JV Sabercats enter playoffs on winning note

The Sault Sabercats junior varsity team will head into the Ontario Football Conference playoffs on a roll.

After a season-opening loss, the Sabercats will head into the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak after a 48-7 victory over the North Halton Crimson Tide on Saturday afternoon at Superior Heights. 

The Crimson Tide, already out of playoff contention going into the contest, made the trip north after talk that the team was going to forfeit the game.

“We knew what we had to do. We were happy to get the game because it looked like we might not have a game,” said Sabercats Coach Jim Monico. “We needed it for preparation for the playoffs. We knew what we had to do and got out of it with no injuries.

The Sabercats jumped out to an early lead and led 21-0 through one quarter en route to the win.

On their opening drive, Nick Pagnotta ran the ball in from 32 yards out to give the Sabercats the lead just under four minutes in. Martin Colicchio punched the ball in for a two-point convert on the play to put the Sabercats up 8-0 early on.

Pagnotta would run the ball in for another major later in the quarter, scoring from 16 yards out three minutes later to put the Sabercats up 15-0.

Pagnotta picked up his third major of the opening quarter on a 41-yard run in the final minute, giving the Sabercats a 22-0 lead.

“We preached that,” Monico said of the quick start. “We wanted to get up early and give them no life and put them away as fast as we could. They were short numbers and we didn’t want to give them any life.”

On the first play of the second quarter, Ethan Fawcett picked off a Luke Hickling pass, giving the Sabercats the ball deep in Crimson Tide territory.

On the next play, Colton Smithers caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Brechin to further extend the lead.

Dylan Forsyth would catch a 16-yard touchdown pass with 2:25 to go in the half to make the score 35-0 heading into the half.

Aaron Pepper would get North Halton on the board late in the third quarter on a one-yard run to make the score 35-7.

Just over three minutes into the fourth quarter, Pagnotta would get back on the board with a 26-yard touchdown run, making it 42-7.

In the final minute of the game, Michael Nicoletta picked off a pass and returned the ball 80 yards for a touchdown.

Pagnotta finished the day with 155 yards rushing on six carries and four touchdowns. 

Brechin completed seven of nine passes for 79 yards and two touchdowns while also ran for 72 yards on seven carries.

Defensively for the Sabercats, Seth Rouball had three tackles and two assists.

The win means the JV Sabercats finish the OFC regular season with a 7-1 record and host playoff action next weekend.

North Halton forfeited Saturday’s varsity game, meaning the Sabercats finish the regular season with a 6-2 record and are set to host an OFC playoff game next weekend at Superior Heights.