‘David’ does not prevail, but IDCI Juniors exit field with heads held high

College Avenue Knights Charlie Ashman (left) and teammate Jujaar Randhawa combine for a tackle on St Joe’s Ram Kenyen Aphayvong, with Kole Phelps approaching from the right. (Jeff Tribe Photo).

Jeff Tribe

A sling and stone not being available, Ingersoll District CI (IDCI) junior Blue Bombers backup quarterback Rhys Johnson relied on his right arm and a football.

The St. Thomas St. Joe’s Rams - ‘Goliath’ in this case - would not be vanquished on this day, earning a 23-12 Thames Valley Regional Athletics Williamson Division junior championship victory at home on Nov. 8. However, the Grade 9 Johnson and his 5’3”, 117, maybe 118-pound frame fit admirably into the role of ‘David’ as the Bombers capped a fourth-quarter statement drive on the game’s final play.

Trailing 23-6 with time running out and starting quarterback Logan Janzen injured in the first half, it would have been easy to simply give up. Instead, the Bombers initiated an extended if interrupted late drive via a Cody Fleming interception. IDCI advanced the ball on a strong run across midfield by Kodie Yulie and first-down passes from converted wide receiver Conner Thompson to Gavin Laidman. On the second, Laidman showed great instincts, coming back to the ball for a 19-yard gain on fourth-and-three from the Rams’ 47.

“I saw him and threw it,” said Thompson, willing to step up and try and help out the team in whatever role demanded.

St. Joe’s Blake Howes picked off an option pitch attempt, turning the ball over with 2:16 remaining. However, the Bombers ‘D’ stiffened, with Yulie knocking down two pass attempts and Doug Cattrysse contributing a crucial tackle.

“Just saw him running,” said Cattrysse, whose hit forced the Rams to give up possession.

Working with a scant 34.6 seconds, IDCI picked up 12 yards, Laidman elevating to snare a Kace Pelton pass, advancing to the St. Joe’s six with 7.4 seconds remaining on a subsequent unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Under severe pressure, Johnson rolled to his right, recognizing the Rams’ safety heading toward him and Laidman coming clear on a wheel route in the right side of the St. Joe’s endzone.

“I curled with him and he puts a beautiful ball up in open space,” credited the Bombers’ receiver.

In the big picture, one could view the late IDCI touchdown as an irrelevant statistic, a 23-12 rather than 23-6 final. Alternatively, one could view the remarkable play as the culmination of a heavy underdog refusing to simply concede.

“You go until the clock says zero,” Thompson summed up.

St. Joe’s had opened the scoring with Janzen tying the game at six on a two-yard run before being injured. The Rams added an additional touchdown, field goal and extra point to lead 16-6 at halftime.

“Despite the result, I couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of them,” said Bombers coach Nick DiCiocco, noting his 27-member squad had taken the field against a powerhouse, Tier one calibre squad with 60 players. “I think they expected to steamroll us and we gave them a game.”

DiCiocco remembers his own playing experience in a championship football game and is confident each Blue Bomber will too.

“Now they’ve tasted it, it gives them the motivation to get back here.”

St. Joe’s Senior Rams 46, Woodstock College Avenue Knights 24

The Knights certainly had their moments in the Will Rice TVRA senior championship game, including three Jevaughn Roberts touchdowns as part of a 250-yard rushing performance, and a fourth major on a 13-yard jet sweep by Teshaine Peach.

But in a game where College Avenue arguably had to play perfectly, two big moments from the Rams stood out. Firstly, a first-quarter goal-line stand that had the Knights been able to convert, would have given them an early 6-3 lead. Secondly, after answering Peach’s touchdown with a pass to Gage Lincoln for a 17-6 lead, St. Joe’s successfully executed an onside kick to regain possession with 1:57 to play in the opening half. A pass interference call set up the Rams first-and-goal from the one, converted on a Brayden Sauther pass reception for a 24-6 halftime advantage the home team was essentially able to ride to victory.

“Just not enough,” said Peach, who had a great two-way game including several hits from his defensive secondary position.

“We had to be perfect to beat them,” added Knights’ Charlie Ashman, citing a couple of plays and opportunities his squad was unable to capitalize on. “When you play a team this good you have to, or else they’re going to make you pay.”

Despite the result, Ashman echoed teammate Tykan Zehr’s post-game huddle comments about the ‘brotherhood’ Knights players have enjoyed.

“A great season,” Ashman concluded of a 6-2 campaign including a championship appearance. “The best teammates I would ask for to play all season with.”

Depth had been a challenge for the Knights said coach Ryan Stafford and was expected to be against a powerful and deep Rams squad. However, he felt the game was closer than the score indicated, and was again impressed by Roberts, who Stafford considers one of the province’s premiere running backs. 

“He proved it again today,” said the coach. “I’m super proud of all my graduating kids that are done,” he added, “and look forward to continuing with this program and bringing the most out of our kids.”