CFCFPC Ottawa (RECAP): Team Central bests Halton-Peel in windy grade 8 battle

It was a battle against the elements as much as it was a battle on the field, and in the end, Team Central Grade 8s emerged victorious over Team Halton-Peel with the final score sitting at 33-12 at Millennium Park.

Central kicked off the scoring midway through the first quarter on a 30-yard touchdown run by running back Mason Watson. At 2:22, he tacked on another score to make it 12-0 Central. On both touchdowns, Central failed to get the point after. Central would add to their lead with 5:50 left in the half after Kayrus Sam hauled in a 30-yard bomb from quarterback Owen Webb and added an extra 20-yards on the run to the end zone. After another failed point after attempt, it was 18-0 Central.

Before the half concluded, linebacker Giancario Muto intercepted a pass from Halton-Peel and ran 10-yards. Halton-Peel would get the ball back before the half concluded, but pressure on the ball carrier resulted in a costly fumble. Defensive end Christopher Dixon scooped up the ball and ran it in for a Central score. They ended the half up 25-0.

The only points scored in the third were by Central when they got a safety that extended their lead to 27. In the fourth quarter, Webb threw his second touchdown pass, which was 20-yards long. Watson scored his third touchdown of the game. With 6:18 left in the game, Halton-Peel broke the shutout with a touchdown by Owen Franco. At 2:40, Halton-Peel’s defensive lineman Martin Mezak recovered a fumble. But, Halton-Peel was unable to capitalize and the score remained 33-12 for Central.

Chivase Bryan, the head coach of Team Central, had this to say: “I think it was (a) good (game). I think the kids had fun. If they have fun, it’s a good day. It was good, hard-fought game.”

Despite being on the losing end, Raad Raad, the head coach for Team Halton-Peel, was optimistic. “It is a great experience. It’s good for the boys. I think these are the experiences that they remember in their lives. So, I come away from this every year a little bit more positive than the year before,” he said.

He went on to explain that it is difficult building an all-star team because “you are bringing kids together from multiple teams, multiple programs.” His team featured three players from Sault Saint Marie, Ontario. He said they did not see them until a couple weeks before the game.

However difficult, it’s a challenge that Raad accepts. He said, “I look forward to next year and hopefully continue to make the program better and get more kids involved in the game.”