2015 FCC, game 5: Nova Scotia 22, New Brunswick 20

This is one of the match-ups I look forward to most from year to year. Aside from the "regional rivalry", both are relatively young programs in terms of this competition and drawing from a smaller talent pool.

Last year's contest was not close, unfortunately, but this one could have been tied with only 27 seconds remaining. Nothing bad can come from this kind of competitiveness.

Here's the recap from Football Canada. The image is by Emily Tower and listed from this article about New Brunswick's participation in the tournament.

Nova Scotia opened the scoring with a booming punt which sailed into the end zone for a single point.

Nova Scotia struck again on a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Monecko Clayton to receiver Marko Xidos.

New Brunswick was unable to capitalize on a pair of interceptions from linebacker Bailey Feltmate and defensive back Samuel Alward respectively. Feltmate had an impressive game tallying a game high 9 total tackles, 8 of which were solo. 

Nova Scotia looked to have taken a 15-point lead into halftime following a 1-yard Adam Bennett touchdown plunge however New Brunswick had other ideas. On the last play of the opening half, a 99-yard Ian Carty touchdown return narrowed the NB deficit 15-7 heading into the half. 

New Brunswick further chipped away at the NS lead as quarterback David Patry found Joel Shaw in the end zone 22-yards out, bringing the score 15-13. The touchdown was set-up by a Justin Wyryha interception; NB’s third of the contest which gave them the ball at their opponent’s 21-yard line. 

Following the pick, quarterback Monecko Clayton responded by finding Marko Xidos again, this time on a 50-yard bomb to set-up first and goal at the 10. On the next play, Bennett’s 2nd rushing TD of the game gave Scotia some breathing room, 22-14 at the 2 minute mark of the final quarter. 

New Brunswick tried to reply, moving the ball to midfield until a big hit by Tyler Ball caused a NB fumble which was recovered by Glodin Mulali to stop NB’s drive dead in its tracks. 

Starting at their own 30-yard line, New Brunswick would get one final possession with 1:08 to play in the game. The drive culminated with a 37-yard touchdown pass from quarterback David Party to receiver Joel Shaw, making the score 22-20. The 2-point conversion attempt was batted down to end the comeback.

Nova Scotia Offensive Player of the Game
RB Adam Bennett: 20 carries for 74 yards and 2 scores.

Nova Scotia Defensive Player of the Game
DL Andersen Recker: 4 tackles, 3 assists, 3 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 fumble recovery.

New Brunswick Offensive Player of the Game
QB David Patry: 13 of 19 passing, 200 yards, 2 TDs, 2 runs for 7 yards.

New Brunswick Defensive Player of the Game
LB Bailey Feltmate: 8 tackles, 2 assists, one interception returned for six yards.

There are only so many honours to hand out so I want to mention a few other statistical standouts from this contest.

New Brunswick receiver Joel Shaw ended up with 5 receptions for 120 yards and the two scores mentioned above.

New Brunswick DB Justin Wyryha had three interceptions in total.

Nova Scotia LB Jacob Morgan is credited with 5 solo tackles, 2 assists, a half-sack and 2.5 tackles for loss.

2015 FCC Game 3: Quebec Bleu 50, Nova Scotia 00

No one will ever mistake this place for a "breaking news" site.

Over the past few days, Football Canada has been sending out mini-bios of some of the players participating in the International Bowl. Nice little bit of promotion.

Before fully getting into all that, I still want to store Football Canada Cup results so here we go with, uhm...game three, played on July 13th, I believe. Still some work to do...

That awesome shot in the middle of the recap is by James Hajjar and was lifted from the Football Quebec website.

Quebec-Blue's defence made an early statement, capitalizing on Nova Scotia turnovers. On the game's opening drive Kaylyn Smith St-Cyr stepped in front of Nova Scotia quarterback Monecko Clayton pass, returning it 21 yards to the Nova Scotia 21-yard line. A pair of Samuel Makwanda rushes culminated with a 3-yard touchdown to make the score 7-0.

Quebec's defense stalled Nova Scotia's next drive, forcing a second interception in as many series - this time by Alec Poirier at Quebec's own 22 yard line. Quebec-blue took full advantage once again as quarterback Ezechiel Tieide connected with Bryan Owusu Bekoe on a 10-yard touchdown strike. 

A 43-yard Kevin Mital jet sweep extended the Quebec advantage to 21.

Quebec opened the second quarter by forcing its third interception of the first half. The host province's top team took full advantage once again as Tieide connected with Vincent Forbes-Mombleau on a 13-yard touchdown pass.

A 5-yard Alex Daigneault touchdown rush would push the Quebec lead to 35 heading into halftime.    

A pair of rushing touchdowns from quarterback Chrisopher Cinq-Mars in between a rouge made the final score 50-0.

Quebec Bleu Offensive Player of the Game
RB Samuel Makwanda: 7 carries for 95 yards, one TD.

Quebec Bleu Defensive Player of the Game
DB Kaylyn Smith St-Cyr: 4 tackles, 2 assists, 1 fumble force, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception returned 21 yards.

Nova Scotia Offensive Player of the Game
WR Luke Oulton: 1 run for 11 yards, 4 receptions for 20 yards.

Nova Scotia Defensive Player of the Game
LB Evan Holmes: 2 tackles, 1 assist.

In conclusion, I mentioned the FootballCanadamini-bios. Here's the one for Smith St-Cyr, who excelled in this game.

"Yarmouth Teenager Tackling Football"

On the eve of the start of the 2015 Football Canada Cup, let's take a look at this profile of Team Nova Scotia's Jadon Robinson. The photo is uncredited in the complete version of the article.

YARMOUTH – When Jadon Robinson was a Grade 3 student at Arcadia Consolidated School, he laced up for the school hockey team. He would shuffle from one end of the ice to the other. There were no long hockey strides. His were baby steps on the ice. 

While he continued to play the sport, admittedly, he says, hockey was not really his thing. So it’s not surprising that baseball took over as his favourite sport to play. 

But given his size – he says he’s 6’4” and 340 lbs. – some around him, in particular his brother-in-law Chris Pyne, wondered if the teen should pursue another sport.

Football, it seemed, might be a natural fit. 

It turns out it was. 

“I was in love with it as soon as I stepped on the field,” Jadon says. 

And the sport seems to love him back. Last year – his first year playing football – he was a member of the Nova Scotia provincial under-17 team. He played at the Spalding Cup in Montreal and was named to the all-star team. 

This summer, as part of the provincial under-18 team, Jadon – who turns 17 in September – will compete at the Football Canada Cup in Quebec July 13-19.... 

Since Yarmouth doesn’t have football teams, this past school year Jadon attended Sir John A Macdonald High School in Tantallon (outside Halifax) where he played Division 1 football. His positions included right guard and left guard (on the) offensive line and sometimes defensive tackle. 

Asked what it is about football that gave him an instant connection to – and love of – the sport, Jadon says, “It’s a really physical sport, that’s the main thing I like about it. And the teamwork is big. You work as a unit. 

“And just the atmosphere was great. I just felt welcomed with open arms and that helps a lot when you’re with guys you don’t know, but they act like they’ve known you for 10 years,” he adds. “You’re just one family.” 

Jadon’s Sir John A coach Steve Majury says players will take a few paths to football. There are those who have played it since they were young kids and stuck with it through junior high and into high school. And there are those who are late entrants to the sport, only coming to it in high school, like Jadon. 

“He’s been able to pick up the sport extremely quickly,” Majury says. “He’s made for it. He’s a big, strong, very quick athlete. Given his size, he’s built for football, and his mentality is being a very competitive individual, which I really like about him on the football field.” 

Plus the teenager is very coachable. 

“He’s a very personable young man. He’s intelligent and he just really listens well to coaches as we teach technique and have him really work on specific things,” Majury says. 

... 

This isn't to say Jadon doesn’t have room for improvement, he says. Conditioning, cardio and strength training are all things he still needs to work on, Majury says, saying Jadon’s only limitation at this point is himself. 

“From a potential standpoint, you just look at the shear size and athleticism, those are things you can’t really teach and he’s got those attributes,” he says. “So he can go as far as he wants to with football. If he pushes himself the sky’s the limit for him.” 

As for how far he’d like to go, Jadon – who will enter Grade 12 in the fall – says he’s not sure. He’s still contemplating his future beyond high school, but is leaving all doors open...

Football Canada Cup, Day 3: Nova Scotia 44, New Brunswick 00

Still catching up, obviously...

To be honest, I was hoping for a more competitive contest here but it may have been an unfair expectation of the New Brunswick program.  In the "modern era" of the Football Canada Cup (meaning since it went to a U18 format exclusively in 2010), this is only NB's third year of competition. It'll be fun to watch them grow into it but clearly there's still plenty of work to be done.

...Nova Scotia took an early 9-0 lead after New Brunswick conceded a safety followed by a 15-yard Michael Ogilvie end zone plunge. 

A Thomas Hoyt 11-yard jet sweep touchdown run on a made the score 15-0 at 1:17 of the opening quarter. 

Following a single and conceded safety, backup quarterback Cameron Valardo connected with Greg Hutchins on a 62-yard touchdown to widen the Nova Scotia lead 25-0 with 6 minutes to play in the opening half.   

Starting at the NB 25-yard line following a Jon Main interception, quarterback Duncan Patterson found Thomas Hoyt over the middle and forced his way into the end zone to make the score 33-0. 

Patterson found Valardo who was lined up as a receiver to make the score 40-0. 

Following back-to-back Hutchins’ singles made the score 42-0 at the half, New Brunswick conceded a second half safety to make the final score 44-0.

MVPs
Nova Scotia offense: RB Thomas Hoyt - 4 carries, 38 yards and a score, two receptions for 42 yards and a score.
Nova Scotia defense: LB John Main - 4 solo tackles, 1 assist, 1 QB sack and an interception.

New Brunswick offense: RB Dylan Fyfe - 6 carries for 19 yards.
New Brunswick defense:  DB Derrick Vautour - 6 solo tackles

Football Canada Cup, Day 2: Sask. White 26, Nova Scotia 14

Not much to add about this game, but Nova Scotia defensive MVP Brad Bevan's numbers raised an eyebrow.  To be in on eight tackles in this kind of tournament is fairly impressive.  I can't pretend to know the guy, but it suggests a very active player and I suspect he'll find his way onto the tournament all-star team once it's determined.

Saskatchewan-white opened the scoring on a 2-yard Tyler Hermann quarterback keeper. Saskatchewan widened their lead to 10 on an Alex Lenius field goal to start the second quarter. 

Nova Scotia kicker Greg Hutchins got his team on the board with a rouge on a field goal that missed wide but had enough leg to go through the end zone for a single point. 

Following the rouge, Nova Scotia recovered a Saskatchewan fumble to give them great field position at their own 42-yard line. On the next play, NS returned the favour as Saskatchewan recovered a fumble at their opponent’s 18-yard line. Saskatchewan capitalized on the turnover with a second Lenius field goal to make the score 13-1 heading into halftime. 

Early in the 2nd half, Nova Scotia capitalized on their second fumble recovery at midfield with a 2-yard (Cameron) Valardo keeper to make the score 13-8. 

Saskatchewan responded to the NS score with a long kickoff return to give the home province great field position at their opponent’s 39-yard line. Following a 3rd down pass interference penalty set-up 1st and goal at the 1-yard line, Paul Frabacher punched the ball in to widen the Saskatchewan lead to 20-8.  

Following a 3rd and 14 conversion at the Saskatchewan 48-yard line, Valardo found receiver Greg Hutchins on a 24-yard pass to set-up first and goal at the 1-yard line. Valardo called his own number to make the final score 26-14.

MVPs
Saskatchewan White offense: RB Josh Ewanchyna - 17 carries for 109 yards, two receptions for 16 yards.
Saskatchewan White defense:  DL Tristan Hering - Two solo tackles, 1 quarterback sack.

Nova Scotia offense: QB Cameron Valardo - 6 of 17 passing, for 116 yards, four carries for 23 yards and a score.
Nova Scotia defense: LB Brad Bevan - Five tackles, three assists and one fumble recovery.

Football Canada Cup, Day 1, Game 3, Ontario 36, Nova Scotia 00

The recap below is copied in part from the newish Football Team Ontario site.

Special teams scored...9 of Ontario’s 24 opening half points on route to a 36-0 final against Nova Scotia in game 3 of the 2014 Football Canada Cup at Griffiths Stadium at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. 

Ontario opened the scoring as a Gabriel Siemieniec field goal attempt missed wide right but sailed through the end zone for a single. 

 

Later in the first half, Ontario blocked a field goal attempt off the foot of Greg Hunchak. Ontario’s Elijah Walter picked up the ball and ran it in for the score, widening Ontario’s lead 8-0.

Quarterback Kyle Gouveia hooked up with receiver John Wotherspoon to give Ontario a first and goal at the 6-yard line. Running back Austin Whetton punched the ball on the following play to make the score 16-0.

Running back Jevante Stanley supplied an 89-yard touchdown run to widen Ontario’s lead 23-0 with 1:20 seconds to play in the opening half. Siemieniec hooked a 31-yard field goal attempt wide right, bouncing through the end zone for a single.

In the second half, Ontario added a field goal, safety and touchdown run to make the final score 36-0.

MVPs
Ontario offense:  RB Javante Stanley - 11 carries for 211 and a score.
Ontario defense:  DL Carter Wilson - 1 solo tackle and a pass knock down.

Nova Scotia offense: PK/WR Greg Hutchins - One 18-yard reception (kicking stats unavailable).
Nova Scotia defense: LB Kyle Gorden - Six solo tackles plus a special teams tackle.