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North Park's football season ends with loss to Notre Dame

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North Park Collegiate’s high-powered offence finally met its match on Tuesday – the Welland Notre Dame College School defence.

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Facing the Fighting Irish in the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations Central Bowl football championship at Bisons Alumni North Park Sports Complex, the Trojans lost 50-7.

North Park coach Todd Andrew gave credit to his opponents.

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“They were exceptional,” Andrew said of a Welland team that outscored its opponents 249-38 this season while going 6-0.

“Ultimately, their execution level was very high. They had some very talented athletes that got after it.

“They were well prepared on what we did. Hats off to them. Today was not our day and we were outplayed by a deserving champion.”

Tuesday’s game was a rematch from the 2018 Junior Metro Bowl quarter-final, which North Park won 21-14 at home. The conditions on the field at Bisons Alumni North Park Sports Complex were similar for both games – snowy.

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The less than ideal field conditions and the fact the Trojans hadn’t played since Nov. 12 were not excuses for Andrew.

“Our execution was poor, to be honest,” said the coach.

He added that the Irish did a good job of bottling up NPC running back Isaac Cherewka.

“Not to make excuses but a couple of our key guys gave it a valiant effort but were not 100 per cent. That made things fall a little bit more into Isaac’s lap and they were well prepared for him.

“We needed to do some other things and we didn’t. That made things a little bit more difficult.”

After receiving the opening kickoff, Welland marched down the field with five straight runs. Following those runs and a converted pass on second and 12 at the NPC 50-yard line, Welland kept going and it eventually scored the game’s opening touchdown on a 17-yard run by Tal Ibriham.

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That drive, which was converted by Jake Laewetz, took 3:02 off the clock.

Trailing 7-0, North Park’s offence came onto the field and, in a sign of things to come, could get nothing going. The Trojans would end the quarter with three possessions that resulted in just six plays.

Late in the first quarter, NPC punted. Following the change of possession, Notre Dame quarterback Marshall McCray ran 70 yards to get the ball to the North Park two-yard line.

On the first play of the second quarter, McCray snuck the ball in from the one and, following the Laewetz convert, the Trojans trailed 14-0.

Things didn’t improve on offence in the second quarter for the home team but the defence came up big. Following a Jarrett Runge stop on second and long, Welland went for it on third down. On the ensuing play, the Trojans’ secondary came up with a big stop.

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With NPC’s offence still sputtering, Notre Dame had no such trouble. With 4:05 remaining until the half, Ibriham scored on a short run and Laewetz kicked the convert.

It looked as if that would be the way things remained until the second half but the Irish weren’t done. They scored twice more with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter – on a 65-yard interception return by Dayshawn Johnson with 42 seconds left and on a one-yard run by Ibriham on the last play of the half.

Laewetz kicked a convert and McCray scored a two-point convert on a botched snap to make it 36-0.

Looking for some kind of spark, the Trojans got it right away in the second half when Garwayne Rowe took the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Tariq Hamed kicked the convert to make the score 36-7.

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However, on its first play from scrimmage following the NPC score, Welland responded with Ibriham running the ball in on a 60-yard jaunt, which was converted by Laewetz.

Ibriham would score once more, his fifth touchdown of the game, which Laewetz converted to round out the scoring.

The loss ends a successful season for the Trojans.

North Park went 5-0 in the Athletic Association of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk senior football league before winning a semifinal against Paris District High School and the final against St. John’s College.

“It was a great season for our kids to win the city championship, especially with a lot of graduating kids,” said Andrew, noting it is an honour to host the OFSAA game.

“All in all, it goes back to the same sentiment you’ve been hearing from coaches across the province – it’s great to see kids playing football again.”

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