Grant Park bounces to title in Free Press Bowl
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/11/2011 (5380 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A fortunate bounce was all Grant Park needed to claim its first Winnipeg High School Football League title.
Linebacker Marshall Naylor recovered a loose ball in the endzone with five minutes left to help lead the Grant Park Pirates to a 36-22 win over the Miles Macdonnell Buckeyes in the Free Press Bowl at Canad Inns Stadium Thursday night.
With the Vidruk AA division championship tied 22-22, Naylor jumped on the loose ball when the Buckeyes erred on a punt attempt. The punter chased the ball into the endzone after the snap sailed over his head and the ball hit the goalpost, eluding the Buckeye kicker and allowing Naylor a chance to retrieve it for the go-ahead touchdown.
Naylor said he knew the Pirates defence would have to make a play to make a difference in the game.
“We knew we had to,” he said as teammates jumped with glee after the final whistle. “They were driving all day. We knew we had to.”
Quarterback Damien Surprenant threw three touchdown passes to lead the Pirates offence, connecting on throws of 42, 20 and 65-yards. Running back Michael Ritchott scored twice for Grant Park. Receiver Matthew Kaufmann and Jordan Birrell scored the other touchdowns for the Pirates.
Birrell was named the game’s most valuable player.
“I played one in ’88 and never won at Grant Park, so this is a dream come true,” head coach Mike Kennedy said after the game. “I’ve been fielding calls and text messages from kids who have played for me over the last 15 years, guys I’ve played with. It means the world to everybody.”
Speedster Jayden Mckoy scored two touchdowns, while Colton Smith added a major for the Buckeyes, who erased a 10-point deficit at the halftime to make it a close game.
Meanwhile in the ANAVETS Bowl game, the St. Paul’s Crusaders capped off an undefeated season with a 32-12 victory over the Oak Park Raiders.
The Crusaders, sporting a perfect 9-0 record in Potter AAA division play coming into Thursday, took a 16-9 lead into the half thanks to three field goals from Rhys Hansen (two from 17-yards and one from 21-yards) and a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown by Lucas Machado.
St. Paul’s extended its lead in the third quarter when running back Blair Mattes scored from three-yards out, and Hansen added a 15-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Matthew Hanks added a late touchdown to close out the scoring.
Running back Kedon Sweetney had a 65-yard run for a touchdown for the Raiders. The 12 points was the most allowed by the St. Paul defence in a game all season.