JV Sabercats season ends on the road

Sunday marked a disappointing end to the Ontario Football Conference season for the Sault Sabercats junior varsity team.

With an opportunity to advance to the OFC final on the line, the Sabercats fell 63-42 to the Chatham Cougars on Sunday in Chatham, ending what was a successful season that saw the team go 7-0-1 in the regular season and advance to Sunday’s divisional final with a playoff win last weekend at home.

After the Cougars opened the scoring with an 83-yard touchdown run on their first play from scrimmage, the Sabercats would even the score on their first possession as quarterback Ryan Barnes ran the ball in from four yards out on a third down play. The subsequent convert evened the score at seven.

On the heels of a big performance one week earlier with five touchdowns and 283 yards rushing, Michael Nicoletta put the Sabercats ahead on Sunday against Chatham with a 45-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter. Combined with the extra point, the Sabercats took a 14-7 lead into the second quarter.

The Sabercats took a 21-7 lead as Nicoletta scored on a five-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter.

Chatham would cut the lead to 21-13 with a second quarter major and then tie the contest in the final moments of the half with a 75-yard touchdown and convert.

After the Sabercats got the ball to start the second half but turned it over, Chatham took a 27-21 lead in the early stages of the third quarter.

The Sabercats retook the lead thanks to a touchdown run by Nicoletta and convert to make the score 28-27.

The scoring continued to go back-and-forth as Chatham took a 33-28 lead after a fake punt on a third-and-13 led to a Cougars touchdown.

Chatham extended the lead on their next possession with a touchdown and two-point convert tot take a 41-28 lead.

The Sabercats cut the lead to 41-35 as Barnes hit Carmen Caputo on a 65-yard touchdown pass with a convert but Chatham responded with a touchdown and two-point convert to make the score 49-35 through three quarters.

A fourth quarter major made the score 57-35 Chatham.

Barnes capped off the Sabercats scoring with a touchdown run late while the Cougars capped off the scoring with a late touchdown.

Chatham advances to the OFC final where they will take on the Scarborough Thunder.

The Thunder advanced on Saturday thanks to a 20-8 win over the Peterborough Wolverines.