(From the Telegraph Journal – Article by Evan Clark)
SAINT JOHN – When it rains it pours.
A double entendre that applies as much to the weather during Saturday’s Maritime Football League championship game as it did to the surging offence on both sides of the field.
The Saint John Vito’s Alpine Wanderers slogged through the marsh-like conditions at Simonds High School to double the Dartmouth Knights 52-26, and capture their second Maritime championship in as many years.
“You come into one of these games and you never know what you’re getting into,”
said Wanderers head coach Mark Gallagher,
“We just brought four quarters of football and I’m just really proud of the guys and the way they played all season.”
What began as a trickle two years ago, when the Wanderers began a two-season unbeaten streak has since eroded its banks and flooded the league, leaving no team untouched.
The Wanderers went 6-0 in this year’s regular season, and punched their ticket to the Maritime final by edging out the Riverview Mustangs 36-33 in the New Brunswick conference championship on Aug. 6.
Quarterback Jon Hachey has played an integral part in that success. When asked how he felt after a repeat championship performance he simply said that he was relieved.
“We knew we could do it and we knew we had the talent to do it,”
said Hachey.
“I’m proud of everyone on the team. We never lost heart.”
Hachey was named all-around most valuable player in Saturday’s game, scored one touchdown and rushed for more than 100 yards.
The Wanderers drew first blood in the contest when fullback Jon Haines scored a touchdown, capping off an eight-play drive. Haines rushed for 60 yards before running out of field in the end-zone. Kicker Mark Hall then hoofed the conversion making it 7-0. The Wanderers would score again before the Knights even had a possession.
Bruce Armstrong of the Knights, returned the kick but lost control of the ball in contact and the loose ball was smothered by the Wanderers. Hachey then hooked up with receiver Mike Thomas, who scored a touchdown from 30 yards out.
Strong defensive pressure off the kick-off saw the Knights begin their drive from their own 20-yard line.
The defensive push continued with a big tackle by Roger Muise on Knights running back Mike Lynds, causing a three yard loss.
Two more strong defensive stands put the Knights on their heels deep in their own zone, forcing them to punt.
Phil Dobson of the Wanderers used his body to block the punt, then picked up the pigskin and carried it backwards into the end zone for a touchdown making the score 20-0 after Hall’s conversion.
It wasn’t until the second quarter, after a fourth Wanderer touchdown scored by Doug McPhee in a 38-yard collaboration with Hachey, that the Knights finally hit the board.
Armstrong found his footing and returned a kick deep into enemy territory.
The Knights set up a clever screen play that allowed Tyrone Roue to cross the line from 25 yards out, making the score 26-6 after a failed conversion.
The Knights would carry four more over the line and score one two-point conversion, but the outcome was never in doubt.
Nick Combs, Jon Bailey and Josh Brown would each score individual touchdowns and Hall would mark four points on conversions, while offensive MVP, running-back Marcus Fitzgerald, scored two touchdowns on the day to double any Knights effort. Defensive MVP went to Rodney Fraser of the Knights.