Cats drop 21-16 heartbreaker to Hamilton

A blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown cost the Sault Sabercats more than just seven points Saturday.

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It also delivered a devastating emotional blow, one the Cats never fully recovered from.

The Hamilton Ironmen took full advantage of the key special teams play, rallied from a 16-3 deficit and held on to defeat the Sault 21-16 in an Ontario Varsity Football League Adam Conference semifinal at Rocky DiPietro Field.

With the victory, the Ironmen advance into the conference final against the Essex Ravens, 49-31 semifinal winners over the Mississauga Warriors.

The Ironmen and Ravens square off next Sunday at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.

In the quiet of the Cats dressing room, star linebacker Pat McGrath could only shake his head.

“It’s awful to come this far and fall short of the win by five points,” shrugged McGrath, who turned in a superb performance with six solo tackles and eight assists. “We played a good game, but just made too many mistakes at the worst times. And Hamilton capitalized on those mistakes.”

“It’s pretty hard to take,” added receiver Aaron Bertolo, who was on the receiving end of a Michael Campbell toss that resulted in a 70-yard touchdown. “We had all the potential in the world and one play was the difference in the game.”

Either avoiding the blocked punt, Bertolo reasoned, or scoring on their final offensive play would have resulted in a Sabercats victory.

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Trailing 21-16 with 2:10 remaining, the Sault faced a fourth-and-two from the Hamilton 15.

But Campbell’s pass was tipped by a blitzing defensive back and intercepted by linebacker Renato Rossi.

The Sault didn’t get the ball back until there were just seven seconds remaining and, by then, it was too late.

Ironically, Rossi also made the play which turned the game around.

With 9:20 to go in the third quarter, the Cats led 16-13 and faced a fourth-and-five at the Hamilton 20-yard line.

Unsure about his team’s ability to throw the ball into the wind, Nott dismissed the idea of going for it.

And, concerned a field goal could be blocked, the Sault coach elected to punt for a single point.

But Rossi got his hands on Jesse Hill’s attempt and the ball bounced up into his arms.

Rossi returned it 80 yards for a major and, following Julien Hooker’s convert, the Ironmen led 20-16.

With 6:30 to play, a 35-yard punt by Rossi resulted in a single point, completing the scoring.

“Their up-back didn’t want to block me,” Rossi said of the Sabercats punt team. “I just threw my hands up and it was the sweetest thing I’ve ever felt in my life. God was with me.”

Unfortunately for the Sabercats, no one else was.

With nothing but green in front of him, Rossi was off to the races.

“I was trucking like there was a championship ring in the end zone,” he said. “How do I feel? I’ll tell you in two weeks when we’re in Ottawa playing for the championship.”

A victory against Essex would send Hamilton into the OVFL final, Aug. 21 in Ottawa against the Wettges Conference champion.

“That was the game,” Nott said of Rossi’s special teams return. “Those were the points that won it.”

Asked if he now regretted the decision to punt, the Sault coach said: “No.”

PETER RUICCI

The Sault Star