Stampeder offence fails to ignite

       Saunders blanks Parkside, 24-0, in TVRA B senior football semi-final 

              Friday, November 10, 2017

By Rob J. Ross

ST. THOMAS - The Parkside Stampeders could never find the ignition switch to their offence.

The London Saunders Sabres capitalized on that, along with turning a few big offensive plays of their own, blanking the Stampeders, 24-0, in a Thames Valley Regional Athletics (TVRA) senior football B Flight semi-final, at Parkside CI.

"We couldn't find that spark. We played really well but we couldn't get in to an offensive rhythm early," Parkside head coach Jason Congdon said. "It's tough with those elements (wind). You overthrow a ball by a foot, or stumble trying to catch it, the ball ends up on the ground. We had four deep passes that were inches away. We catch one or two of those, it's a different game."

Saunders led 10-0 after one quarter, picking up points in three ways, a single, one safety and a 15-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Smith. The Sabres missed adding to the score in the second quarter, hitting the cross bar, on a 32-yard field goal attempt.

In the third quarter, Saunders picked up another safety and made good on a 30-yard field goal kick, by Noel Franklin, for a 15-0 lead.

Still in the game throughout the second half, turnovers, a fumble and interception, stalled an offence that was already struggling.

The Sabres put the game out of reach, in the fourth quarter, with a third safety and TD run by Donald George. Franklin kicked both PAT's.

"It stinks to end this way. It's never good to end earlier then you want," said Congdon.

Several starters will be graduating, but a solid core will return next season and Congdon encourages those players to stay active and get stronger.

Congdon also looks forward to having the current junior Colts in the senior stable.

Parkside faces the East Elgin Eagles, in the TVRA junior football final, Thursday, at City Wide Fields.

"It's great for the Elgin football community," Congdon said. "They (Colts) are extremely athletic and have a good distribution of size and skill. Zach Copeland is probably the second best kicker in all of Thames Valley."