OVFL & OFC VARSITY RECAP (2): Myers Riders dominate; Jr Mustangs, Warriors & Ironmen get 1st wins; Tiger Cats & Stallions open season with shutout victories

A lot of football happened over the weekend as it was the first time this season that both the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL) and Ontario Football Conference were simultaneously in action.

In the OVFL, the Ottawa Myers Riders and Hamilton Ironmen were the only teams to post shutout victories.  The Myers Riders crushed rivals Cornwall Wildcats 55-0 while the Ironmen thumped the Etobicoke Eagles 32-0.  Other Week 2 winners include Mississauga Warriors, Kingston Grenadiers, London Jr. Mustangs, Toronto Thunder, York Region Lions and Niagara Spears.

Teams that were on a bye this past week included Essex Ravens and Cumberland Panthers.

As for the OFC, the Hamilton Varsity Tigers Cats opened their 2016 campaign with a 45-0 romp of the Brantford Bisons.  Additonally, the Huronia Stallions earned a 26-0 shutout win over Vaughan Rebels.  Other Week 1 winners included Toronto Jr. Argos, Sudbury Gladiators, Peteborough Wolverines and Twin Cities Predators.

Both the Burlington Stampeders and Guelph Jr Gryphons were on byes on opening week.

Here are results for WEEK 2 OVFL and Week 1 OFC Varsity Divisions

(NOTE:  At press time not all stats/scored were received; therefore, this page will be continued to be updated as more information does become available)

MISSISSAUGA WARRIORS 22, SSM SABRECATS 14:

At Superior Heights Collegiate on Saturday afternoon, Brennan Moss rushed for 187 yards on 31 carries as the Mississauga Warriors got their first win of the season on the road, scoring a 22-14 win over hosts SSM Sabrecats.

Dave Johnson scored a touchdown and had 58 yards on four receptions for the Warriors.  #CFCOPC pivot Alex Lavric completed 13 passes in 19 attempts for 168 yards and three touchdowns.  Merrick Sproule added three PAT’s in the victory.

On defence, Christopher Haggart caught an interception as well as added seven solo and seven assisted tackles.  Osas Okoro recorded a solo sack, three solo and six assisted tackles.

As for the Sabrecats, Greg Caruso tallied a major and amassed 119 yards on four receptions.  Tristian Marshall rushed for 88 yards on 16 carries. Tyler Bickell was successful on two conversion attempts in the loss.

Michael Reid led the Sabrecats defence with four solo and nine assisted tackles.  Moreover, Justin Cond registered five solo and five assisted tackles in the game.

KINGSTON GRENADIERS 41, METRO TORONTO WILDCATS 7:

On Saturday afternoon at Loyalist Collegiate and Vocational Institute, the Kingston Grenadiers upended the Metro Toronto Wildcats 41-7.

(NOTE: Stats were not available at press time for this game)

HAMILTON IRONMEN 32, ETOBICOKE EAGLES 0:

At Michael Power/St. Joseph High School on Saturday evening, the Hamilton Ironmen earned a 32-0 shutout victory over hosts Etobicoke Eagles.

The win marks the first for the Ironmen this season, while the Eagles fall to 0-2 on the season.

(NOTE: Stats were not available at press time for this game)

LONDON JR. MUSTANGS 26, CAMBRIDGE LIONS 19:

On Saturday night at TD Waterhouse Stadium, Brentyne AndersonBrown tallied a major and rushed for 137 yards on 24 carries as the London Jr. Mustangs earned their first victory of the season by getting past visiting Cambridge Lions 26-19.

Griffin Bock added a score and racked up 118 yards on five receptions.  Furthermore, Malik Besseghieur had 96 yards on two receptions in the win.

Pivot Jake Pow completed nine passes in 15 attempts for 207 yards and a touchdown.Tyler Cejvan added two PAT’s for the Jr. Mustangs.

Riley Boersma scored a touchdown and amassed 120 yards on four receptions for the Lions.  Nathan McLean had a 48 yard reception, was successful on a 30 yard field goal as well as a conversion attempt.  Brandon Metz rushed for 47 yards on 12 carries.

Jackson White completed eight passes in 21 attempts for 210 yards and two touchdowns in the loss.

On the Lions defence, Mario Alyas registered nine solo and four assisted tackles.  Additionally, Jack Hinsperger racked up five solo and five assisted tackles in the game.

TORONTO THUNDER 26, OSHAWA HAWKEYES 21:

At Oshawa Civic Stadium Field #1 on Saturday night, Connor Smith completed 15 passes in 25 attempts for 264 yards and three touchdowns as the visiting Toronto Thunder escaped with a 26-21 win over hosts Oshawa Hawkeyes to earn their first victory of the season.

Raign Harris scored two touchdowns and amassed 136 yards on five receptions.  Shedler Fervius tallied a major and had 81 yards on six receptions for the Thunder.

YORK REGION LIONS 23, DURHAM WEST DOLPHINS 21:

On Saturday night at Pine Ridge Secondary School, Nolan Lovegrove talliled a major, racked up 77 yards on four receptions and rushed for 61 yards on five carries as the York Region Lions edged the Durham West Dolphins 23-21.

Joshua Menna added a score and had 58 yards on three receptions in the win.  Nolan Maggiacomo rushed for 54 yards on 11 carries.

#CFCOPC pivot Noah Craney completed eight passes in 17 attempts for 137 yards and a touchdown.  Marc Legghio added two PAT’s for the Lions.

Alex Jafs led the Lions defence as he recorded one solo and one assisted sack.  Additionally, he racked up four solo and 10 assisted tackles.  Talik Ehouman forced a fumble, had two batted balls as well as registered an assisted and four solo tackles.

As for the Dolphins, Bailey Grimes dashed into the end zone for a major and had 53 yards on eight carries.  Andre Goulbourne rushed for 75 yards on 14 carries.

Mitchell Van Pelt completed 10 passes in 16 attempts for 107 yards and a touchdown in the loss.  Odane Ellis added two PAT’s while Robert Carmichael was successful on one conversion attempt.

On defence, Tyler Munro registered a solo and 12 assisted tackles for the Dolphins.

OTTAWA MYERS RIDERS 66, CORNWALL WILDCATS 0:

At Beckwith Sports Park on Sunday afternoon, the Ottawa Myers Riders earned a shutout victory as the team thrashed Cornwall Wildcats 66-0.

(NOTE: Stats were not available at press time for this game)

NIAGARA SPEARS 31, BRAMPTON BULLDOGS 6:

On Sunday night at Chingacousy Park, the Niagara Spears remained undefeated as the team cruised to a 31-6 win over hosts Brampton Bulldogs.

(NOTE: Stats were not available at press time for this game)

ONTARIO FOOTBALL CONFERENCE (OFC):

TORONTO JR ARGOS 21, NIPISSING WILD 6:

On Saturday afternoon at Trojan Alumni Complex, the Toronto Jr Argos opened their 2016 campaign with a 21-6 win over hosts Nipissing Wild.

Great game!
Junior Argonauts take the first game of the season at Wild home opener with a 21-7 win over the Wild. pic.twitter.com/CxCZf7Mn2E

— Nipissing Wild (@NipissingWild13) May 28, 2016

Adam Asselin tallied the lone major for the WIld while Riley Gravelle added a PAT.

SUDBURY GLADIATORS 26, OAKVILLE TITANS 5:

At James Jerome Complex on Saturday, Darcy Labelle scored on a 13 yard touchdown reception as the Sudbury Gladiators coasted to a 26-5 win over Oakville Titans.

Bankamina N’Galamuluma also tallied a major while Miller Donnelly caught an interception and converted it into a touchdown score for the Gladiators.  Overall, Donnelly had three interceptions in the game.

Pivot Chris Moutsatsos completed seven passes in 22 attempts for 98 yards and two majors in the win.  Andrew North added a 12 yard field goal.

PETERBOROUGH WOLVERINES 28, NORTH HALTON CRIMSON TIDE 1:

On Saturday at Thomas A Stewart, quarterback Ryan Astrom connected with Nick Clarkin for a 57 yard touchdown reception as the Peterborough Wolverines crushed the North Halton Crimson Tide 28-1.

Spencer Johnston scored an 18 yard major while Andrew Benze caught an interception and ran it into the end zone for a 45 yard score.

Clarkin added four PAT’s for the Wolverines.

TWIN-CITIES PREDATORS 30, CHATHAM-KENT COUGARS 12:

At Chatham-Kent Community Athletic Complex, the Twin-Cities Predators started off their season with a win on the road as the team defeated Chatham-Kent Cougars 30-12.

(NOTE: Stats were not available at press time for this game)

HAMILTON VARSITY TIGER CATS 45, BRANTFORD BISONS 0:

Game Recap by John Metcalfe

#CFC100 pivot Connor Carusello threw touchdown strikes of 56 and 53 yards to Nicolas Petermann and Christian Sarko respectively as well as plowing in form a yard out to lead the Varsity squad to a 45-0 shutout over the Brantford Bisons.

Damian Tesaro ran in from 12 and 8 yards for scores and back up pivot Jordan Rimac scampered in from 18 yards away for a touchdown as well.  Jacob Patten Botelho was successful on all 6 of his convert tries and opened the game scoring with a 70 yard kickoff rouge.

The Cats defence forced a safety touch concession to round out the scoring.

HURONIA STALLIONS 26, VAUGHAN REBELS 0:

The Huronia Stallions opened their 2016 season with a 26-0 shutout victory over Vaughan Rebels.

(NOTE: Stats were not available at press time for this game)