Canada 31, Japan 27 at the 2011 IFAF Senior World Championship

It's been expected and assumed for quite some time, but a press release went out about a week ago to officially announce that the 2015 IFAF Senior World Championship would be held in Canton, Ohio.

We'll use that as a segue to make reference to the third game of the 2011 event, the first one in which Canada participated. Daniel Fettner wrote the recap below. Both of the other games, against Austria and France, have already been covered here. Simply click on the label at right or at the bottom of the post to read more.

...Both teams scored on their opening possession. Running back Matt Walter had three attempts to score on the ground repelled as the Japanese defense held. Canada then gambled on fourth down and a two-yard pass from Mike Faulds eventually landed in the hands of a diving Michel-Pierre Pontbriand in the end zone after a deflection and Canada led with 5.38 remaining in the first quarter. 

Japan was more economical with the end zone at their mercy and on second and goal Yasuhiro Maruta took a side step to the left and raced in to score from a yard out and tie the game after a successful extra point. Japan tried to catch Canada off-guard with an onside kick but failed to recover. Canada was unable to capitalize on good field position and both teams twice traded punts. 

MVP (David) Stevens ran off tackle on a four-yard run to the right side for six more points and a 14-7 lead with 1.22 left to play in the half, but again Japan replied. A Tetsuo Takata pass to Michihiro Ogawa opened up the field and the quarterback then went to Takuya Furutani with a 15-yard toss to again level the scores. 

Canada worked the clock well to set up Lirim Hajrullahu for a 32-yard field goal to close the half and lead 17-14 at the interval. 

Japan methodically moved downfield to open the second half.  A superb diving catch by Ken Shimizu moved the ball to the Canada 26 and Japan then lined up in the wildcat formation and ran a reverse to put the ball back in the hands of Takata and his pass found Furutani at the 11. 

Two runs and an incompletion failed to beak down Canadian defenses and Japan settled for a 23-yard Daisuki Aoki field goal to tie the game for the third time at 17-17. 

Japan defensive back Koki Kato produced his third interception of the tournament and that led to another Aoki field goal, this time from 29 yards, and Japan’s first lead at 20-17. But Matt Walter responded with a three-yard rushing touchdown as Canada reclaimed the lead 24-20. 

Japan was backed up near the end zone, but rallied to drive and score to again move ahead, this time by 27-24. Yasuhiro Maruta found a hole and a first down at the 25 then passes to Nori Kinoshita and Ogawa drove the ball to the Canada 30 with six minutes to play. Kinoshita was pushed out at the two by Troy Adams and from there on first and goal, Tomokazu Sueyoshi punched in for a touchdown. 

Canada replied immediately as Faulds was forced out of pocket but hit Stevens on a stunning 72-yard connection and then from their own first and goal at the one, Canada scored what proved to be the winning touchdown as Walter broke the plain with 3.31 remaining. 

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The Canadian defense held firm as Japan went for glory on fourth down but a pass bounced off the hands of Ogawa, then on the game’s final play, Julien Hamel intercepted to close the victory.

It's like I've always said: You NEVER throw the ball in the direction of Koki Kato!

All right, I've never actually said that. But this was the first of a couple of times where Japan has given the Canadians a scare so I will say again: Do NOT fall asleep on Japan in these tournaments. One of these days, they are going to break someone's heart; either Canada's or Team USA's, while everyone is watching for Mexico to do so since that country has shown improvement of its own.

In terms of the 2011 tournament, Canada went on to lose 50-7 to the United States so it'll probably be a while before THAT recap makes its way onto here. ;-)  Japan defeated Mexico for bronze, 17-14.

Canada 36, Austria 14 at the 2011 IFAF Senior World Championship

As we build up to the 2015 edition of the IFAF's Senior World Championship, let's look back at Canada's second game in the tournament.  The country's first such contest was against France and you can read that recap by clicking on the label at the bottom of the post.

I remember watching this game online and it could be argued that the recap below embellishes slightly on behalf of the host Austrians. Yeah, it was a little surprising that Canada led "only" 14-00 at the half, but there was little cause for concern. Nevertheless, the degree of detail is appreciated.

...Running back Matt Walters claimed two rushing touchdowns and 74 yards on 9 carries and the MVP award for Canada...Canadian quarterback Mike Faulds put in an impressive performance, completing 17 of 24 pass attempts for 233 yards and 3 touchdowns. 

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Austria punted away their opening possession and then helped Canada to reach advantageous field position with a personal foul on the return. Running back David Stevens looked to have made significant yardage on a rush over left tackle, but fumbled and Christoph Schreiner recovered for the host nation. 

Austria was unable to move the chains and in reply, Canada moved 7-0 ahead. Quarterback Mike Faulds dropped a 52-yard bomb beyond the Austrian secondary and having beaten the coverage with his speed, Scott Valberg reeled the ball in for a touchdown. 

The Austrian offense showed glimpses of being able to move the ball as Armondo Ponce de Leon picked up a first down and a screen pass to Dieplinger and came up just short of moving the chains, forcing the hosts to punt. 

When Austria had the ball again, Grien’s gain was tempered by a sack of Christian Gross for a loss of eight yards by Jake Thomas, and when Ponce de Leon made headway on a crossing route a dead ball personal foul proved costly. 

Canada’s rushing attack was stopped on fourth and inches, but Austria was also unable to move the ball in three downs. 

The Austrian defense looked to be stifling Canada’s passing attack, but could not prevent Faulds from rushing for first down yardage on third down, even as he fumbled and Alexandre Poirier recovered at the 32. 

Running back Matt Walters then rode a tackle by Philip Stojaspal, who failed to wrap him up on a screen pass and weaved his way 32 yards to the end zone, opening a 14-point lead that was rough justice on Austria. 

The hosts should have halved the deficit by halftime. Dieplinger made a significant gain down the left sideline with less than a minute remaining and only Shane Hall’s desperate tackle prevented him from racing to the end zone. 

With the clock ticking, Gross marginally overthrew Maximilian Herdey on a corner route from 12 yards out and the ball then bounced agonizingly off the hands of Andreas Proeller on a similar play. On third down while under pressure, Gross was intercepted by Joel Lipinski in the end zone to end the Austrian challenge.

 

LB Anthony Maggiacomo was a tournament all-star selection 

Sammy Okpro came up with an interception to end Austria’s opening second half drive as Gross and Proeller’s timing was off and although a 15-yard penalty after the play moved ball back to midfield, Canada pounded down to the five –yard mark on a steady drive. David Stevens...breached the end zone for a 21-0 lead. 

After Austria went three and out, holding penalties backed Canada to their own six, but then a late hit on Faulds earned some breathing space and 15 yards. Only a relentless sack of Faulds by Simon Blach after another flurry of yellow flags forced Canada to punt. 

Austria finally and deservedly put points on the board when going for broke on fourth and ten. Gross hit has favorite target Deiplinger on a 27-yard connection to delight the home crowd. But Faulds went 20 yards better to stamp out any faint hopes of a home comeback with a 47-yard pass beyond the secondary to Chambers for his first scoring catch of the night making it 28-7. 

Austria refused to go down without a fight and Nerad of the hometown Graz Giants found his way behind good blocks to score from a yard out and reduce the deficit to 14 points with 4:18 still to play...The resulting onside kick flew out of bounds. 

Still eager to put the game away, Faulds scrambled for a first down and then Walters took advantage of a series of missed tackles to race through the middle to the five-yard mark and then took the ball to within a yard of the end zone. The relentless Austrian defense and a penalty moved Canada backwards but that opened up the field for a misdirection play and Walters jogged in unopposed from six yards out to make it 34-14. A bad snap led to holder Jedd Gardiner running in an unexpected two point conversion for the final score of 36-14.

I don't recall penalties being such a factor, but in this type of tournament it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility.

Other statistical standouts: Valberg finished the game with six receptions for 108 yards and a score. Defensively, DB Julien Hamel was very active with four solo tackles, three assists and a sack. He led the team in both tackle categories and his sack was one of only two on the day.

Canada 45, France 10 at the 2011 Senior World Championship

Since they have yet to be featured here, let's give a little love to our first-ever (and so far, only) senior team from 2011.

The recap below is lifted from the Football Canada website and it describes the first game of the tournament (and therefore the first game played by the senior team).  Lame of me, I know, since anyone looking for information about the club would logically find their way there first, but it was the only one that I found and I want to have quick access to it.  So here we go:

...France shocked Canada by taking a 10-7 lead as the Canadians suffered first night nerves on their world stage debut, but a second quarter comeback put the newcomers in the driving seat at the interval and they added insurance points after the break.  Three Canadian quarterbacks - Mike Faulds, Josh Sacobie and Donnie Marshall - threw touchdown passes, with Faulds taking the team MVP award.

Faulds provided Canada with the perfect start with a 57-yard touchdown run on play that fooled everyone, but France were soon level at 7-7 when receiver Anthony Dable snared a 27-yard catch from Maxime Sprauel.

Canada punted away their next possession and then France used the running game to move the ball to midfield.  A 15-yard penalty took the ball to the Canada red zone at the end of the first quarter and a 37-yard Bruno Nekili field goal edged France in front 10-7 with 11.41 to play in the half.

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France had secured six first downs to Canada's three and had twice as many passing yards, but Matt Walters put Canada back in front at 14-10 with a 10-yard rushing touchdown.  Receiver Shamawd Chambers had looked on his way to the end zone on an earlier play on a big pass from Faulds, but stepped out of bounds at the 10.

France again went three and out and their frustration was compounded when Canada put seven more points on the board when France could have limited them to three.  Running back David Stevens rushed to the French 30, Faulds in shotgun hit Scott Valberg for a first down and with his confidence growing passed underneath on a key third down to Chambers for another first down.

That play might have been a fourth down field goal, but for France enforcing a penalty that could have been declined.  With a new set of downs and on first and goal, Faulds targeted Michel-Pirre Pontbriand for a nine-yard touchdown with 3.20 remaining.

Sprauel was again unable to find receivers as France struggled to reply and Canada were quick to respond.  Valberg caught a tipped pass at the France 40, a personal foul moved the ball ever closer to paydirt and then Lirim Hajrullahu nailed a 36-yard field goal with six seconds remaining for a 14-point halftime advantage.

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Faulds added six more points on a quarterback sneak from the one-yard mark and the kick after pushed Canada 31-10 ahead in the third quarter.

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With Josh Sacobie in at quarterback, Jedd Gardiner was brought down within reaching distance of the end zone then on first and goal Sacobie fired a quick pass to Walters for his second touchdown of the game.

Leading 38-10 Donnie Marshall came in under center as the third quarterback used by Canada and went to work in French territory following an impressive punt return by Troy Adams.

Marshall might have been prepared to hand off and run down the clock with the two-minute warning approaching, but having been plowed into the advertising hoardings on a late hit, he went to the air.  Marshall hit Chambers for a deserved six points and a 45-10 final score.

Canada went on to defeat the host Austria team, then won a very entertaining contest against an on-the-rise Japanese club, but were skunked 50-7 against the Americans.  More on all that later.