Maritime Football League
2008 Game Summaries

Week 7: July 12-13

Mustangs roll to easy win

Moncton Marshals lose by forfeit to Saint John Wanderers

Quarterback A.J. Gallant threw three touchdown passes and the Riverview Mustangs hammered the Saint John Longhorns 37-8 in Maritime Football League action yesterday at Dobson Field.

Gallant hooked up with Jordan Beyea twice for majors on passes of five and 40 yards. Gallant also threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to John Forbes in the victory.

Saint John led 8-1 at one point in the first half, but Riverview answered by scoring five straight touchdowns, including four in the second half, to roll to the win. The Mustangs were ahead 12-8 at the break.

Riverview improved its record to 5-1 and is tied for second place with the Dartmouth Knights (5-1). Saint John dropped to 3-3.

Other Mustangs touchdowns came from Ben Kinden on a fumble recovery in the end zone, Josh Scott on a 35-yard interception return and Justin Savoie on an eight-yard run. Bryce Wake kicked a convert in the win.

Riverview rookie linebacker Curtis Page recorded two sacks and two fumble recoveries in the victory.

Also yesterday, the Moncton Marshals lost by forfeit to the Saint John Wanderers. The Marshals are now 1-5 on the season.

In other weekend games, Dartmouth downed the P.E.I. Privateers 64-6, the Halifax Shockers edged the Capital Area Gladiators 28-26 and the UNBSJ Wolves won by forfeit over the Super City Mean Green of Halifax.

Riverview hosts Moncton Saturday at 4 p.m. at Dobson Field.

Grid Gladiators' comeback falls short

The Capital Area DQ Gladiators were eliminated from the Maritime Football League AAA playoffs with a 28-26 loss to the Halifax Shockers in their final regular season home game Saturday at MacKenzie Field in Oromocto.

The Gladiators trailed 21-7 after one quarter and 27-7 at the half and couldn't complete a fourth quarter comeback.

The Gladiators dug themselves an early hole as Andrew Hubbard fumbled the opening kickoff and the Shockers recovered on the Gladiators' 25 yard line. Quarterback Chris Livingtson found Dave Dehmel in the end zone a few plays later and Rick McMahon converted to give the Shockers the early lead.

Gladiators got it right back as Elliot Hicks returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards to set the Gladiators up first and goal from the one. Andrew Hickey plunged across on a quarterback sneak. Zack Cann's convert tied the score.

It was the Shockers who answered quickly this time, with Nick Lauder returning the kickoff 90 yards for the touchdown.

Gladiators set up on their own 15 after the kickoff, but Shockers linebacker Sean Gillis dislodged the ball from running back Derek Madsen on the first play from scrimmage and ran it back 15 yards for the touchdown.

The Gladiators' best chance to close the gap in the second quarter came when they got inside the five-yard-line but stalled on fourth down. Shockers added to their lead with the only scoring of the second quarter on a 50-yard interception return by linebacker Andrew Oake. A missed convert left it 27-7 at the half. A scoreless third quarter set the stage for a Capital Area comeback that fell just short. Hubbard capped an 80-yard drive with a 20-yard scamper around the end that, with the convert closed it to 27-14. The Gladiators mounted a 70-yard drive as well, with Brendan Cornford, now in at quarterback for Hickey, connecting with Jay Thomas on a 20-yard pass. A bad snap from centre nixed the convert, closing the gap to 27-20.

The Gladiators' defence held firm on the next series, forcing the Shockers to punt. But a roughing the kicker call set the Shockers up first and 10. They drove the ball to the Gladiators' five before stalling, but the Gladiators blocked a 12-yard field goal attempt that would have sealed the verdict for Halifax. Not yet.

The Shockers had another crack from 30 yards away when neither team could move the sticks, and the field goal attempt was wide, but sailed through the end zone for a single to make it 28-20.

With just over a minute on the clock, the Gladiators had one more shot. They marched it smartly up the field, with Andrew Hickey rambling 40 yards on one play and nabbing a Cornford pass for another 25-yard gain that put them first and goal from the five. Cornford found Bobby McIntyre in the end zone to make it 28-26, but the two point convert attempt failed and the Shockers recovered the ensuing onside kick to hang on for the win. Halifax improves to 4-2 on the season while the Gladiators fall to 2-4 with a pair of road games remaining. They'll play in the AA flight of the upcoming Maritime Football League playoffs for the teams finishing from fifth to eighth place.

They'll face the Saint John Longhorns on the road next week in a fight for home field advantage in the AA flight of the playoffs.