Tigers look to repeat

The Westgate Tigers have looked a little stronger at most points in the senior football season, but on Friday they still managed to get the job done.

As a result, next they'll play for a second straight championship, thanks to a 16-0 Fort William Stadium blanking of the Hammarskjold Vikings.

Scoring machine Hunter Mina and fellow running back Stewart Melenick did the damage offensively for the Tigers, who have yet to lose in eight outings in 2011.

Mina punched one in from four yards out late in the second quarter to break open a 2-0 game at that point, and Melenick scored an insurance major from three yards out with five minutes to go, ensuring Westgate a return trip to the senior boys final.

Though it wasn't a blowout, it was more than enough, said Mina, the Tigers go-to guy at the goal line, with 13 touchdowns in eight games.

"We did what we had to do and it worked out in our favour," said Mina.

As is the Westgate mantra, it was a steady diet of rushing the ball, chewing up clock and controlling the play, something Mina said the Tigers have the luxury of doing, thanks to their size and skill up front.

"The o-line blocked beautifully," said Mina, who finished with a game-high 191 yards rushing, adding eight tackles and a sack on defense.

"It was a great game for us. They made holes like crazy, that's why it was so easy to run."

The senior back acknowledged it might not be quite as easy in the final, where the Tigers will take on Jared White and the Churchill Trojans, after White connected on five touchdown passes Friday, leading the Trojans to a 63-7 thrashing of the St. Patrick Saints in the other semifinal.

"We're just going to stick with what we do best and bring it to the house," said Mina, one goal on his mind. "I want to go back to the Northern Bowl in Toronto so bad. That's one thing I'm looking forward to so bad, so I hope to God we win next week."

Westgate coach Mike McNally said it wasn't hard to motivate his players as the semifinal date rolled around.

"The newspaper article that talked about them being able to beat us in any weather, at any time, that was blown up and put in the locker room. These guys felt a little bit disrespected because we did have a good hard game the last time we played," McNally said.

"They're a very good football team. So our defence really wanted to come out today and just put the emphasis on us and not on their offence. I think they did a good job of that, and our running game today controlled the clock. And that's key for us."

Westgate appeared to be headed for the game's first score midway through the second quarter, but on a third and five, Alex Gerolami was stopped at the line and the Vikings took over on downs.

Hammarskjold went three and out, but instead of punting the ball away,  Mitch Hannusch took a knee in the end zone for a safety. The Vikings attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by the Tigers, who promptly marched down the field where Mina made it 9-0, a lead they took to the half.

Hammarskjold coach Mike Judge said Westgate simply had their number.

"Our defence struggled and we had a hard time getting any offense mounted," he said. "The kids played hard, and I'm really, really proud of them, but they were the better team today, that's for sure."

In the second semifinal, the Trojans started slow, with a White to Cameron Claridge 58-yard touchdown the only major of the opening quarter.

Churchill scored three more touchdowns in the second, added three in the third and two more to wrap things up in the fourth.
Claridge finished with 210 yards receiving and three scores. White also hit Justin Fui and Julian Schulz in the decisive victory.