Tag: League News

Imperials Fall In NFC Final

BlackburnNews.com Author and Photo Credits: Jake Jeffrey:

A pair of late touchdowns wasn’t enough for the Sarnia Imperials, as they dropped the NFC Championship game 29-21 to the GTA All Stars.

Sarnia opened the scoring early in the first quarter, with their defense returning an interception for a touchdown, getting the home team out to an early 7-0 lead.

GTA responded with a lengthy drive up field, eating up the majority of the first quarter, but ultimately tying the game at seven.

Pat Wright opened the second quarter with a 22 yard gain through the air. Unfortunately for the home side, it resulted in just a single point on a punt through the end zone. The visitors would once again respond in the very next series, with another touchdown pass over the middle to give the All Stars a 14-8 edge going into half time.

Despite Sarnia getting the ball to start the second half, it was GTA who would strike first, running it in from 24 yards out. Following a failed two point conversion, a strong kick off from the All Stars gave them a single point, making it 21-8.

Penalties would continue to get Sarnia into trouble in the third quarter. After it appeared Sarnia had stopped GTA on the goal line, a penalty to the defense gave the All Stars a fresh set of downs. They would take advantage of the opportunity with a TD pass, making it a three possession game.

Down 29-8 in the fourth quarter, the Imperials started to find some room for quarterback Pat Wright, resulting in a few lengthy offensive drives. When things seemed to be slipping away, Sarnia’s defense once again got things going, coming within a yard of their second pick six of the game. The Imperials would convert from the one yard line, making it a 29-15 ball game.

A successful onside kick gave Sarnia a late opportunity, but a quick interception shifted things in GTA’s favour once again. The back and forth continued as a quick four and out by the All Stars gave the home side the ball.

On four and long, QB Pat Wright aired out a long pass, resulting in a touchdown for Sarnia. After failing to convert on the extra point, Sarnia trailed by eight points with 1:12 remaining.

They kept the home fans on their feet, with another successful onside kick.

Hoping for another lengthy gain through the air, Wright once again through a long pass down field. It didn’t work out this time, as GTA picked it to seal the deal, and cap off the 29-91 win.

Following the game, Sarnia was awarded the trophy for Western Conference Champions. They were also the NFC Regular Season Champions with a 7-1 record.

Power Ranking – 2016 Week 10

NFC Insider – Power Rankings Week – 10

Playoffs are around the corner.
Sarnia can firm up 1st overall with a victory over Sudbury and guarantee that the road to the NFC title goes thru Sarnia.

GTA needs to beat the Sault in the Sault to finish first in the East.

The dust hasn’t settled but the following match ups are already confirmed.

Quarter final Matchups
Hamilton at Tri City
Oakville at Sarnia
Sault at GTA/Ottawa
Sudbury at Ottawa/GTA

Week 10 Power Rankings

#1 Sarnia Imperials (6-1)
The Imps were off this week relishing in their overtime victory versus GTA a week ago. The party should be over by now – time to get back to work. They have a shot to finish first overall but need to take care of business in Sudbury this week.
Week 9
BYE Week

#2 GTA All Stars (5-2)
Something just isn’t right with the defending National Champs. I can’t put my finger on it but they have some work to do if they are gonna repeat in the NFC. This is going to be an interesting playoff scenario. Still a great team but missing that dominance they had last year.
Week 9
WIN 21-10 over Ottawa

#3 Ottawa Invaders (6-2)
Well boys – after the dust has settled on your regular season. You’re still a respectable 6-2. Now get ready for playoffs and prove your claims to be number 1 in the NFC. It doesn’t take a genius to see that you’re going to have to go thru GTA in the semi’s. Best of luck!!! Excellent defensive effort versus GTA this weekend.
Week 9
LOSS 21-10 to GTA

#4 Tri City Outlaws (4-4)
Congrats on the road win in Hamilton – clinched you a first round playoff home game. Well done! All year long – I’ve said that the Outlaws are a tough football team. Looks like you are peaking right in time for playoffs. And you will see Hamilton first round.
Week 9
WIN 21-14 versus Hamilton

#5 Steel City Patriots (4-4)
Well playoffs are up next for you and a road game to Tri City in two weeks.
Maybe you underestimated them? Or maybe they simply played a tougher game? Going to be a great quarter final.
Week 9
LOSS 21-14 to Tri City

#6 Sudbury Spartans (3-4)
Kept the perfect record at home going with a dominant performance over the Sault. One more home game versus top ranked Sarnia this week. This will be a good measuring stick for how far your program has come the past few years.
Week 9
WIN 33-8 over Sault

#7 Sault Steelers (1-6)
Tough road loss with a short bench. It doesn’t help that your QB got tossed early in the game. Becomes a war of attrition and with your short bench – not gonna win many of those contests.
Week 9
LOSS 33-8 to Sudbury

#8 Oakville Longhorns (1-7)
Another tough year on the field. Playoffs are around the corner and matchup with Sarnia in Sarnia. It’s playoffs time for you and anything can happen.
Week 9
BYE

NFC 2016 Week 3 Wrap Up

Week 3 Wrap Up

Well folks the NFC is revving up to be an outstanding 2016 season with all teams scoring points and all teams generating excitement at home about Saturday Night Football!

Week 3 of the NFC featured 3 games and the total point differential between the 3 games was only 7 points….yes only 1 converted TD.

NFC fans were thrilled to watch 2 games go down to the wire including another overtime battle in Cambridge. Men’s semi-pro level football is alive and well in Ontario and poised to grow this off-season if these early signs of football excitement continues to attract football players who thought football was over for them after CIS or high school.

In the first game of Week 3 the Spartans travelled to Oakville for their first game of a back to back home and home series. The battle was fierce and fast as the Spartans and Longhorns played a truly competitive football game before the fans at Bronte Field in Oakville. The game brought back memories of the tough battles these two teams had in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the Spartans battled their opponents all game to set up an exciting 4th quarter finish.

The Spartans found themselves trailing by 5 in the fourth quarter and put together a drive that scored to give them a last minute 21-19 lead and it appeared that the visitors might have stolen this game. But on the last drive of the game the Longhorns moved the ball and then put it up on a long bomb where it was caught and in a strange breakdown in tackling the receiver broke away and scored to give the home town crowd their 2nd win since 2014. BUT the battle lines are still drawn in the sand and the eventual winner of this series will be decided this weekend in Sudbury as the Longhorns travel north to take on the Spartans at home…. and all signs point to this game being a bone crushing fight to the end again. So if you are a Sudbury football fan…. best to book off Saturday night and go watch this game that features a rivalry of more than 40 years.

In game 2 of Week 3 the Sault travelled to Cambridge to take on the Tri-City Outlaws. This game was a defensive battle featuring the Sault Steelers working on rebuilding their offense while relying on their defense to keep them in games this season. In week 2 the Sault defense held the strong Sarnia Imperials offense to only 17 points despite being on the field for much of the game. Steeler coaches were hard at work to get the offense clicking a little better for week 3 and they did as the Steelers offense improved by scoring their first TD of the season this week. The Tri-City Outlaws having lost both their week 1 & week 2 games by a TD or less appeared to be on a mission to keep working hard no matter what. The Outlaws faced the tough prospect of going 0-3 and continued to battle all game.

The defense from both teams were outstanding as the game ended in a 7 – 7 tie which gave the Outlaw fans a bonus for their admission in getting to watch some overtime. With the Outlaw offense up first they scored and it was time for the rebuilding young Sault offense to respond. The team showed character with all the pressure of the game on them and they grinded out a drive to score what would appear to be a tying major. The Outlaw defense put in a huge effort to block the convert and found a seem to get a hand in there to block the kick and the ball did not get through the uprights. And so the Outlaws defense, having been hammered in the past two weeks late in the game, came up big to win this one. The NFC Insider has it right though….the Sault offense is improving and their defense will decide some games. On this day though….it was the Outlaw defense that created the 1 point Outlaw win 14-13.

In Ottawa the mighty NFC Defending Champion GTA All Stars went out there to face their biggest challenge yet. They met the challenge and the battle was on from the very first set of downs. It was obvious real fast that nobody was handing anyone a free game. There were some solid hitting in this game and some great pass defense as the Ottawa Invaders prepared for the GTA All Stars all week. Their preparation paid off as they held the All Stars to their lowest half time score in years. The All Stars may have taken the Invaders lightly and it cost them a little. But under no circumstances does this mean the GTA All Stars are not still the team to beat. The game battled on through the 3rd and 4th quarter very closely in front of a very good home crowd cheering on the Invaders.

Despite the crowd and being away the GTA All Stars hung on to the very end but as it was the Invaders defense were able to keep the All Stars from coming back and the Invader offense was able to eat up enough clock to see time expire with the Invaders holding a slim 15 – 14 lead. The Invader fans were on their feet, cheering and gasping at every play because at any time the powerful GTA All Stars could have put it in the end zone. Comments from fans ranged from “Phew!! That was close!” to “I don’t know if my heart can take another game like that!” It was great to see a crowd be so entertained by a couple of very good teams playing a solid caliber game of football. These two teams meet again in Toronto so we’ll see how they both improve and how the Invaders take their game to Toronto.

Week 3 was a great display of the fun and competition you get watching NFC football or playing it. Contact a team near you and get into the action!!

By Marc Mathon

Local News:

http://www.therecord.com/sports-story/6719193-senior-football-s-outlaws-bust-into-win-column/

https://www.sudbury.com/sports/spartans-toppled-by-late-game-td-316716

https://www.sootoday.com/local-sports/outlaws-beat-steelers-in-overtime-315667

Toronto Raiders Granted 1 Year Absence

The Toronto Raiders have been granted a 1 year absence to rebuild their team. Team officials cite the reason “as a lack of commitment from their player base”.

With that announcement the NFC administration kicked into high gear and prepared a new schedule and reworked the divisions.

For now the league has shaken things up. The Steel City Patriots now move to the Eastern Division. The first week of games go on as intended but without the Toronto Raiders.

schedule-may26-2016

New Era Website

Hello NFC fans, players, and supporters. We are ready to launch a new era of the NFC and with it comes it’s new flagship website. Now the website is under heavy construction and is evolving each day. Please, if you managed to find your way here understand this is not the final product but a work in progress.

It is our goal to bring you a site that will elevate the NFC and the teams, players, and everyone who works under our banner. What the new site will introduce is player profiles, news feed, live game day updates, interactive stats, mobile ready, schedule calendars, and some much needed web-panache.

Sure there will be a mess with the renovations but it wait will be worth it.

NFC Webmaster