THUNDER BAY – The Westgate Tigers had a chance to edge out the St. Ignatius Falcons on the final play on Friday night.
But it wasn’t meant to be.
Westgate kicker Evan Zurevinski’s potential game-winning, 31-yard field goal attempt instead turned into a low line drive that resulted in a rouge, preserving the St. Ignatius Falcons’ 18-17 triumph at Fort William Stadium, a game they once led 18-3.
One drive earlier the Tigers (1-2-1) closed to within two, Brendan Hall culminating a 58-yard drive with a one-yard scoring run that made it 18-16 with just over a minute to play in the fourth.
But Westgate quarterback Kam Vanderwees’ shovel pass on the subsequent two-point conversion attempt bounced harmlessly into the turf, the Tigers apparently out of chances with time ticking down.
Not so fast.
The ensuing onside kick failed, but the Falcons fumbled two plays later, Eric Moffatt pouncing on the ball near midfield to give Westgate one last lifeline. As time ran out, they could only penetrate as deep as the St. Ignatius 25.
The finish might be disappointing, but it was a lesson worth learning, Hall said.
“We’re working more as a team, more as a family. We’ve been working on fourth quarters and we’re going to try to come back,” Hall said.
Tigers coach Mike McNally said it was a tough way to lose, but the comeback from 15 points down gives hope going forward.
“We’ve shown our resiliency. We’re battling back in the fourth quarter. It seems like we’re waiting a little bit to get on the gas, but our team showed it can play with everybody,” McNally said.
“The biggest difference this week was the amount of aggression we had on defence. If you can keep them to two-and-outs, that’s what we want. Our offence this week also had some drives, which keeps our defence off the field.”
Zurevinski hit from six yards out to give the Tigers an early 3-0 lead, but the Falcons roared back in the second, quarterback Jordan Maki calling his own number on the Westgate two-yard line and plowing through the pile to cross the goal line for a 7-3 Falcons advantage
After scoring a rouge, Maki hit Noah Penfold for a 50-yard reception to the Westgate 20, leading to a 22-yard Leonardo Pernia field goal at the halftime buzzer, St. Ignatius taking an 11-3 advantage into the third.
Maki and Penfold connected again after the break, this time for 30 yards and a score and the Falcons stretched their lead to a game-high 15.
Taking the ball on their own 12, the Tigers marched 98 yards down the field, Hall scoring his first major of the evening from one yard out.
St. Patrick 25, Superior Collegiate 0: Colin Wiseman scored a one-yard touchdown and Cooper Pytych dashed home from 38 yards out to lead St. Patrick (1-2-1) to their first win of the season. Bryson Bottoset also scored a TD for the Saints. The Gryphons remained winless at 0-3-0.
