Road trip to Sault Ste Marie will challenge Warriors’ resolve

After a tough Week 1 loss, the Varsity Warriors will look to regroup and refocus their efforts on another road game in Sault Ste Marie.

In Week 2 varsity action in the OVFL, the 0-1 Mississauga Warriors will be traveling to Sault Ste Marie to take on the Sabercats, who were victorious in their first game of the season. Week 1 was a tough game to swallow for Mississauga as they suffered a large margin of defeat to the Niagara Spears. The result prompted the Warriors’ coaching staff to own this loss as they feel they had their players ill-prepared or this game against the talented Spears.

“We were out game planned. They got us. This one is not on the kids. We got to get better as a coaching staff and better prepare our guys,” says Head Coach of the Warriors Lucas Cenedese.

With the loss, the Warriors are looking at this situation as a learning opportunity to get better and improve their play moving forward. Believing they have an opportunity to extend their season by the time the playoffs arrive, Cenedese and the rest of the coaching staff have already begun to prepare against Sault Ste Marie as they anticipate the Sabercats will possess another well-coached team this season.

One aspect coach Cenedese is excited about heading into Week 2 is the fact that he saw flashes from players who could potentially contribute more as the season progresses. With other players suffering injuries at the moment, Cenedese is confident other players can emerge as they prepare for the Sabercats.

“We’ve got some players that are banged up, but we’re looking for guys to step up in their place. It’s a good opportunity for those who weren’t getting a lot of playing time, they are going to get their shot now.”

With a 10-hour trip to Sault Ste Marie, playing the Sabrecats will be no easy task for the Warriors this weekend.

“You want to talk about well-coached teams, that’s as well coached as they get out there,” acknowledges Cenedese. “They usually never have the biggest or the most athletic players, but they are sound defensively and they run a good system.”

In addition to the Sabercats effective play on both offense and defense, the Warriors will be anticipating strong play from the Sabercats’ special teams unit, as this is an area they typically put a great deal of emphasis on.

The Warriors understand that there is still a lot of work to be done in order to reach the level of play they are capable of. For Mississauga, Week 2 will serve as an opportunity to apply what they were able to pick up from their mistakes in the first game and to test the resolve of the team going forward. The Sabercats are another quality opponent the Warriors will have to face early on.

However, if the team displays a good showing, this could be a sign that the team is on the right track and possess a level of determination that will help the team throughout the course of the season.