At the beginning of the season head coach Mark Magee started the season off with ten returning players of a sixty-man roster.Β Β When you coach a team made up of mostly rookies, one may expect to teach a lot of the basics and how to successfully play together as a team.Β Β For head coach Mark Magee that wasnβt the case.Β Β
Right from the start the entire junior Grenadiers team fell right in to place.Β Β It was as if they have been playing together for years.Β Β Donβt be fooled though; the Grenadiers practice hard in order to play hard and be as successful as they are.
After being rained out from their original week seven slot in the Ontario Varsity Football League schedule, the Limestone District Grenadiers were welcomed by Roberto Allen and the Toronto Thunder in Pickering on Tuesday, July 17 at Kinsmen Park.Β Β The Grenadiers currently hold first place with a 7-0 record after defeating the Thunder 31-28 in the OVFL junior division.
With now having won seven straight it would be to no surprise that the teams confidence is through the uprights.
βOur teamβs confidence is strong at this point,β stated Magee.Β Β βIf the offense or defense has been struggling, the other has been there to make a big play to keep us in the game.β
Coach Magee still believes in playing one game at a time.Β Β As previously stated,
βOne game at a time is the only way to approach the season. The challenge is always to maintain focus and get ready for your next opponent.β
Early in the game quarterback Robert Magee connected with Raheem Silcott 30-yards downfield.Β Β Silcott made a defender miss and was off to the end zone to complete a 104-yard touchdown pass.
The Grenadiers dominated throughout the first half of the game scoring 31-points.
Hayden Deacon, Chase Peck & Brent Byron scored the Grenadiers other touchdowns.Β Β Byron also kicked a 46-yard field goal.
At halftime the Thunder trailed with 13-points.
In the second half of the game the Grenadiers werenβt able to generate any momentum.Β Β They were minus four with turnovers, 2-yards in their running game and 2-yards on special teams.
βOur defense was on the field too much in that [second] half,β stated Coach Magee.
βRick Myles our defensive coordinator did a great job in getting our guys ready to play.β
The Toronto Thunder made a comeback in the final thirty minutes of play and managed to find themselves trailing by three late in the fourth quarter.Β Β With just over two minutes remaining in the game, the Thunderβs Troy Phillips attempted a 25-yard field goal to tie the game but was blocked by Grenadiers defensive lineman Owen Dyer.Β Β The Grenadiers offense was able to run out the clock with a couple of first downs.
Moving forward to week-eight the Grenadiers will have one last tough battle in the regular season when they travel to Hamilton to run at least a few yards on the gridiron against the Ironmen.Β Β Game time is scheduled for 1:00pm on Sunday, July 22 at McMaster Ron Joyce Stadium. The senior varsity Grenadiers will also be in Hamilton and play at 4:00pm against the first place Hamilton Ironmen.
“The Hamilton game will be a tough battle.Β Β They are always a big physical team with great players and coaching staff,” stated Coach Magee.
“It should be a great game.”
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