Metro Bowl

1989

Date: November 17th

Venue: Esther Shiner Stadium, North York

MacDonald Black Scots defeated Michael Power Trojans

Quarter-finals

Crestwood Mustangs 16, Victoria Park Panthers 15
King City Invaders 7, Pickering Trojans 0 (six overtime periods)
MacDonald Black Scots 15, Richview Saints 6
Michael Power Trojans 22, Northern Red Knights 17
 

Semi-finals

Michael Power Trojans 37, King City Invaders 25
MacDonald Black Scots 16, Crestwood Mustangs 7

Championship

MacDonald Black Scots 27, Michael Power Trojans 8

The following article by David Grossman was published in the Toronto Star on November 18th:

Go ahead and call the Sir John A. Macdonald Black Scots "underdogs" if you like.

And, while you're at it, remind yourself that the Scotties were "out of their league" in the sixth annual Metro Bowl, an eight-team competition to determine the high school football champion in these parts.

The Scotties, you see, no longer care about the knocks and slights.

That's because they beat the favored Trojans from Michael Power/ St. Joseph's yesterday afternoon at North York's Esther Shiner Stadium, 27-8, to capture the school grid title and silence their many critics.

"Underdogs," said the winning coach, Ken Henderson. "It was like a prophecy to us and kept the players loose all year."

Henderson had every right to feel proud, also smug, as a result of yesterday's match. His team had, after all, compiled a 10-1 record prior to the final and, only a few weeks earlier, grabbed its second Scarborough championship in 17 years.

Yet, despite those impressive credentials, the Black Scots were not considered a serious threat to win the Metro Bowl.

"The excitement of winning this (Metro) hasn't hit me yet," said Cary Bowen, whose two touchdowns led the Scots to their surprise victory. "We had so many weapons on offence that they (Power) didn't know what was going to happen next. It's not over. We're only losing a few guys; we'll be back for more next year."

Power coach Sean Allen credited Macdonald with some gutsy football.

"They hurt us badly in the third quarter and look what Bowen did; he's an excellent athlete," said Allen, whose team finished with a 7- 4 record. "Turnovers hurt us and penalties at the wrong time changed things. We played a very smart first half and found ourselves gambling in the second, hoping for a break."

Nothing came easily for the Black Scots. They didn't lead after the first quarter. Or the second. The third was pretty much running out, as well.

In fact, the Scarborough champions - with two turnovers on their first four offensive plays - looked confused, flat and out for a stroll instead of challenging for a high school football title.

However, all that changed with some halftime meditation and inspiration.

Add to it some of the pre-game hype and shenanigans that focused on Macdonald's inability to "win the big one."

The Scotties, determined and full of purpose after the intermission, shocked the crowd of more than 2,000 - the largest gathering to watch a local interscholastic football final - by overcoming an 8-0 deficit with a third-quarter surge led by Bowen.

The dynamic athlete scored the Scotties first touchdown on a nine- yard dipsy-doodle run with 5:34 to go in the third quarter, a play which capped a drive set up by a 22-yard pass-and-run play between John Andonoff and Chris Gallagher.

There were other exceptional plays:

* Sheldon Benoit dragged two defenders into the end zone for the Scotties' go-ahead TD with 51 seconds left in the third quarter.

* A smart Andonoff mixing up plays, confusing Power defenders and keeping his offensive unit on the field for most of the decisive third quarter, piling up 14 points and depriving the Trojans of the wind advantage.

* Tom Kontolemos and Arshad Khawaja spearheading a gang-tackling defensive unit which stopped Trojans Dave Cichelli on a fourth-and- one gamble deep in Macdonald territory with 10:21 left in the game.

MVP: Carey Bowen