SMFA ready to kickoff championship Friday

The Sault Minor Football Association will crown their 2004 champions as the playoff finals in the bantam and tyke divisions will kickoff on Friday.

In the Bantam division, Brody's will meet the Firefighters at 8 p.m. after Sports Gold and Rome's meet for the tyke final beginning at 6 p.m. at Rocky DiPietro Field.

The championship pairings were determined on Sunday in semi-final action at Queen Elizabeth Field.

In Bantam, Brody's advanced with a 16-6 win over Scholars while the Firefighters beat Aurora's Westside 20-6.

Brody's salted their game away late in the second half when Eric Noland sacked the Scholar's quarterback, caused a fumble and recovered it on the Scholar's 15 yard line. The play set up Peter Pauze's touchdown run to increase an 8-6 lead to 16-6.

Scholar's opened the game with a 75 yard touchdown drive which ended in a seven yard touchdown reception by Donovan Bertolo from quarterback Taylor Zalewski.

Brody's recorded a safety before Matt Wagner scored on a 30 yard run to give his team an 8-6 halftime lead.

In the other matchup, Geoff Gieni opened the scoring with a 25 yard touchdown run to give the Firefighters an early lead. Brian Nanne responded with a 30 yard run for Aurora's to tie the game at 6-6.

But on the final play of the first half, Gieni broke a pair of tackles and scampered for a 25 yard touchdown run to put the Firefighters ahead to stay at 14-6.

Quarterback Kevin Fratesi added another Firefighters touchdown on a sneak while Gieni and Max Chicchello recorded big second half interceptions.

In the tyke division, Sports Gold rolled past Tingrins 36-7. Sports Gold took control of the game late in the first half when David McNally hauled in a 40 yard touchdown pass from Mario Bruni to take a 15-7 lead at the break.

Brock Hoover caught a touchdown pass and ran in for another while McNally also added a rushing touchdown and Eric Osborne added another. Quarterback Bryan Greco scored for Tingrins on a 30 yard run.

Defensively, Sports Gold was led by the efforts of Andrew Drinkwater, Dustin Lajoie and Jordan Hoover.

In the other semi-final, Rome's edged G.P. Flakeboard 14-7. Alex Griffa caught a game winning 15 yard touchdown pass from Matthew Davies in the second half to beak a 7-7 tie.

In the first half, Christian Mahler scored on a 65 yard run for Rome's before G.P. Flakeboard quarterback Justin Sauerzopf ran for a 50 yard major score.

Rome's was led defensively in the second half by linebacker Jordan Alexander.