Maritime Football League
2009 Game Summaries

Week 11: August 8 "Finals"

Mustangs pull off football three-peat
Word dynasty tossed around after 16-7 win over Shockers in Maritime Bowl

By Neil Hodge
Published in the Times-Transcript on Monday August 10, 2009
Appeared on Page B1

The Riverview Molson Mustangs have entered new territory.

They earned distinction as the first club to capture three consecutive Maritime Football League championships with a 16-7 win over the Halifax Shockers in the Maritime Bowl on Saturday in front of 600 fans at Dobson Field.

"Dynasty is the word," said Mustangs star running back Shea Lenehan, who scored 10 touchdowns in three playoff games.

"We're a dynasty now. You've got to win three in a row before you can call yourself a dynasty and we accomplished that so it's something to be proud of. Everyone on this team works hard for each other, nobody plays selfishly. We're a close-knit bunch with a team-first mentality.

"It's good to get the win for Riverview. Who would've thought we would have a three-time defending championship team? We've just got a great group of guys and everyone plays their hearts out. Everyone works hard in practice and it pays off in games."

This marks the seventh consecutive year that a New Brunswick club won the Maritime Bowl. Riverview and the Saint John Wanderers are the most successful teams in league history with three championships each.

Riverview, a five-year-old club, boasts a 41-5 lifetime record in the regular season and playoffs combined. It's currently on a 15-game winning streak and the only opponent it's ever lost to is the Wanderers.

The Mustangs capped off a perfect 10-0 season with a hard-fought victory in the Maritime Bowl. They relied on three field goals by Jordan Kenny and a clutch defence that made big plays to stop a couple of dangerous Halifax scoring threats.

"We expected it would be a close game," said Kenny. "They gave us a great game so it was a lot of fun. This is my first year on the team. I haven't won a championship in a long time so it's a big honour to be on this team.

"We worked hard for this championship from Day 1. Even though they won the championship the previous two seasons, all the returning guys wanted it just as much. You could feel our hunger level all season."

Riverview scored on its first two possessions to grab a 10-0 lead after the first quarter.

Kenny opened the summary with an 18-yard field goal. The Mustangs then put together a seven-play drive that covered 55 yards, something that was capped off by Lenehan's two-yard touchdown run.

Halifax cut its deficit to 10-7 on the opening play of the second quarter. Ben Ferguson's 28-yard touchdown run completed a six-play drive that spanned 77 yards.

Riverview ranked No. 1 in the league both offensively and defensively during the regular season by outscoring opponents 241-72. The hometown squad found itself in the strange position of being in a tight game with a 10-7 lead at halftime.

This contest was for the most part dominated by the defences. Both clubs had trouble putting together sustained offensive drives so the kicking game and special teams were prominent.

A key turning point came in the dying seconds of the first half. Halifax moved the ball deep, but the drive ended when Riverview's Matt Kenny came up with an interception on his own three-yard line to keep his club's 10-7 lead intact.

Riverview rounded out the game's scoring with a pair of field goals in the third quarter to make it 16-7. Jordan Kenny connected from 26 yards and 21 yards.

The Mustangs depended heavily on the running game with Lenehan being the primary workhorse. One of their few big plays through the air was a 50-yard pass from Donovan Boucher to Dylan Hollohan to help set up the final field goal.

Halifax took over on the opposition 50-yard line with less than three minutes remaining, but any thoughts of a comeback ended quickly. Riverview's Matt MacLeod made an interception and returned it to the visitor's 21-yard line to seal the win.

"We practise hard every week and we're all good friends so it means a lot to share this success together," said Riverview offensive lineman Nick Sleeper. "Not every team has the close friendships that we do so it's nice.

"We work together as a team. There's no one person out there who's above the rest. We're the first team to win three straight championships in this league so we will treasure this for sure."

Riverview head coach Rob Weir put this championship into perspective.

"It's definitely a big deal to me and all the guys," he said. "Three championships in a row is a big deal. Year after year, the pressure gets on you.

Everybody's talking about whether you're going to three-peat, but we went out and did it.

"We felt the pressure, but we overcame it. This was a tough game today. We had to work for every yard on offence and our defence came up with some big plays at key times."

Is dynasty the word to describe Riverview?

"The Wanderers won three championships," said Weir. "We've won three championships, but we did it three in a row. I don't like to throw the word dynasty around, but if someone else wants to that's okay.

"It says a lot about the character of our players that they've been able to keep their hunger level this high for such a long period. They've worked hard and avoided becoming complacent with all the success we've had."

Riverview looks for more MFL glory
Mustangs host Maritime Bowl today at 4 p.m.

By Neil Hodge
Published in the Times-Transcript on Saturday August 8, 2009
Appeared on Page C1

Donovan Boucher is leading a charmed existence.

The quarterback is a third-year member of the Riverview Molson Mustangs and he's looking to keep a perfect streak intact. He has a shot at winning his third Maritime Football League championship when the club hosts the Halifax Shockers in the Maritime Bowl today at 4 p.m. at Dobson Field.

"There's so many words to describe it," he said. "Phenomenal would be one of them. Nobody has won three straight championships in this league so it would be a great feeling to be part of a team that goes in the history books.

"This is the third straight season we've been the team to beat. People have been gunning for us like crazy. Being part of a team that three-peats would let you know that all the hard work you did during the season means something."

Riverview, 7-0, and Halifax, 6-1, were the top two clubs in the league during the regular season. The Mustangs posted a 28-14 road win on June 13 in the only meeting between these two clubs.

Riverview, a five-year-old club, is 40-5 lifetime in the regular season and playoffs combined. The Mustangs are currently on a 14-game winning streak that dates back to a 36-26 loss to the Saint John Wanderers on July 4, 2008.

The Mustangs have been a model of consistency over the years with the same hunger level. What's allowed them to avoid becoming complacent in the face of so much success?

"Our coaching staff is very good," said Boucher. "They run things very professionally in practice. We don't practice like we are undefeated. If someone were to come and watch one of our practices, it would look like we're in a dogfight.

"Our defence is always trying to prove that nobody is as good as them. Our offence is always trying to grind the ball and show that even if opponents know we're going to run at them we can still run the ball down their throat. We strive for perfection."

Riverview ranked No. 1 in the league both offensively and defensively this season by outscoring opponents 241-72.

The Mustangs defeated Halifax 23-0 in the 2007 Maritime Bowl. Boucher expects a much tougher task in today's rematch.

"We expect them to have a strong defence as they did when we played them this season," he said. "They have very athletic linebackers. They have a solid defensive line and their defensive backs are football players, not just guys going through the motions.

"Offensively, they can move the ball. They have a running back (Ben Ferguson) who can break it open at any time and he can also pound the middle very well. They also have a very athletic quarterback in Chris Livingston.

"He played university football and knows the game well. When things start to break down for them he can make things happen with his feet to buy time. He sees the field very well. We need to stop their running game and get under their quarterback's helmet to throw him off his game."

Riverview running back Shea Lenehan has emerged into a star this season, scoring nine touchdowns in the past two playoff games. He has eased the pain of losing high-profile running back Steve Cormier to a season-ending injury in Week 3.

"Shea Lenehan has been the best running back in the league this season in my opinion," said Boucher. "He has really come into his own. I think he's the perfect fit for our team.

"He's the stereotypical running back that we like to have in our offence. He's very good at going up the middle. He loves contact. He can also turn it up and go outside when we need him to.

"We like to think we have some good receivers, but we're mainly a running team.

We are a run first team and we use the run to open up our passing attack. We've had success with that."

By Neil Hodge
Published in the Times-Transcript on Friday August 7, 2009
Appeared on Page B1

The Riverview Molson Mustangs boast a 40-5 lifetime record in the regular season and playoffs combined during their five-year history in the Maritime Football League.

What's more, the only team they've ever lost to is the Saint John Wanderers.

"We're well aware of that statistic," said Halifax Shockers head coach Blair Ryan, whose club will visit Riverview in the Maritime Bowl tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Dobson Field.

"I don't care so much about the fact nobody other than Saint John has ever beaten them. It's not something I think about. The thing I do think about is that we've handled them better each time we've played them in my three years with the team."

Riverview posted a 28-14 road win over Halifax on June 13 in their only meeting this season.

"Before that game, we felt they were the team to beat," said Ryan. "Obviously, they're the two-time defending champion. I think after that game despite the score we felt pretty good about our chances should we meet up again.

"We felt that with a few adjustments we could certainly compete with them. It was Week 3 and our offence, which is 100 per cent new this season, hadn't really come around yet. We're averaging 35 points per game the past five or six weeks.''

Riverview, 7-0, finished atop the senior men's tackle league and ranked No. 1 both offensively and defensively by outscoring opponents 241-72. Halifax was second overall at 6-1.

Riverview is looking to capture its third consecutive Maritime Bowl, something that no team has accomplished in the league's history.

"Week 3 was the hump for us," said Ryan. "Our only loss this season was against Riverview and we got some good ideas from that game. We've now got the right tools, the right people.

"The reason Riverview wins all the time is they do the same few things over and over again, but they do them extremely well. We have to dictate how the game is going to go. We need to do things to force them to play a different kind of game than they're used to."

Riverview is a perfect 9-0 this season in the regular schedule and playoffs combined. It defeated the Prince Edward Island Privateers 56-13 and the Saint John Wanderers 28-17 in the playoffs.

Halifax reached the league final by defeating the Dartmouth Knights 17-8 and the Capital Area Gladiators of Fredericton 41-19 in the playoffs.

Halifax captured the first Maritime Bowl in 2002. New Brunswick has produced the past six league champions -- Saint John three times, Riverview twice and Moncton once.

"I don't think as much has gone into the development of football in Nova Scotia," said Blair when asked about New Brunswick's dominance in the MFL.

"The fact you're calling us to get quotes for a newspaper is just further evidence of that. I haven't seen an article on the Halifax Shockers in a Halifax newspaper in the three years I've been involved. We don't get media coverage here.

"People don't know we exist. The only fans we get are family and friends. The league is just not developing at the same pace in Nova Scotia. New Brunswick is doing it better as a province than we are."

Riverview and Halifax owned the league's two best records in the regular season.

"I think it's generally accepted around the league that we are the two best teams," said Blair. "I think it's good for the league that we're meeting in the final. This is the way it should be."