Maritime Football League
2008 Game Summaries

Week 1: May 31

Moncton comes up empty in MFL season opener

Olivier Eddie's outstanding performance spoiled as Marshals fall to Halifax Mean Green

Olivier Eddie made a huge impact in his debut with the Moncton Great Canadian Marshals, but in the end even that wasn't enough.

The wide receiver, kicker and punter scored 25 points, but the Marshals lost 32-27 to the first-year Super City Mean Green of Halifax to open the Maritime Football League regular season on Saturday at Rocky Stone Memorial Field.

Eddie, who helped the Riverview Molson Mustangs win the Maritime Bowl last season, scored four touchdowns and added a single point on a 32-yard punt through the endzone. His touchdowns came on 12- and 42-yard passes and runs of two and 10 yards.

"We did some things that we wanted to do," he said. "It's our first game so we're a little rusty. Some guys are young and inexperienced, but I think we're heading in the right direction. We showed today that we can play and compete.

"We've got to keep progressing and make sure that our offence, defence and special teams all get better. I think if we work hard in practice we'll show improvement."

In other opening weekend action, the Halifax Shockers trounced the UNB Saint John Wolves 41-8, the Capital Area Gladiators of Fredericton downed the Prince Edward Island Privateers 35-7 and the Saint John Wanderers pounded the Saint John Longhorns 35-0.

Moncton finished at the bottom of the league with a 1-7 record last season. The club squandered 14 potential points in the first quarter with two drives that were stopped by turnovers inside the opposition's 20-yard line.

"It's unfortunate that we made some mental mistakes near the goal line," said Eddie. "It was a good, close game. I thought we could've won this game if it wasn't for those two mistakes, but it happens and you have to battle through it.

"We're all proud of each other because we were down by 13 points (in the fourth quarter) and we kept playing hard. There was no quit."

Super City grabbed a 6-0 lead less than five minutes into the second quarter. Tyler LeBlanc hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass and the convert attempt was failed.

The clubs combined for 13 points in the final 2:17 of the second quarter. Eddie scored a touchdown and a single on a punt through the endzone for Moncton. Mike Kennedy had a 14-yard touchdown catch for Super City and the convert was botched.

Super City led 12-7 at halftime and upped the count to 19-7 less than two minutes into the third quarter on Luke Keun's 43-yard interception return for a touchdown. The clubs then exchanged touchdowns to leave Super City with a 26-13 lead after three quarters.

Moncton took a fourth down gamble and made it 26-21 with 11:56 remaining in the game. Eddie had a two-yard touchdown run and the Marshals added a two-point convert.

Kennedy scored his second touchdown, this time on a 10-yard reception, as Super City jumped ahead 32-21 with 7:58 remaining. Eddie scored his fourth touchdown with 20 seconds remaining as Moncton cut its deficit to 32-27.

"We have a lot of rookies and we got off to a slow start in the first half," said Moncton free safety D.J. Carmichael, the club's only returnee on defence. "We got behind and spent the whole game playing catch up.

"We have a lot of young guys on defence and with time we're going to improve. This is a game we should've won without a doubt. It's basically small mental errors that cost us this game."

Moncton will visit the Dartmouth Knights on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Beazley Field. Riverview will play its first game against Capital Area on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Oromocto.

Wanderers whack Longhorns
Football Maritime league champs pick up where they left off with 35-0 win over Saint John rival

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Wanderers led from start to finish against their Port City rivals the Saint John Longhorns as the Maritime Football League season kicked off Saturday.

The three-time champions fought through sloppy conditions at Millidgeville on the way to a 35-0 win over the Longhorns.

Jon Haines ran the opening kickoff back 80 yards to the endzone, and John Hachey threw for three touchdowns on the way to the victory. Hachey hit Mike Thomas for 10-yard and 20-yard TD receptions and Kenny Lawrence caught a 30-yard major. Piers Doiron added a 15-yard rushing score, and Chris Chesworth was a perfect 5-for-5 on converts.

"A little bit of everything," said Wanderers coach Dave Grandy. "In the conditions that were out there, I was pretty happy to see Hachey threw the ball that well in that type of weather. She was pouring pretty good out there."

Roger Muise, Aaron Gordon and Chris Marino added interceptions on defence, and the D delivered 10 sacks, including two each by Haines, Josh Brown, Phil Dobson and Scott MacNamee

"We always have a historical battle of a physical game (with the Longhorns) and that it was. There were lots of big hits around the field," said Grandy.

The other Saint John team, the UNBSJ Wolves, opened on the wrong foot, losing 41-8 to the Halifax Shockers on the road.

But coach Bob Cote was happy with the way his team played in the second half after falling behind 38-0.

"In the second half we managed to get our house in order, move the ball on offence and not leave our defence out there," said Cote.

Charlie Harroun had a touchdown for the Wolves, and the team also forced a safety.

"The team showed more what they were made of in the second half," said Cote. "It was our first game with a new offensive unit and it showed early on. But as the game progressed we got more confidence, and Sean Gormley managed a pretty good game at the quarterback position after he settled down."

Chris Livingston threw for four TDs for Halifax.

In other MFL action, the Capital Area Gladiators thumped the host P.E.I. Privateers 35-7, and Super City Mean Green won its inaugural game, on the road against the Moncton Marshals 32-27.