Brayden Thompson and Josiah Cole-Grossett score TD’s in Junior Wolfpack’s 14-6 victory over Suzuki Grizzlies 

By Jim Stewart

The Robert F. Hall Junior Wolfpack evened their record to 2-2 with a 14-6 win over the Grizzlies at David Suzuki Secondary School on Friday afternoon. 

However, Hall did not secure a sweep of the ROPSSAA football doubleheader in Brampton. The Senior Wolfpack, which had accrued at 4-0 record heading into the tilt with the Grizzlies, lost 28-24 on a thrilling last second TD by the home side.

In the Junior contest, veteran Wolfpack Head Coach Jason Sweeney attributed his squad's eight-point victory to a number of factors, but praised the play of his defensive team most of all.

“The defense carried the day. They did a fantastic job. Vincenzo Garofalo, one of our linebackers, was everywhere.  Late in the game, defensive back Kaziah Stanley picked off a two-point convert pass in the end zone to protect our 7-6 lead. Another linebacker, Zion Thompson, was all over the field, too.  Both Garafalo and Thompson shut down any outside running game by the Grizzlies. Our defensive tackle, Jonathan Lackey, had multiple sacks and disrupted the Suzuki offence. He also played a good game at tight end.”

Although Coach Sweeney was pleased with how the Wolfpack D played against their regional rivals and was happy with the outcome, he was critical of an inconsistent offense.

“The offense kept shooting itself in the foot. We had multiple chances to score in the first half, but we had untimely penalties and unforced errors that stopped scoring drives.”

The Wolfpack offense did produce two touchdowns—one per half.

Wolfpack running back Brayden Thompson opened the scoring by plunging into the end zone late in the second quarter.

Coach Sweeney described the major that opened a 6-0 lead for the visitors: “It was just after the three-minute warning. We got the ball on the one-yard line on a pass interference penalty and Thompson ran it in.”

Kicker Nathan Villa converted the point-after and the Wolfpack took a 7-0 lead into half time.

After a scoreless third quarter, Suzuki narrowed their deficit to 7-6 with a TD, but botched the two-point convert that would have given them an 8-7 lead.

Coach Sweeney's defense saved the day again and doubled down regarding displeasure with the Wolfpack offense in the second half: “Our defense dominated play most of the game, but our O was sputtering in the third quarter and most of the fourth.”

The Wolfpack offense did heat up in the final two minutes of play when tailbacks Thompson and Josiah Cole-Grossett delivered “some great runs for us at the end of the game. Cole-Grossett scored the TD to put the game away on a fifteen-yard run into the end zone.”

Cole-Grossett's timely major made it 13-6 and Villa kicked the convert for the winning margin.

The Junior Wolfpack heads into its bye week and will prepare for the ROPSSAA championship game on Friday, November 6 at St. Roch.

The Senior Wolfpack (4-1) will look to clinch first place when they travel to Lorne Park on Friday afternoon for the final regular season game of 2026.

If the Hall Seniors defeat Lorne Park, they will host the ROPSSAA Tier 1 Football championship on Friday, November 6 on their home field in Caledon East.