Cornwall Wildcats win 25-22 OT over Cumberland Panthers

Content of the article

The Cornwall Wildcats survived a late onslaught from another predatory feline to win at Joe St. on Saturday. Denis in town, the season opener of the Ontario Summer Football League.

Content of the article

Kicker Zach Aubin, who had been booming for them all game long, easily went over from 27 yards out to break a 22-22 tie and win 25-22 against the Cumberland Panthers.

Content of the article

Wildcats head coach Alex Labonte said the extra week of practice was helpful.

“Usually you don’t like a bye week to start the season, but this time it gave us extra preparation,” Labonte said.

It was fully expected that the opener against Cumberland would be a test and it would be difficult.

“I usually hate to say this, but they’re usually top cheeses in our division,” he said, and he probably had something to prove as the Wildcats managed to finish ahead last season.

“So it’s a good thing I took the hand first.”

Both teams traded majors in the first half of overtime.

First, quarterback Carter Camplin hauled in a short pass from QB Chase Gillispie for a 22-15 Wildcats lead after the extra point. The short field was set up by the previous play when Gillispie went 21 yards.

Content of the article

Labonte recruited Gillispie from an Ottawa school when it became apparent that college player Xavier Uhr, still eligible for summer league, was focusing on his Mount Allison team.

It was an added advantage for Uhr to help Gillispie and his capable backups, Labonte said.

A horse collar tackle on Camplin’s TD play forced Cumberland to punt from the Cats’ 50-yard line instead of the 35.

Regardless, the Panthers methodically moved the ball toward the end zone until it was third down, allowing Cumberland’s Colin Bernard to punt it in for a 22-22 tie.

The Wildcats had to keep their defense on the field as the Panthers this time got the first crack at the second sudden-death series.

Deciding to surprise the Wildcats’ D, Panthers QB McAllaster Holmes drove deep into the right corner of the end zone. But Cornwall defensive back Prince of Outtara took the position to task and took it over to save the game.

Content of the article

On their own possession, the Wildcats were one yard away from a first down, but with Aubin’s range, plus accuracy, it didn’t matter.

Earlier in the afternoon, Cornwall came close to a victory in regulation when RB Joshua Downey ran past two defenders in the left corner for a 15-0 lead.

The Panthers found themselves in the fourth quarter offensively.

Massimo Dinardo fired a long pass almost four minutes into the quarter to cut the lead.

Holmes’ sharp passing continued a few minutes later, bringing Cumberland within yards of the goal line with three minutes remaining.

“Our problem was the fourth quarter when I felt like I was just looking at (Holmes) at times,” Labonte said.

Then receiver Liam Saumure caught a pass just inside the one-yard line to tie the game at 15-15.

Cornwall opened the scoring late in the first quarter when RB Keegan Aragon-McCann scampered for a 12-yard TD.

The win reinforced Labonte’s assessment that his 2024 team is equal to, if not better than last year’s.

He said that “many mistakes were made and caught on film, but they are mistakes that can be easily corrected.”

Content of the article