Sabercats wrap up regular season

Needing a win to clinch a home playoff game, a pair of third-quarter touchdowns ended the Sault Sabercats varsity teams hopes of a home playoff date.

Trailing 17-13 at the half, the Sabercats surrendered a pair of touchdowns in a four-minute span in the third quarter and dropped a 44-25 Ontario Varsity Football League decision to the Cambridge Lions Saturday night at Rocky DiPietro Field.

Cambridge quarterback Mack Christopher ran the ball in for a pair of touchdown runs in the third to give the Lions a 31-13 lead at the time.

“That’s the killer,” Sabercats coach Steve Nott said of the two touchdowns. “We had chances the entire game. We were two banged-up teams and it comes down to who makes plays. We had our chances. We had some tough calls against us, whether they were right or wrong, took some momentum away from us.”

Christopher finished the night with three touchdown runs in the win for Cambridge.

Nott said the game came down to Cambridge capitalizing on some big plays.

“We were really close,” Nott said. “I can’t say we came out here and got dominated. When (Cambridge) needed it, they got a play and when we needed it, we threw a pick or we fumbled it. It comes down to that kind of stuff.

Jeff Auger had three touchdowns, catching passes of 45 and 25 yards from Hunter Holub and a 20-yard major from Evan Bodnar, for the Sabercats.

“He’s definitely a difference-maker for us,” Nott said of Auger

Nick Nicoletta caught a 40 yard touchdown pass as well as for the Sabercats.

Nathan MacLean, who caught a 45-yard touchdown pass, kicked a pair of field goals as well for Cambridge.

The Sabercats wrap up the regular season with a 5-3 record while Cambridge also finishes at 5-3.

In junior varsity action, the Sabercats dropped a 57-6 decision to the Lions.

Greg Caruso had the lone touchdown for the Sabercats on a 26-yard pass from Michael Byron in the final minute of the third quarter.

Byron finished the day with 205 yards passing on 18 completions

Darian Belkosky ran the ball six times for 29 yards while Jordan Arruda caught five passes for 72 yards

Elvis Sanchez had four touchdowns for Cambridge, including a 101-yard run late in the game.

Dylan Ferdinand and Dax Van Velzer added a pair of touchdowns each for Cambridge.

Defensively for the Sabercats, Jacob Fecteau had four solo tackles and five assisted tackles.

The Sabercats finish the OVFL season 0-8 while Cambridge ends the regular season 6-2.