Patriots storm back against Marauders
The Saint Paul Patriots senior boys football team defeated the A.N. Myer Marauders 24-21 in the Niagara championship game Thursday night at Kiwanis Field. Photos by PETER METHNER.
The Saint Paul Patriots senior boys football team continued its improbable post-season run Thursday night with a 24-21 come-behind victory over the A.N. Myer Marauders in the Niagara championship game at Kiwanis Field.
The Patriots looked down and out in the snowy conditions, trailing 21-0 early in the second quarter, but no one should have been surprised at Saint Paul’s ability to come back given their history this season.
After starting the year 0-2, the Patriots reeled off four straight victories to earn the right to host the Blessed Trinity Thunder in the Niagara Catholic Athletic Association semifinals. Trailing the Thunder 11-9 with 26.1 seconds left in the game and the ball at midfield, the Patriots scored a last-second major to win 15-11. Saint Paul then earned a spot in the Niagara championship game by knocking off the unbeaten and defending Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association champion Notre Dame Fighting Irish 21-7 in the NCAA final.
This the first time Saint Paul has won the Niagara championship to advance to the bowl play downs. In 2011, the Patriots finished first in regular-season play and left the league before the playoffs started to compete in the playdowns.
In talking about his team’s unlikely championship, Saint Paul head coach Rick Oreskovich remembered calling Patriot player Jarrel Pappin after the Patriots lost to Denis Morris to fall to 0-2.
“I told him not to worry about anything. We were going to make some changes on offence and put him at fullback and we weren’t going to lose another game,” he said. “I didn’t know that, but I just said it.
“It was a line, but I knew if we put him there, we could move the ball because he’s a beast and he hits hard.”
Pappin admits he didn’t believe what his coach told him at the time, but the team rallied through the adversity.
“We were the underdogs and it gave us fire to work harder,” he said. “We became a family and the family bonds just keep getting stronger and stronger.”
The Pappin move was one of many things that turned the Patriots season around.
“Everyone else started playing well too and we are happy with everyone’s performance,” Oreskovich said.
A major role in the Patriots resurgence was the play of Grade 11 quarterback Devon Schiller-Cleveland. The 6-foot-2, 170-pounder was a threat with his arm and his legs and his scrambling ability gives other teams fits.
“He was huge and he made some great plays today, Oreskovich said. “He made some great throws and he has a great future.”
Schiller-Cleveland was ecstatic after Thursday’s win.
“All season we have been down. You have seen it. You (BPSN) have been at every game and we keep pulling off a rally dog kind of thing,” he said.“We also know we are a second-half team and even if we couldn’t get touchdowns in the first half, we would get them in the second.”
Like most of his teammates, Schiller-Cleveland thought the Patriots’ ship had sunk after losing to Denis Morris.
“A lot of guys were talking about quitting, but we stuck with it and put it all together,” he said. “We had a team meeting, talked it over and everyone decided we were going to go play and it was time to switch it around.
“We switched it around and now we are champions.”
Schiller-Cleveland’s running and scrambling ability helped make that happen.
“It depends on down and distance, but if I see a lane and it’s open, I am going to try and run for it,” he said. “I am going to try and get that first down for my team and do what I can to help keep us going.”
The coaching staff has made excellent use of Schiller-Cleveland’s mobility.
“I have the green light to go whenever I want,” he said.
The player Schiller-Cleveland replaced at quarterback, Will Schmahl, also made huge plays in the post-season to push Saint Paul to a championship. On Thursday, Schmahl had an 80-yard TD catch and a pick.
“He was fantastic and it’s just so rewarding that we struggled early on in the year, but we went out there every night and did our best.” Oreskovich said.
For the third time in the last four games, Schmahl was awarded Saint Paul’s defensive chain, a strand of chain link with a medal on it that is awarded to a Patriot defender who comes up with a big game. Players awarded the chain keep it in their possession until the next game.
Schmahl had his struggles at quarterback for the Patriots in the past, but has become a difference maker as a receiver and defensive back.
“It’s just redemption,” he said. “I kept going and we didn’t stop.”
Not stopping was the mantra of the entire Saint Paul squad.
“We just don’t give up and we just keep persevering,” Schmahl said. ‘Whenever we get down, we are never out of it and when we get knocked down we get right up.”
He admits that a championship didn’t look likely for Saint Paul early in the season.
“When we lost to DM, I’m not going to lie. I was going to quit to focus on baseball because baseball is my main sport,” he said. “I don’t know what happened, but I stuck with it and I stuck with my brothers, and we did something special.”
An added bonus for Saint Paul is that Tuesday’s SOSSA Bowl will be played at Saint Paul at 3 p.m.
“I’m really looking forward to it and the kids are too,” Oreskovich said.
For the second championship game in a row, Myer built a nice lead and the other team roared back. The Marauders piled up a 35-0 lead on the Westlane Spartans on the Niagara Region High School Athletic Association championship game before hanging on to a 42-22 victory that was closer than the final score indicated. Against Saint Paul, a 21-0 lead wasn’t enough.
“I am trying to wrap my head around it right now,” Myer head coach Dave Buchanan said. “We got in a little trouble with penalties that stalled drives and gave them an opportunity to get back in the game.
“To their credit, they battled back, we held them back for a bit and had some opportunities, but didn’t take advantage.”
Buchanan credited Saint Paul with playing well and agreed destiny may have played a part in Thursday’s game.
“Sometimes things are meant to be and they work hard,” he said. “Credit to Saint Paul’s coaching staff and the boys particularly in rallying each other because they had moments in their season where things could have went really south on them and they battled back and challenged each other.”
Buchanan expects the Patriots to do a fine job of representing Niagara in the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association Bowl and beyond.
“It’s two very good football programs just a stone’s throw away and kudos to them,” he said. “Maybe this is their year of destiny and they deserve it.”
For the Marauders, it’s back to work. After three straight Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations Bowl victories, they have lost the last two Niagara finals.
“We’re in good shape,” Buchanan said. “This is a phenomenal group to coach and it has been one of my favourites.
“I know we’ve had some great teams and this is a great group of kids.”
It was a team that was solid on and off the field.
“They all come to practice and they don’t have any problems at school,” Buchanan said. “We have a bunch of them back next year and we will be good again.”
STATS PACK
Patriots 24 Marauders 21
Mick and Angelo’s/Johnny Rocco’s Player of the Game: Saint Paul’s Will Schmahl with an 80-yard TD reception and an interception.
For the Saint Paul Patriots: Schmahl, TD pass for Devon Schiller-Cleveland and interception; Devon Schiller-Cleveland, one-yard TD run; Carlos Calderon, four-yard TD run; Nicholas Abbruscato, game-winning 12-yard field goal; Marley McCray and Jarrel Pappin, sacks.
For the A.N. Myer Marauders: Jeremiah Nyambiya, 19-yard TD run and sack; 44-yard TD pass Ryan James to Dallas Bone; Christian Kuriata, 20-yard interception return for a TD; Tucker Lynch, sack.
Game stats: First downs: Patriots 10, Marauders 16. Net offence: Patriots 259, Marauders 281. Penalties: Patriots 10 for 100 yards, Marauders 15 for 90 yards.
