Redcoats advance to Tier 2 final
Noah knows football? You better believe it!
Noah Budgell openly admits that basketball is his main sport, but the Grade 12 Governor Simcoe Redcoat quarterback has no problem making the transition to football.
“I actually played football before I played basketball, in Grade 7 and 8,” he said. “And in Grade 10 on, I got the quarterback job and I’ve been doing it ever since.”
His ability to lead his team, in either sport, was on full display on Thursday as his Redcoats dismantled the Eden Flyers 44-0. Budgell led the way with a 41-yard touchdown pass and a two-yard touchdown run.
With the semifinal win, Simcoe will host the Niagara Region High School Athletic Association Tier 2 championship next Friday against the winner of the other semifinal between the Thorold Golden Eagles and the Westlane Spartans.
Not lost on Simcoe head coach Jamie Brophy is the fact that Budgell is a basketball-first athlete. He understands that, however, is also aware of Budgell’s importance to his football team.
“He’s just such a great athlete,” he said. “A lot of what you see comes naturally to him. But more importantly, he works so hard, he never misses practice, he works along with the coaches and he’s really a great leader.”
Brophy went on to say that Budgell’s work ethic inspires others to play harder.
That inspiration was also a large part of the Redcoats win on both ends of the field.
Putting up 44 points in three quarters will generally bode well for any team, but the defensive side of the ball deserves just as much of the credit. Simcoe forced six Eden turnovers – including a Pick 6 just over five minutes into the game by Nathan Vandermeer. The Redcoats did not turn the ball over once.
“Earlier in the year we weren’t turning over teams as much,” Brophy said. “When it does happen, it gets everybody excited and into the game. We also focus on taking care of the ball, as well.”
Heading into the game, Eden coach Bob Krzeczkowski knew he was in tough but was pleased with his team’s effort.
“We played tough the whole way,” he said. “Our goal was to make them work for everything that they got, and I think we accomplished that – at least I hope that we did.”
Krzeczkowski was particularly proud of the game, and season, he got out of running backs Brody Payne and Colton Julian.
Losing the turnover battle was also something Krzeczkowski was well aware of.
“The turnover right off the hop really hurt us – a Pick 6 that early really set the tone,” he said.
Simcoe held leads of 14-0 after the first quarter, 30-0 at the half and 44-0 after three quarters.
STATS PACK
Redcoats 44 Flyers 0
Cat’s Caboose Player of the Game: Simcoe quarterback Noah Budgell with a strong game.
For the Governor Simcoe Redcoats: Budgell 41-yard TD pass, two-yard TD run; Vandermeer, 19-yard Pick 6; Cole Harpwood, 11-yard TD run; Gibson Howes, 41-yard TD reception; Kaeden Phan, 12-yard TD run; Jayden Witherspoon; Austin Wojciechowski, 26-yard field goal, five extra points.
For the Eden Flyers: No scoring.
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