Maritime Football League
2008 Game Summaries

Week 11: August 9 "Championships"

Mustangs retain MFL crown
Riverview defeats arch-rival Saint John Wanderers in Maritime Bowl

By Neil Hodge
Times-Transcript

Steve Cormier proved to be the unstoppable force.

The star running back was the easy choice for the game's Most Outstanding Player award after he helped the Riverview Molson Mustangs to a 21-13 win over the Saint John Wanderers in the Maritime Bowl on Saturday in front of 600 fans at Dobson Field.

It's the second consecutive year that Riverview captured the Terry McIntyre Cup as champion of the Maritime Football League. Cormier had 230 yards rushing on 35 carries, he scored two touchdowns and he was the big difference maker on a sloppy, rain-soaked field.

"Coming into this season, we were the top dog and everyone wanted to knock us off the podium," said Cormier. "They beat us in the regular season so we had something to prove today. We wanted to show that we're still the best team in the league.

"It was a wet field and tough to get your footing at times, but the guys provided great blocks so I really didn't have to do all that much. They made the blocks and I just ran."

Riverview, Saint John and the Dartmouth Knights were all 7-1 in the regular season. Riverview was awarded first place and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs on a points for and against formula.

Riverview, a four-year-old club, has won the Maritime Bowl twice and has a lifetime record of 31-5 in regular season and playoffs combined. The only opponent it has ever lost to is Saint John.

Riverview was No. 1 and Saint John was No. 2 in the league defensively. The championship game was a hard-fought battle that came down to defensive stands and one huge momentum changing play on special teams. "It's a big rivalry and always a great game when these two teams meet," said Cormier. "Our defence played an awesome game."

Saint John took a 7-0 lead in the opening minute of the second quarter on quarterback Johnathan Hachey's eight-yard touchdown run.

Riverview made it 7-7 in the dying seconds of the first half. Johnathan Forbes hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass from A.J. Gallant.

Riverview put together a 10-play, 80-yard drive to begin the second half and grabbed a 14-7 lead on Cormier's four-yard touchdown run. The score came on a fourth down and one gamble.

Saint John struck back in the third quarter on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Jonathan Haines to Kenneth Lawrence. The club missed the convert so it still trailed 14-13.

A huge momentum change came midway through the fourth quarter. Riverview punted, but regained possession on the play when Jason Terris recovered a fumble on the Saint John 17-yard line.

That set up Cormier's two-yard touchdown run which gave Riverview a 21-13 lead. Saint John was stopped on a fourth down gamble inside the 10-yard line with less than three minutes remaining.There was a mixture of heavy rain, thunder and sunny periods during the game.

"We scored at the end of the first half to make it 7-7 and then took the momentum into the second half," said Riverview quarterback A.J. Gallant. "In weather like this, it's a running game and both teams banged it out well. In the end, our defence stood up.

"Steve Cormier was a machine today. He can't be stopped. He allowed us to control the ball and put together some long drives."

Riverview has won 19 of 20 games in the past two seasons. Its 14-game winning streak was snapped with a 36-26 loss to Saint John in early July.

"We knew that in this weather it was going to be straight-ahead, smash-mouth football and that's what it was," said Riverview linebacker Ryan Eadie. "You can probably count on one hand the amount of passes there were in the game.

"To defend a title is harder than to win it the first time. It's a long season and it took a lot of work to get here. We had the best defence in the league so for us to be on the field at the end of the game when it counted meant a lot."

Riverview head coach Rob Weir was all smiles.

"I'm really proud of the guys because they worked hard all season for this," he said. "This is why we win. We have dedicated players who come to practice. Our commitment to practice and games is better than any other team in the league.

"Playing the Saint John Wanderers is both scary and fun. They're an excellent team, they played an excellent game and we know when we play them we better bring our 'A' game. To beat them in the Maritime Bowl is extra special."

The Capital Area Gladiators of Fredericton defeated the Saint John Longhorns 42-33 on Saturday in the Mariner Bowl. The clubs finishing in the league's lower half competed for this consolation trophy.

Gladiators rally in grid final

Daily Gleaner

The Capital Area DQ Gladiators spotted the hometown Saint John Longhorns a 12-point lead at the half before roaring back to win the Mariner Cup in Maritime Senior Men's Football League action Sunday in Milledgeville.

Final margin of victory was 42-33 as the Gladiators won their first title since 2002. The Mariner Cup goes to the league's AA champion.

Winning the McIntyre Cup as Maritime AAA champion was Riverview Mustangs defeating Saint John Wanderers 21-13 in Moncton Saturday.

The combination of quarterback Andrew Hickey and running back Andrew Hubbard proved to be invaluable for the Glads Saturday as they trailed 26-14 at the half and at the end of three quarters only to score three fourth quarter touchdowns for ultimate victory.

After the Longhorns came up short on a fourth down gamble on their own 45-yard line at the end of third quarter play, it didn't Hickey long to ramble down the sideline for a 30-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 26-21.

The Glads got an another opportunity when Longhorns Jordan Blizzard was stripped of the ball by linebacker Jamie Edwards and suddenly the Glads had the ball on the Saint John 35-yard line.

Two objectionable conduct penalties on the part of Saint John moved the ball all the way to the five-yard line and from there, Brendan Cornford ran around the left end for the five-yard major. Zack Cann made the convert and suddenly, the Glads had the lead at 28-26 with 12 minutes remaining.

Undaunted, the Longhorns took the ensuing kickoff and beginning on their own 40, drove the ball down the field with Blizzard doing much of the work running the ball. He would score from 20 yards out and with the convert, the Longhorns were again in the lead.

Hubbard took the enusing kickoff and got it to the Glads 40-yard line. Two plays later, Hickey went off-tackle, bounced it back inside and outran the entire Longhorns defence for a 75-yard scoring play. Cann's convert put the Gladiators ahead 35-33 with six minutes to go.

That would prove to be decisive. The Longhorns were stopped on a fourth down gamble on their 45-yard line and the Glads would take it down the field using Hickey and Derek Madsen on the ground to eat up the clock. Hickey would finish the drive with yet another touchdown with 1:42 remaining on the clock. Cann sealed the deal with his seventh straight convert. Hickey was named game MVP while Hubbard was named top offensive player.

In the first half, the Glads scored first when defensive Bruce Canning stripped Longhorns quarterback Reece Roche of the ball and scampered 20 yards for the major. Cann hit the convert.

Longhorns got back into the game when after an interception, Blizzard helped march the ball downfield. Roche found Mike Curwin in the end zone for the major to tie the game at seven.

Another turnover gave the Longhorns another chance and Roche went deep to Jim Mather on a 50-yard bomb for the TD and the lead. Blizzard had the convert.

The Glads would tie the game at 14-14 with Hubbard finding the range on a pass from Cornford from 10 yards out.

It was at this point the Longhorns took control, scoring on the subsequent drive with Blizzard taking a swing pass from Roche and working the ball into the end zone from 30 yards out. That made the score 20-14 for Saint John.

They would add to the lead following another turnover by the Glads offence. Taking over on their own 30, Roche would find Mather for yardage. A Blizzard run got the ball to the Glads' 40-yard line. With only seconds left in the half, Roche would launch a long pass to Curwin for the major. The convert was missed, setting the stage for the second half.

Coming up just short
Two Saint John teams fail in bids to capture Maritime Football League championships

By Nathan White
Telegraph-Journal

SAINT JOHN - Both Saint John teams fell short in the Maritime Football League finals Saturday.

The Saint John Wanderers lost 21-13 to the host Riverview Mustangs in the AAA Maritime Bowl, as the Mustangs captured their second straight McIntyre Cup in front of 600 fans at Dobson Field. Meanwhile, the Saint John Longhorns lost their second straight AA Mariner Bowl, by a 42-33 score to the visiting Capital Area Gladiators.

In Riverview, Jon Hachey got the Wanderers on the board early with an eight-yard touchdown run, and a Chris Chesworth convert made it 7-0. But Riverview tied it in the dying seconds of the first half when Johnathan Forbes hauled in a 30-yard TD pass from A.J. Gallant.

Riverview put together a 10-play, 80-yard drive to begin the second half and grabbed a 14-7 lead on Steve Cormier's four-yard TD run on a fourth-and-one gamble.

Saint John struck back in the third quarter on a 35-yard halfback option pass from Jon Haines to Kenny Lawrence. The Wanderers missed the convert and later fumbled a punt return on the 17-yard line. Jason Terris recovered, setting up a two-yard major for Cormier, who wound up with 230 yards on 35 carries.

It was a disappointing finish for the Wanderers, who didn't lose a game until the final weekend of the regular season, and finished tied for first with Riverview and the Dartmouth Knights at 7-1.

Wanderers coach Dave Grandy said the sloppy, rain-soaked field nullified the passing game.

"For 20 minutes, the rain was coming down the size of quarters, guys were sliding seven yards after carrying the ball, like one of those games on TV," said Grandy. "It takes away an element of the game when your quarterback throws the ball well like Jon Hachey does and you get to a one-dimensional system."

The three-time champions will have to wait until next year to go for their fourth title.

In Saint John, the Gladiators struck early, with Bruce Canning stripping the ball from quarterback Reece Roche and running it into the end zone on the first play of the game.

Mike Curwin, Jim Mather, Jordan Blizzard and John Phillips, on an incredible diving catch, all hauled in TD passes from Roche, and Blizzard scored another off a draw play.

With under three minutes to go, the Gladiators led 35-33 and had possession inside the 10-yard line. The Longhorns hoped to let them score quickly and block the conversion attempt, but the strategy backfired, giving Capital Area the nine-point margin.

Andrew Hickey had three rushing majors for the Gladiators, while Brendan Cornford threw a TD pass to Andrew Hubbard and ran for another himself. Zack Cann kicked all six converts.

"While I'm certainly disappointed with the results, I can't help but be encouraged for the future of this Longhorns team," said coach Eric Sabean. "Several of our key players are under the age of 25 and these players are going to form the foundation of this team for seasons to come."

Sabean's "young guns" include Blizzard, Phillips, Curwin, Dan Tibbetts, Andrew Hamilton and Alex Boyle, all of whom will play in next weekend's all-star game. Aaron Wilson, Drew Palmer and Nathan Pratt are also among the Longhorns with promising futures, Sabean said.

Roche was also selected to the all-star game, set for Saturday in Halifax, along with veteran teammates Josh Smith and Dwight Kyle.

Grandy will coach the New Brunswick team as they take on the best from Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Sabean will serve as offensive coordinator while Jamie Edwards of the Gladiators will be the defensive coordinator.

Thirteen Wanderers made the all-star squad: Al Shepard, Chris Wall, Hachey, Haines, Nick Coombes, Mike Thomas, Doug McPhee, Chesworth, Jason Watson, Chris Caissie, Josh Brown, Roger Muise and Tyrell Sparks.

"Those guys played well all year and they deserve to be there," said Grandy. "I'm proud of those guys for what they've done and it's always nice to see guys from your team make the all-star game."

Lee Maloney and Jamie Barefoot of the University of New Brunswick Saint John Wolves are the other all-stars based in the Port City.

Redemption time
Football Two Saint John teams look to avenge last year's playoff losses

By Scott Briggs
Telegraph-Journal

SAINT JOHN - Jon Hachey had to watch his team lose in last year's Maritime Football League semifinal.

It was an agonizing experience considering the quarterback had visions of his Saint John Wanderers going undefeated en route to winning a AAA championship. Hachey, however, saw his season end early due to a hip socket fracture.

The former Saint John High School standout watched the rest of the regular season and the early exit from the playoffs, including a semifinal setback to the Halifax Shockers. The signal caller vowed to come back stronger than ever in 2008, but he had a few months to kill before returning to the gridiron. After making sure his injury had healed properly, Hachey began to take out his frustration in a forum other than football.

He dropped down to about 185 pounds and fought in a pair of lightweights mixed martial arts bouts, winning both. And while it felt great to unleash some pent-up energy, Hachey knew he would ready to return to the pivot position come spring.

He got back up to his playing weight of 215 pounds and prepared to pass and make plays. His efforts helped the Wanderers back to the Maritime Bowl final, which will be Saturday at 4 p.m. against the Riverview at Dobson Field. The Mariner Bowl, the MFL's AA championship, is slated for Saturday at 4 p.m. at Millidgeville Field, where the host Saint John Longhorns welcome the Capital Area Gladiators.

"I think we have a good chance at winning it all,'' said the 24-year-old Hachey. "We beat them in the regular season.''

That was back on July 20 as Saint John outlasted the Mustangs 36-26. Both teams finished with 7-1 records, but Riverview ended up in first place and Saint John second after the regular season on account of a tiebreaking formula that eventually came down to points allowed versus common opponents.

The Dartmouth Knights also finished with a 7-1 ledger and took third place. The Wanderers took care of the Knights, scoring a 41-29 semifinal win last Saturday. Riverview managed a 13-7 semifinal victory over the Halifax Shockers.

Both of the Mustangs' touchdowns came courtesy of running back Steve Cormier, whose fortunes figure to be a key factor in Saturday's game.

"They will probably try to establish a good running game by trying to tire out our defence,'' Hachey said. "We just have to play our game.''

A big part of the Wanderers' success has been Jon Haines, a star running back, linebacker and special-teams player. The 27-year-old remembers last year's semifinal loss more than this year's regular season success.

"(Riverview) beat us last year, so there's some redemption on the line,'' Haines said. "We had some key injuries when we played them last year. That was a big factor in the outcome.

"I'm sure they'll bring a different game than they did (earlier this season). They have a lot of experience and they have their act together on and off the field.''

Haines has put on the pads and laced up the cleats for eight MFL seasons. But the bumps and bruises are on the back burner for now.

"The old body takes a beating every year, but I'm not getting tired,'' Haines said. "I don't have any major injuries. Everybody gets a bit tired toward the end of the season, but we work out in the off-season to prepare for this.

"I'm just looking forward to getting this weekend over with. We've all put in a lot of work, so we'll see what happens.''

Wanderers head coach Dave Grandy believes this year's MFL final is a good way to showcase the league.

"If you're a football fan, come and watch,'' he said. "It's going to be entertaining. I think it's the matchup that everybody was kind of looking for.

"It's always a classic battle. They've played us pretty tough. We want to just keep doing what we've been doing all year - moving the ball on offence and playing tough defence.''

Like the Wanderers, the Longhorns are looking to redeem a loss from a year ago. The Longhorns saw their season end with a AA semifinal setback to Dartmouth.

"This is a better team than we had last year,'' Longhorns head coach Eric Sabean said. "This is the most successful Longhorns' season ever, but to make it complete, we have to win the Mariner Bowl.''

Making that a reality requires executing one key task, according to the Saint John sideline boss.

"We have to contain (Gladiators quarterback) Andrew Hickey,'' Sabean said. "He's one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He's fast, he's not afraid to get hit and he's a game-breaker.''

Offensively, the Longhorns will look to running back Jordan Blizzard, last year's rookie of the year who was a quarterback and receiver.

"Jordan has come into his own lately,'' Sabean said. "By his own admission, he started out a bit slow, but so did our whole offence. He's not new to big games and pressure.

"We have to be as effective with our run game as we have been the last three or four weeks. That's where our strength is.''

That said, Sabean said the Longhorns' defence is the rock that has allowed them to work through rough spots this season. The coach said the efforts of linebacker Andrew Hamilton were a major piece of the puzzle in shutting down opponents.

"We're pretty big on defence,'' Sabean said. "It's because of our defence that we are where we are today.''

The Longhorns defeated the Gladiators 35-21 back on July 20, something that seems like a distant memory to the Saint John squad.

"That victory, as far as I'm concerned, doesn't even count now,'' Sabean said, noting the Gladiators were without Hickey. "They would never use it as an excuse, but they were missing a few key guys.

"They will be ready for us. It's a game that could come down to the last possession.''

Mustangs ready to defend title

Defending champion Riverview squad hosts Saint John Wanderers tomorrow

Times-Transcript

Riverview Mustangs will be carrying a bit of cockiness this weekend. And they don't mind saying so.

"I think we have the best defence in the league and our offence is very strong," said Mustangs CEO Mark Crandall last night. "I have no doubt we'll be hoisting the championship trophy again."

The defending champion Mustangs and arch-rival Saint John Wanderers will clash for the Maritime Football League championship tomorrow at Dobson Field in Riverview at 4 p.m.

Up for grabs in tomorrow's Maritime Bowl is the McIntyre Cup, emblematic of MFL supremacy.

Both clubs finished the regular season at 7-1. The Wanderers beat the Mustangs 36-26 in Riverview on July 4 while the Halifax Shockers handed the Wanderers their only setback -- a 31-26 loss in Saint John on July 26.

Despite Crandall's confidence heading into tomorrow afternoon's game, the team is aware of the fact the Wanderers handed the Mustangs their only loss of the season. But Crandall is not overly concerned.

"We're much improved now," Crandall said. "That loss to Saint John was a wake-up call. We came out flat in that game. . .we were playing as individuals, not as a team."

The defending champion Mustangs downed the Halifax Shockers 23-0 in the championship final last season.

Riverview beat Halifax Shockers 13-7 in last weekend's semifinal. The Wanderers downed Dartmouth Knights 41-29 in Saint John in the other semifinal.

The Mustangs possess a strong offence but it's the defence that Crandall says is the key to his club.

Their defensive line of three -- Shawn Wareham, Dwayne Ells and Jason Terris -- were all nominated as league all-stars. Crandall is also high on safety John Forbes, and defensive halfbacks Ryan Eadie and Mike Miller.

Crandall expects his defence can contain Saint John's strong running game.

"I really think our defence can stop their offence," Crandall said. "If that happens we should be okay."

Offensively, the Mustangs will rely on running back Steve Cormier. The former league MVP was the leading scorer on the team this season and has been nominated for offensive player of the year this season.

"Steve is a leader on and off the field," said Crandall. "He'll be a big part of our offence this weekend."

Other offensive players to watch are quarterback A.J. Gallant and fullback Francis Best. Best will be playing for the St. Mary's Huskies of the Atlantic University Sport football conference.

Crandall expects a big crowd for tomorrow's game and he says the team doesn't really care if it rains or shines.

"We can play in any kind of weather," Crandall said. "But because Saint John has a very good offence I think a wet field would probably be to our advantage . . .it would slow them down more than it would us."

Crandall knows there's going to be a lot of animosity between the two clubs because they've had their share of disagreements over the years.

"It's always a grudge match," Crandall said. "The guys simply don't like each other. . .it's football I guess."

Among the latest controversies is the fact that Saint John beat Riverview in their only regular season meeting and despite both finishing with 7-1 records, Riverview was awarded first place and home-field advantage in the title game.

According to league rules, Riverview snared first place because it allowed less points than Saint John during the regular season.