Hawks go for two minor football titles

   Both the U10 and U12 teams win semifinals to play in November   

  October 30, 2022

By Rob J. Ross

LONDON, Ont. - The St. Thomas Hawks will be playing for two minor football titles.

Both the U10 and U12 Hawks have advanced to their respective London Minor Football championship games.

The U12 Hawks remain undefeated this season, winning an eighth consecutive game and their sixth by shutout, blanking the Hammers, 37-0, in the semifinals Sunday at City Wide Sports Park.

"The defence is the backbone of this team. They know how to tackle. They know their jobs. They know how to contain," Hawks' head coach Patrick DesRosiers said. "The O-line is making their blocks. The running backs, without the ball, are making their blocks."

St. Thomas jumped out to a 14-0 lead and kept pushing for more.

"There's a drive in them. A hunger. Our motto, E.A.T. We're hungry and we go after it," DesRosiers said. "The players have all bought in and play as a collective.

It's a not a one man show. Everyone contributes. No one is playing two ways. Everyone has their roles and they trust the system."

DesRosiers credited his co-coaches for developing a system and culture, including U10 head coach John Jakobi.

"A lot of these kids have moved up from John, the U10s to us and they have talent and they know what they're doing," said DesRosiers.

The Hawks take on the Bulldogs, Sunday, November 5 at City Wide.

In the U10 semifinals, the third seeded Hawks won a back and forth affair, 42-35 over the second place Rams.

"We played great today," said Jakobi. "That's a very good football team (Rams). We lost to them in the regular season, so it's nice to beat them out."

Throughout the game, both side took turns scoring.

"It was like a track meet today. In an offensive game like this, every possession you got to score," Jakobi said. "It was back and forth. There was little defence in the first half. In the second half our defence showed up and stopped them twice."

The Hawks whom fumbled early in the game, force a fumble late in the fourth quarter, to take possession.

"The boys have some such a long way since the beginning of the season. A lot of them, it's their first time playing and they didn't know. Then they get out here and they know what they're supposed to do," said Jakobi. "We only have 16 players, so they play both ways. Offence and defence. It makes practice tough because we can never scrimmage."

But the Hawks will be playing footwall in November, facing unbeaten Hammers, in the final, 10 a.m. Sunday November 5, at City Wide.

"It's been a while since we've been in the final. Two years ago we were really close, but we didn't punch it in on the last play from the one (in the semifinal)," Jakobi said. "(Hammers) are the favourites. We lost to them pretty big in the regular season. It's going to be a challenge."

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