Tag: #SaultSteelers
‘Pass protection has been the issue’: Steelers looking to get passing game in gear, host GTA All Stars
With four quarters remaining in the regular season, Bujold is hoping things turn for the better but hope isn’t something the team wants to rely upon in the weeks ahead.
Author of the article:Gordon Anderson | Sault Star
Published Jul 20, 2023
As the football season whittles down to its inevitable conclusion, the local semi-pro team is making inevitable personnel changes to jumpstart a struggling passing game.
The Sault Steelers conclude NFC regular-season play this Saturday night when the GTA All Stars come to town for a mid-summer Saturday matchup.
“What you are going to see more of now that we are in playoff mode, you are going to see less rotation on offence,” Steelers offensive lineman and GM Jon Bujold told the Sault Star. “We are leaning on the veterans, the guys with a little bit more experience who can adapt and adjust during the game.”
While the defence is, points allowed wise, third best in the league, surrendering just 60 points, the same can’t be said about the offence and its ranking, slotted seventh in the nine-team league with 59 points scored.
“Pass protection has been the issue,” Bujold said. “Teams like to throw a lot of disguise blitzes at us and you have to know how to audible out and pick a different assignment. That’s one thing we hope to do better, with the more experienced guys out there in the passing game.”
Bujold also acknowledges pass protection isn’t the only issue on the throwing side.
Quarterback Ryan Yost and his bevy of wide receivers need to fix what’s been ailing them through 20 quarters of ball.
Basically, all the facets of an effective air game need to display some fluidity.
“It’s just the hope (that Yost) and the receivers getting more crisp, running more refined routes and being in the right spots,” Bujold said. “We hope for this week we see that click a little bit.”
With four quarters remaining in the regular season, Bujold is hoping things turn for the better but hope isn’t something the team wants to rely upon in the weeks ahead.
“We are hoping the growing pains we have gone through this year lead to some sort of meshing of the offence as we head to the playoffs,” Bujold said. “We hope (the offence) will come together and click and we will see that on Saturday, if we are any closer to that happening. The regular season is where you are supposed to work on that stuff and it’s been a slow progress, if any, on the offensive side.”
However, Bujold is confident in the running game itself, featuring Alonzo Clarke as the primary ball carrier.
“Running the ball isn’t an issue as we have a big, athletic offensive line that like to get after it,” Bujold said.
And while 100 per cent accurate offensive stats aren’t always available, Bujold noted the team is safely in the top-five in categories such as rushing yards and rushing attempts.
“We are the best running team in the league by quite a margin so running the ball isn’t too much of an issue,” Bujold said.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Rocky DiPietro Field.
Zero is the number for the Steelers, host GTA All Stars in final home game of the season
For the Steelers (3-2), finishing third in the division is the best position they can achieve. Win or lose, the locals will open the post-season on the road against a yet to be determined team from the East Division.
Author of the article:Gordon Anderson | Sault Star
Published Jul 20, 2023
The Sault Steelers are looking to pitch a shutout, of sorts, in the regular season finale.
The steel curtain club closes out the regular season when the GTA All Stars come to town for a Saturday night matchup at Rocky DiPietro Field.
“We haven’t given up a touchdown at home this year,” Steelers offensive lineman and GM Jon Bujold told the Sault Star. “Almost all of our points given up have been on the road.”
The defence has surrendered 63 points this season; ranking them third in the nine-team league in terms of points allowed.
The club lost 22-6 to the Sarnia Imperials in Week 3 and 28-14 to the North Bay Bulldogs in Week 5. In the season opener, the Steelers earned a 15-6 road win over the Sudbury Spartans.
And while 56 points allowed is well within the range of respectable, Bujold says the leakage comes down to attendance and personnel choices.
“For semi pro team, the guys work so it’s hard to get our players and the depth to the road games,” Bujold said. “When you are missing key pieces on a road trip the defence is more porous than it actually is.”
The All Stars (4-1) come to town with an opportunity to finish the season with the top seed in the West Division should they win the ball game. The visitors could also finish first overall in the league should results elsewhere go their way.
“GTA are the defending NFC champs,” Bujold said. “They have a lot of experience but at home with our defence, I’d give us a chance against anybody to defend the home field.”
For the Steelers (3-2), finishing third in the division is the best position they can achieve. Win or lose, the locals will open the post-season on the road against a yet to be determined team from the East Division.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
“Even though a win won’t secure us a home playoff game we still want to take pride we could finish with a 4-2 record with this young group,” Bujold said, noting the team hasn’t finished above the .500 mark since 2014.. “It would be big for this program to get a win over the defending champs and secure a winning record.”
The North Bay Bulldogs light up the Sault Steelers 28-14N
The North Bay Bulldogs overcame the rain and the Sault Steelers to win 28-14 on Saturday night and move to 4-0 on the season.
Author of the article:Greg Estabrooks : North Bay Nugget
Published Jul 10, 2023
The North Bay Bulldogs men’s team are now the only unbeaten team in the Northern Football Conference after a 28-14 win over the Sault Steelers on Saturday night.
The game was played at Saint Joseph Scollard Hall’s Cundari Field instead of Mike O’Shea Field at the Omischl Complex. The Bulldogs say they were told their usual field would be unavailable on Saturday due to a soccer tournament.
The rain arrived shortly before the 7 pm start time and that played into the Sault’s favour as they have a great running attack while the Bulldogs are a pass-heavy team.
Despite the rain North Bay scored through the air twice in the first half as Jordan Heather hooked up with Nick Laporte for two scores. Laporte made an enormous impact in this first game of the season with over 100 yards receiving.
North Bay went up by three touchdowns when Heather ran one into the end zone late in the second quarter.
The Sault finally got going late in the first half when a long completion got them deep in North Bay territory.
Quarterback Ryan Yost tossed a short touchdown pass to Taylor Holub on the last play of the first half to make it 21-7 North Bay at the break.
Jess Shoults rushed for a touchdown to make it 28-7 for the Bulldogs in the third quarter. Shoults also added an interception for North Bay having a huge game on both sides of the ball.
A late fumble gave the Steelers possession deep in North Bay territory. Alonzo Clarke, who had over 200 years rushing for the Steelers, took it into the end zone to make it 28-14.
Then things got a little weird. The field lights were scheduled to be shut off at 9:30 Saturday night. The problem was the game was not over as 1:16 was left. 20 minutes later the lights were turned back on, and the game finished with the score 28-14.
North Bay racked up 372 yards of total offence and had more than 100 rushing yards.
Mathon was especially pleased with the North Bay ground game.
“That was the first time this season we broke 100 yards rushing which is an improvement for us. This is especially important as it came against a Sault defence that is tough against the run,” remarked Mathon.
The Steelers’ passing game was not good, except for that one series in the last moments of the second quarter. Yost had just five completions in 20 attempts.
Casey Platinum had a big game on defence. The defensive tackle had a quarterback sack, a forced fumble, and one tackle for a loss. Mike Van Damme and Miguel Allard each had two sacks.
Next up is a trip to Ottawa to take on the Sooners. Ottawa narrowly lost to the NFC’s defending champions by a score of 15 – 8 on Saturday in Toronto.
The Dogs played their opener versus Ottawa and had to come from behind to defeat the Sooners 30-20 in North Bay on June 3rd.
Bulldogs hand Sault Steelers a loss on the road in North Bay
Author of the article:Jay Houslander | SaultSports.Com
Published July 9, 2023
After a 14 – 6 win in Sault Ste Marie on Saturday, June 24th over the Hamilton Jaguars and following a bye week over the Canada Day weekend, the Sault Steelers headed east to face the North Bay Bulldogs on Saturday, July 8th at St Joseph-Scollard Hall field in North Bay in NFC Football action.
North Bay’s Nick Laporte gives the Bulldogs a 6 – 0 lead at 4:07 of the opening quarter. Jacob Steringa adds to the lead for North Bay with finding the uprights for the convert to give the hosts a 7 – 0 lead. Laporte adds to the Bulldogs lead with his second major of the game at 4:32 of the second quarter with Steringa kicking his second convert of the contest to bring North Bay’s lead to 14 – 0. With only 62 seconds remaining in the half with North Bay’s third touchdown of the game Jordan Heather increases the lead to 21 – 0 lead with Steringa notching a third successful convert. With the the buzzer sounding at 0:00 and on the final play of the half, Steeler quarterback Ryan Yost finds Taylor Holub for a 12 yard pass to send the Sault into the half down by only 14 after a Brady Smith convert. At 8:56 of the third, Jesse Shoults gives the Bulldogs a 27 – 7 lead with Steringa adding the convert to bring North Bay’s lead to 28 – 7. With 2:52 left in Saturday’s contest in North Bay, Alonzo Clarke rushes for a Steeler touchdown along with Smith adding the extra point on the convert to give the Bulldogs a 28 – 14 win over the Sault.
Next up for the Steelers will be their final regular season game of the season when the GTA Allstars come into Sault Ste Marie for a Saturday, July 22nd matchup in a 7:30 p.m kickoff at Rocky DiPietro Field.