Game RECAP: CFC10 Football North Clarkson heads home with North Bowl win

OTTAWA, ON – On a rainy and cold November Saturday, CFC10 Football North Clarkson mimicked the sporadic weather. Like the rain, they starting out slow before building up into a flurry of activity then settling into a stable situation as they took the first-ever North Bowl in a decisive 37-10 win over CFC10 Football North St. Joes.

The first quarter was a classic defensive struggle. Neither defense allowed the opposing offense to gain much ground. It was Clarkson, however, that broke the shutout first. University of Toronto commit K/P Chris MacLean (#22) booted it through the uprights with 4:40 left in the first to make it 3-0 Clarkson.

While the second quarter started out quietly, it ended in dramatic fashion. After a meticulous drive to the one-yard line, QB Nick DeJesus (#5) handed the ball off to RB Kieron Yearwood (#25) to make it 10-0 with 4:44 left in the half. Clarkson soon got the ball back after a blocked punt on St. Joes’ 28-yard line. St. Joes’ defense bended, but didn’t break, only giving up a field goal with under two minutes left.

St. Joes’ REC Kevin Victome (#16) reeled in a 40-yard catch from QB Ben Maracle (#10) to bring the team into field goal range. In the half’s final seconds, St. Joes would break the goose egg and put three on the board. It was 13-3 Clarkson at the half.

“Kevin Victome had a very very good football game on both sides of the ball,” St. Joes’ Head Coach Blaine Scatcherd said. “He had his hands full. You’re defending guys like Nick Mardner and these guys are very good football players and he was very good for us.”

St. Joes injury woes didn’t take a break for the North Bowl. The team’s receiving core was already decimated where every receiver was injured except for one. Three defensive backs doubled as receivers for the entire second half of the game.

Clarkson started the third off with a bang. CFC100 REC Clark Barnes (#9) gave a taste as to why he has received a NCAA offer from Liberty University after returning the opening kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown.

“The kickoff return to open the second half really burst our bubble a little bit, 13-3 at the half, we were right there in the game and then the opening kickoff is run back for a touchdown. So, that hurts,” Scatcherd said.

About halfway through the third, Clarkson’s CFC100 LB Cameron Gilmore (#45) added another major to the score. In the early minutes of the fourth, REC Michael Lehman (#2) got his name onto the score sheet as well with a touchdown. With the 34-3 lead, rookie QB Callum Wither (#10) played the rest of the quarter for Clarkson.

It would take until 13:39 left in the game before St. Joes punched the ball into the end zone. RB John Lubemba (#5) had a beautiful 45-yard touchdown run to make it 34-10 Clarkson.

CFC100 DB Arthur Hamlin (#3) stopped a potential touchdown after tracking down and stripping the ball from Clarkson’s RB Brendon Barrow (#8). Barrow broke free from his own 15-yard line and made it to the 50 before Hamlin forced a fumble and recovered the ball. DB Ian Whyte (#85) had an interception as well on Clarkson’s 49-yard line with five minutes left in the game. However, St. Joes couldn’t capitalize on either opportunity. MacLean added one more field goal for Clarkson with 2:20 left in the game to bring it to the final score of 37-10.

“Aruthur Hamlin had a heck of a game. CFC100 DL Lake Korte-Moore (#11) was unreal. He was in their backfield on almost every play,” Scatcherd said. “LB Makayeo Hall (#45) had a very good game. Several big tackles for Makayeo.”

St. Joes alternated between QB Avery Dow-Lalla (#12) and Maracle. While DeJesus was primarily at the helm for Clarkson, CFC100 QB Connor Irwin-Lewis (#12) also received some playing time.

“Next year is a different year for us. We are going to have a lot more depth. We have an understand of what this is all about. First year programs have a lot of learning to do, both as coaches and players and we have gone through that now,” Scatcherd said.

“It was a very heated game, definitely had a lot of intensity on both sides because we are sister schools. I was proud of the way our boys kept their cool and were disciplined and I am very proud of my coaching staff. I have a very good group of coaches that I am very proud of and what they’ve done with our boys.”

Really enjoyed watching these two teams play today. Great spirit and drive right to the last few minutes. I’m a real fan now! Great effort! https://t.co/doamUqigzK

— Sue Lebrun (@suemaximumdrive) November 5, 2017