Hall Wolfpack defeats St. Joan of Arc Knights 25-13 to win OFSAA’s Central Bowl and cap historic football season

Quarterback Joseph Ferlito named Central Bowl MVP after 250-yard performance 

By Jim Stewart

The Robert F. Hall CSS Wolfpack finished their magical 2025 season at the University of Guelph on Monday afternoon.

When it was all said and done at Gryphons Stadium, Hall's Senior Football team hoisted its third championship trophy and fourth banner this month.

The Wolfpack defeated the St. Joan of Arc Knights (Barrie) 25-13 to add the inscribed banner “OFSAA Football Champions—Central Bowl 2025” to the East Caledon Catholic high school's gymnasium wall.  

Captains Nicholas Pagani, Mason Burke, and Tyler Fagan held the OFSAA hardware and pennant aloft in Guelph to signal another title earned this month—a joyous routine of late for the triumphant triumvirate.

It was Hall's first OFSAA football championship in a season of firsts: the school's first Metro Bowl championship was celebrated in Toronto last Wednesday and the first ROPSSAA Tier 1 Senior Football title was celebrated on home turf earlier in November.

In Guelph on Monday afternoon, Central Bowl MVP Joseph Ferlito threw two touchdown passes and ran for another versus the previously-undefeated Knights who rode into Gryphons Stadium with a pristine 9-0 record.

The Wolfpack quarterback helped defeat the Georgian Bay champs by going 15 for 19 in the air—contributing 233 passing yards to Hall's offensive attack. He praised his receiving corps who pulled in his fifteen completions versus St. Joan of Arc.

“I trust all my receivers equally.  Our Captain Nick Pagani has always been reliable.  He's a leader on our team.”

Ferlito also praised the other two captains whose roles were vital to the success of the Wolfpack.

“Mason [Burke] is the star of our team. He's a game changer.  His presence is electric and he brings momentum to the team. We lost Tyler [Fagan] in the game against Dwyer when he dislocated his kneecap. He was our centre and defensive tackle. On the O lIne, he was a veteran presence for the younger players.”

Hall's MVP pivot provided some presence of his own in the Central Bowl not only through the air, but on the ground as he rushed for 17 yards including a TD.

Ferlito's only miscue versus the Knights was an interception thrown in the first quarter. Otherwise, the Wolfpack veteran QB put up numbers akin to Trevor Harris's performance as Grey Cup MVP three weeks ago in Winnipeg during Saskatchewan's 25-17 win over Montreal.

While the CFL and West Division champion Roughriders hoisted two trophies in November, the Wolfpack lifted three.

Hall's haul of hardware concluded an historic season for Ferlito, but the candid quarterback discussed the vital importance of bouncing back after throwing an interception on the opening series versus the Knights.

“We knew St. Joan of Arc was going to be the toughest opponent we've faced this season. After the interception, the D got the ball back for us a couple of times in a row. We put up a touchdown on our next possession – and did it again so I thought that was the turning point of the game.”

Ferlito noted that when the Wolfpack offense, defense, and special teams performed optimally, it was difficult to stop the Green Machine in 2025.

“When all three played to our level, it was something special. We dominated teams. To be able to play our game and to execute the game plan that our coaches prepared for us was an accomplishment.”

The Wolfpack had a number of two-way players this season and Ferlito singled out one of the versatile veterans who put in a fine performance at the Central Bowl.

“Bryce Prieur played a great game on Monday.  As a two-way player, he caught passes and made an interception.  He made pass breakups all game.”

When asked about the legacy of the 2025 football team, Ferlito embraced the moment and discussed the most memorable aspect the Wolfpack's season: “What's most memorable for me is that we'll be able to look back and see what we achieved and accomplished for the program and as individuals.”

“We were able to impact the program forever.  Our coaches told us to ‘leave a place better than you found it.' We had so many firsts this year--winning the championships for the school helped us make history.”