The final day of the Power 5 Football League regular season turned into the most important one.
For the Sault Steelers and Tri City Outlaws, it was a battle for top spot in the regular season standings, a battle ultimately won by the Steelers.
The Steelers cruised to a 48-7 victory over the Outlaws Saturday at Rocky DiPietro Field to finish regular season play with a 4-2 record and in a three-way tie with Tri City and the Sarnia Imperials for top spot.
With a tie-breaker edge, the Steelers will enter the playoffs, which kick off next weekend, as the top seed.
The locals will face the Sudbury Spartans in the playoff opener at Rocky DiPietro Field.
In Saturday’s regular season finale, the Steelers got three touchdowns from Brock Hoover and a pair of majors from Steven Hiiemaa en route to the win.
Offensively for the Steelers, Hoover had 158 yards rushing on 14 carries and a pair of touchdowns on the ground. Hoover scored on runs of three and 42 yards.
Hoover also caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Yost for 24 yards.
Hiiemaa, who had 66 yards rushing on 15 carries, including touchdown runs of four yards each.
Michael Reid had a 55-yard rushing touchdown as well for the Steelers in the win in addition to five tackles and a pair of sacks defensively.
Darian Belkosky had the other touchdown for the Steelers, scoring on a fumble recovery.
Brady Smith kicked six extra points for the locals.
Also on the defensive side of the ball, Maverick Hill had four tackles for the Steelers.
As a group, the Steelers sacked Tri City quarterback Dan Fiorentino nine times in the game.
Fiorentino hit Archelaus Jack for a 26-yard touchdown for Tri City’s lone major in the loss. Sean Harper hit the extra point on the play.
Jack caught three passes for 50 yards for the Outlaws.
Defensively for Tri City, Cory Watson-Viola had 10 tackles.
Saturday’s loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Outlaws, who will face Sarnia next week in the Power 5 League’s other semi-final contest.