National Capital Bowl

2005

Date: December 8th

Venue: SkyDome, Toronto

St. Peter defeated Syndenham

Lanark-Renfrew Seaway
Almonte 17, Cornwall 9

COSSA Final
Centennial 17, Crestwood 14

Semi-finals
East Regional Championship: Syndenham 21, Centennial 2
St. Peter 20, Almonte 14

Championship Game
St. Peter 24, Syndenham 10

Review
The following report, written by Martin Clearly was published in the December 9th edition of the Ottawa Citizen.

For the first time in the history of the six-year National Capital Bowl senior high school football championship, a school representing the National Capital Secondary School Athletic Association has won the title.

Driven by determination and solid execution, the St. Peter Knights scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to defeat the Sydenham Golden Eagles 24-10 yesterday at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. Sydenham was the Eastern Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association champion.

The game was part of four regional bowl games at the domed stadium involving the top teams in Ontario. Two other high school bowl games, involving teams from northern and central Ontario, were held last month.

National Capital association teams qualified for the first three National Capital Bowl finals, but Ashbury lost in 2000 and 2002, and St. Mark fell in 2001. Almonte and District eliminated the National Capital champions the past two years and went to the bowl final, where the Thunderbolts defeated Crestwood of Peterborough in 2003, but lost the 2004 rematch.

After the first half ended 7-7, St. Peter exploded for 17 points in the second half, marking the first time a National Capital school also had defeated a Kingston school in the National Capital Bowl final. Kingston Frontenac downed St. Mark in 2001 and Ashbury in 2002.

St. Peter scored three touchdowns off the run: running back Matt Nooyen, five yards; running back Alex Morrison, 23 yards; and quarterback Pat Gilmore, one yard, to cap an 11-play fourth-quarter drive.

Nooyen rushed for 173 yards on 25 carries and was named the game's most valuable player. Morrison gained 64 yards on nine trips.

Kicker Eric Luktenberg kicked an 11-yard field goal and three converts.

Gilmore connected on five of 12 passes for 87 yards. Receiver Sean Doyle caught two for 45 yards.

"The kids are all excited and it was a great experience," St. Peter head coach Jim Mick said. "For some, it was their last game, and to play it here was special. We were very fortunate."

Although Sydenham had scouted the Knights during the bowl semifinal against Almonte at the Minto Sports Field, St. Peter hadn't seen the Golden Eagles before the final. Instead, the Knights approached the title game with a plan to limit mistakes, execute well in special-teams situations and react as the game develops.

"The kids were focused and determined, and played very, very well," Mick said. "Sydenham was very good, but our guys decided they were determined to win, and that's what they did."

St. Peter ran the ball well in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead on a Nooyen touchdown. But Sydenham's defence shut them down in the second quarter and tailback Brandon MacPherson scored a touchdown on an 11-yard run. Cody Price made the convert to end the half at 7-7. MacPherson, one of Sydenham's key players, was then injured while making the tackle on the kickoff following his touchdown. He did not return.

The Knights were able to re-establish the run in the third quarter and connected on some passes for a 14-10 lead entering the final quarter.

"We're delighted," Mick said on behalf of the coaches. "We feel fortunate to coach such a fine group of boys. This will be very good for our (junior and senior) program."