#CFC50 PLAYOFF games (ON) PREVIEW: No rest for the wicked with only the best left standing in Ontario

We will be covering the #CFC50 playoff games for Ontario. While this will be generally geared towards the #CFC50 ranked teams, we want to hear from you if there are great rivalry games or exciting matchups, regardless of tier or division, that we aren’t aware of. Send us a ‘heads up’ by Tuesday each week and we’ll see what we can do: [email protected].

*Note: Some information was not available at press time. It will be added as it becomes available.

….and now let’s get to it with this week’s #CFC50 Games of the Week PREVIEW

Feature photo courtesy of Dave Bebee/The Record

No.  1. W. F. Herman Green Griffins (8-0) v.s St. Patrick’s (8-0)
SWOSSAA Finals
Wednesday, November 23rd at 5:00pm
The top dog in the country has one more step to take towards a berth in the OFSAA Bowl Festival as they take on St. Patrick’s in the SWOSSAA finals. Herman faced a scare last week as #CFC50 Holy Names gave them a run for their money deep into the fourth quarter, so I’d expect the Griffins to come out with a different type of edge than we’ve seen all season. St. Patrick’s will be in for a long day trying to shut down quarterback Michael Beale and a star studded Herman offence that features #CFC100 Quintin Seguin, Branden McCraney and Dante Lewis. But as the Knights proved last week, it is possible to hang with the big boys if you play your cards right.

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No. 3. A. N. Meyer Marauders (6-0) v.s No. 19. Denis Morris Reds (9-0)
SOSSA East Finals
Wednesday, November 23rd at 11:00am
It’s the rematch that Denis Morris has spent sleepless nights thinking about, and now the day of reckoning is finally here as they get set to take on A. N. Meyer in the SOSSA East finals. A year ago, it was the Marauders who prevailed in a tight 24-18 contest, and once again this game is shaping up to be a true clash of the titans. The Marauders boast one of the nastiest offences in the province led by #CFC100 Tre Ford under centre, with the engine of the beast consisting of different tools from sideline to sideline including #CFC100 Tyrell Ford, Rushon Dagelman and Tyler Hildebrand. On the other side of the field, the Reds are not a team to take lightly with their leader Travis Arp manning the pivot spot in an offence that features playmakers Mike Domanico, Owen Wallace and Dylan Warnock – who are all liable to break a big play at any time. The key to this showdown will be if Denis Morris is able to find a way to stymie a Marauders’ attack that is averaging 51.8 points per game, and if not, will they then be able to keep up versus a defence that has pitched four straight shutouts.

guelph-cvi-hespeler

Photos courtesy of Ned Bekavac and Dave Bebee/The Record

No. 10. Jacob Hespeler Hawks (9-0) v.s No. 35. Guelph CVI Gaels (8-1)
CWOSSA Finals
Tuesday, November 22nd at 7:30pm
It has been one wacky year in Central Western Ontario this season, so I wouldn’t put it past Jacob Hespeler and Guelph CVI to put on a show one last time with a spot at the OFSAA Bowl Festival hanging in the balance. Both teams have overcome adversity at one point or another to get to this game, with the Hawks facing their first true test last week in a 34-31 thriller over #CFC50 St. David, and Guelph CVI making their way to the CWOSSA playdowns with an incredible 38-37 win over St. James in the District 10 finals. While it seems like Guelph has faced a tougher road to the finals than Hespeler, it’s tough to decipher whether that is because Hespeler was just that dominant of a team in Waterloo County, or if the District 10 was truly one of the toughest division to come out of this season. None of that matters now, however, as both teams will put their talent on the field, and may the best team win. Some talent to keep an eye on will be quarterback Jackson White, Devante Hudson and Xavier Pineda for the Hawks, while the Gaels will reply with quarterback Simon Chaves, Brandon Ferigo and Cory Price. Not to be forgotten in this one will be the kickers Darrian Morgan for Hespeler and Benny Boddy for Guelph, who have both enjoyed walk off kicks during the playoffs for their respective teams.

No. 11. Nelson Lords (8-0) v.s No. 15. Cardinal Newman Cardinals (7-1)
GHAC Semifinals
Tuesday, November 22nd at 6:00pm
There aren’t many regions in Canada who can match the amount of talent GHAC has at their disposal, and this will once again be on a full display as the Nelson Lords clash with the Cardinal Newman Cardinals with a spot in the festival on the line. This is a matchup that leaves high school football fans salivating with both teams contending for championships on a consistent basis, and each program producing skilled players at an alarming rate. In last year’s semifinal it was Newman who prevailed, but it will be interesting to see how they react to the role reversal after being upset by #CFC50 St. Thomas More last week, which now leaves them as the visitors this time around instead of hosts. It was a slow day for quarterback Jordan Rimac and running back Nicholas Petermann, who will need to kick it into high gear to get past a Lords defence who have held every opponent they faced in check. Nelson hopes their offence will be able to lend a helping hand with playmakers Will Corby, Jake Mitchell and quarterback Jared Currie looking to do damage against a Newman defence who had been stellar all year up until last week’s collapse. Much like last week’s contests in the Greater Hamilton Area, your guess is as good as mine if you’re trying to figure out who will come out on top.

No. 12. St. Thomas More Knights (8-1) v.s No. 34. Holy Trinity (6-2)
GHAC Semifinals
Tuesday, November 22nd at 2:00pm
In the other GHAC semifinal, the newly minted HWCAA champion St. Thomas More Knights get set to take on a gritty group from Holy Trinity in a win or go home scenario. All things considered, the Titans have put together a marvellous season, but the glaring issue this year was their two chances to knock off #CFC50 Nelson where they came up short. With that said, Holy Trinity needs to look no further than their opponents for inspiration after the Knights pulled off a massive win over the higher seeded #CFC50 Cardinal Newman Cardinals last week, proving that no matter what the previous results say, any time you get to take the field you always have a chance to win. St. Thomas More will need to refocus after an emotional win as they set their sights on shutting down the Titans’ aerial attack led by quarterback Kurtis Rourke, while Holy Trinity will need to do the same as they attempt to shut down the human highlight reel #CFC100 Michael Chris-Ike, who rushed for over 300 yards and four touchdowns versus Newman last week.

No. 13. Catholic Central Crusaders (8-0) v.s No. 14. South Lions (8-0)
WOSSAA Finals
Thursday, November 24th at 7:00pm
Always one of the most competitive regions in the nation, it will be a true test of will down in London as the South Lions take on the Catholic Central Crusaders with the WOSSAA title up for grabs. Each team’s record speaks for itself, and if you take a closer look at their past results, it’s easy to get a sense that this game will be a full of fireworks. There haven’t been many teams who have dominated from start to finish like South this season, leaving Catholic Central with a tall task going up against a defence who has racked up a staggering seven shutouts in eight games. Luckily they do have the weapons to do so with quarterback Jake Beukeboom calling the signals for a Crusaders offence that features #CFC100 Daniel Valente and Matthew McGillvray, who have each taken turns having massive games this season. An even tougher task may fall at the hands of the Crusaders defence, however, who will need to come up with an answer for a potent Lions’ attack led by quarterback Ethan Martin and running back Nick Morello. A slight edge that Catholic Central may hold in their favour is that after last week’s close victory over St. Joseph’s in the LDA finals, they have now looked adversity in the eye and didn’t back down, while on the other hand South has yet to meet a worthy opponent this season. With all that being said, either team could easily find their way to the OFSAA Bowl Festival if they stay patient and play their cards right for four quarters.

No. 21. Etobicoke Rams (7-0) v.s Lawrence Park
TDSB Finals
Wednesday, November 23rd at 12:45pm
It’s time to wrap things up in the Toronto public league as Etobicoke prepare for a rematch versus Lawrence Park in the TDSB finals. When these two met earlier in the year it was the Rams who walked away with a 19-0 victory, which is the perfect indicator of how this season has gone for each team. In a predominantly low scoring league, both sides have struggled to score in bunches at times while displaying stout defences, which will likely be the storyline this time around as well. Etobicoke has definitely cranked up their offence since the beginning of the year scoring 28 points or more in four of their last five contests, and will provide a good challenge for Lawrence Park’s defence who will be tasked with shutting down #CFC100 Keegan Dicks Justice Allin, and Samuel Conteh. Expect an already nasty Rams defence to step it up a few notches in this one with a spot in the OFSAA Bowl Festival on the line.

 

47. Sir Allan MacNab Lions (8-1) v.s McKinnon Park (6-1)
SOSSA West Finals
Tuesday, November 22nd at 4:00pm
Sir Allan MacNab will be in for a battle as they take on the McKinnon Park Blue Devils with a spot at Tim Hortons Field up for grabs. Each team has faced their trials and tribulations en route to this finals showdown, and each could make the argument that they will be the representative out of SOSSA West when all’s said and done. MacNab will need to come up with a solution for McKinnon Park’s towering quarterback Connor Carusello who recently committed to play university ball at Laurier, while the Blue Devils will need to do the same for a dangerous Lions offence led by quarterback Quincy Vaughn who scored four touchdowns in a 40-17 win over Saltfleet in the finals.

 

Teams whose season is complete or are waiting for the OFSAA Bowl

No. 8. Huron Heights Warriors (8-0)
OFSAA Western Bowl Finalists

No. 20. St. Marcellinus Spirit (8-1)
OFSAA Golden Horseshoe Bowl Finalists

No. 25. Holy Names Knights (6-2)
Season complete

No. 27. Superior Heights Steelhawks (10-0)
OFSAA Northern Bowl Finalists

No. 30. St. Roch Ravens (7-1)
Season complete

No. 31. St. Matthew (6-1)
OFSAA Metro Bowl Finalists

No. 38. St. David Celtics (7-3)
Season complete

No. 41. St. Maximillan Kolbe Mustangs (6-2)
Season complete

No. 45. North Park Trojans (7-1)
Season complete

No. 46. St. Charles Cardinals (8-1)
Season complete

50. Bear Creek Kodiaks (8-2)
OFSAA Simcoe Bowl Finalists

 

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