Outlaws seek glory - Tri City won't take Steelers lightly

Ben Leeson - The Sault Star

It’s the ultimate do-over.

After losing in their first trip to Sault Ste. Marie this season, the Tri-City Outlaws will get a second chance at victory Saturday in the biggest game of the season — the Northern Football Conference championship.

Tri-City will meet the Sault Steelers in the league championship for the third time in as many years, after losing the first meeting in 2007 and winning the second in 2008.

This year’s final is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Rocky DiPietro Field.

The defending champions’ only loss this year was to the Steelers, who beat the Outlaws 20-10 on June 13.

“It was like the guys were thinking that since we won the first two games of the season, continuing our undefeated streak from last year, we would come up and roll through them again,” said Tri-City head coach Chris Newsome, whose club brings a 9-1 overall record into tonight’s contest.

“So in a way, that loss was probably a good thing for us. Our guys have shown a lot of character since then.”

The Outlaws went undefeated for the remaining five games of the regular season and were edged by the Steelers for first place based only on their head-to-head result.

That’s why this year’s NFC championship is at Rocky DiPietro Field, rather than in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, as the last two were.

“The travel is the hardest thing,” Newsome said. “The fans usually aren’t an issue. The toughest thing is to make that long trip, that eight or nine-hour bus ride. You kind of learn after the first time, how to take a better approach. You don’t want to get there and find out your legs are tired.”

Tri-City boasts the league’s top offensive unit, with 257 points. The Steelers were second with 227.

Outlaws quarterback Jeff Nosal led the league in passing yards this season, with 1,516, throwing 14 touchdown passes with only five picks.

His favourite receiver, Mike Krajewski, was second in the NFC during the regular season with 637 yards on 24 catches and tied Sarnia’s Terry Mitchell with a league-high 10 touchdown receptions.

Teammate Ian Forde tallied 275 yards on 24 receptions, with one major.

Jon Nedeljkovic was the league’s most prolific rusher, with 799 yards on 152 carries and 15 touchdowns, and the NFC’s leading scorer, with 90 points.

Nedeljkovic is coming off a 170-yard, three touchdown performance in last week’s 31-13 semifinal win over the Toronto Maddogs, which saw him earn offensive player of the week honours.

While Newsome expects his own team to be improved since their last visit to the Sault, he also expects an even better version of the Steelers.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” the Tri-City coach said. “These are the two best teams in the league. The Sault is a great team.”

Newsome hopes to bring a full roster for Saturday’s game, but he said two starters, linebacker Paul Kowalik and slotback Mark Fernandes, could miss the contest due to nagging injuries.

“We don’t plan on disappointing the fans,” Newsome said. “This is a big game. I have much respect for the Sault, and I would hope they do for us.”