24 loss in Week 2 of last season.

Knowing how well the Ravens play defensively and how the offensive line can dominate games, Cenedese believes it is imperative that his team win the battle in the trenches.

“They are aggressive, and they hit on defense. Offensively, their offensive line moves guys. We got to deal with the o-line and for us, it will be important to control the line of scrimmage this week. I think that’s the key to winning the game.”

The Warriors will anticipate a tough game but are confident they can prevail with the stakes so high. The team will receive a boost to their lineup this week, as they will get players returning from injuries and summer vacations. Also, playing the game on home field and not making the four-hour trip to Essex County region are deemed a plus for Mississauga in this do or die matchup.