July 16 Spears and minor football report
The Niagara Spears bantam football team is shown practising for last weekend’s game versus the Essex Ravens. Niagara lost 43-7
The Niagara Spears bantam football team saw its season come to an end with a 43-7 loss to the Essex Ravens in the Ontario Provincial Football League’s West Division final.
Eugene Park scored Niagara’ s only major and Marshall McCray booted a convert.
“I couldn’t be prouder of this group of boys that I’ve had the privilege of coaching, some of them since they were seven years old,” Spears head coach Bill Crawford said.
“Warm conditions and everything that went on during the game and (we were) down 8-7 at the half, but these boys gave 110 per cent the whole game and never quit.”
Essex went into the final with much greater numbers than Niagara.
“We have 25 kids on our team compared to almost 50 on the other side and it wasn’t until the fourth quarter when the game started to get out of control,” he said. “The coaches and all the helpers did an outstanding job hydrating the kids throughout the game in extremely warm temperatures and I could not be more proud to associate myself with the men and women that coach and help out with this team.”
It was quite a turnaround season for the bantam Spears program that went 0-8 last year.
“It was a great season and I hope to see all the kids back on the field in the fall and next summer,” Crawford said.
SPEARS 27 JETS 0
The Niagara Spears blanked the Toronto Jets 27-0 in OPFL Tier 2 junior varsity play.
Bryce Livingston led the way for Niagara with four touchdowns and Gabe DiSanto kicked three converts.
MINOR FOOTBALL
Following are Niagara Regional Minor Football results:
JUNIOR VARSITY ELITE DIVISION
Tiger-Cats 45 Gamblers 0
Tiger-Cats: Aiden McKinney, four TDs and two-point convert; Gavin McIntyre, TD; Nick Tilik, TD; James Vandenberg, TD; Kaleb Dowling, convert; outstanding effort by Alex McDonald and Anthony Colomissimo.
Gamblers: No scoring.
ATOM DIVISION
Lions 36 Seahawks 33
Niagara Falls Lions: Lucas Panucci three TDs; Brett Wall, TD; Blake McKinnon, TD; Easton Thomas, two three-point kicked converts.
St. Catharines Seahawks: Ezekiel Langendoen, TD and convert; Cameron Kotyk, TD; Dahari Williams, two TDs; Alex Caidzza convert.
Longhorns 20 Steelers 6
Fort Erie Longhorns: Gavin Vazquez, two TDs ; Jordan Payne, TD; Calm Smith, two-point convert.
West Niagara Steelers: Matthew Mcdevitt, TD.
PEEWEE DIVISION
Seahawks 26 Argos 20
St Catharines Seahawks: Braiden Genest, two TDs; Wyatt Brown, two TDs and a convert; Cole Stewart, convert.
Niagara Falls Argos: Julian Mangiacasale, TD and two converts; Carson Gauthier, TD; Clayton Wilen, TD.
Steelers 39 Longhorns 14
West Niagara Steelers: Jayden Gurzi-MacDonald, five TDs and two-point convert; Lucas Hazelton, TD; Elijah Mercer, convert; Johnny Breen, interception ; Jake Portolesi, kickoff recovery; Chase Haan, kickoff recovery; outstanding effort on offence by Ryden Lapcevich and on defence by David Robinson.
Fort Erie Longhorns: No information provided.
BANTAM DIVISION
Argos 26 Seahawks 26
Niagara Falls Argos: Michael Grimo, four TDs, including two pass receptions from QB Benjamin Maglicic; Eli Pierobon, two-point convert.
St. Catharines Seahawks: Quinn Johnston: three TD receptions from QB Jackson Stewart; Deondre Forde, TD and two-point convert.
Falcons 28 Longhorns 0
West Niagara Falcons: Nolan Banga, two TDs, 10 tackles and two interceptions; Ethan Rutherford, TD; Eljay Thompson, TD; Nick Park , four converts; Raja Nainggoian: nine tackles and interception; Jayce MacArthur, tackle and interception; Tyler Crawford, seven tackles, sack and fumble recovery; Evan Reece, seven tackles; outstanding effort on offence by Ethan Rutherford and Eljay Thompson and on defence by Tyler.
Fort Erie Longhorns: No scoring.
