Impressive Robert F. Hall team claims ROPSSAA football title

Written By JASON SWEENEY

The Robert F. Hall Wolfpack Football team just completed our season with a 19 - 14 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas to win the ROPSSAA Tier 2 Varsity Boys Football Championship.  

The Pack had a strong season, going 5 - 1 in the regular season, with our only loss coming at the hands of Aquinas.  

Led by a strong offensive line, anchored by Adam Milian, Andrew Wilson, Timothy Atkinson, Matthew Kocialek, Graden Grandison and Daniel Dove, the Pack offence this year was able to operate effectively. They led the way for Grade 10 Running backs Joey Santarossa and Roy van der Veen. Quarterback Brody Kirkham had ample time to work in the pocket all season, dishing out to talented receivers Layomi Ojutalayo, Sam Dizon, Danny Flynn, Nicholas Moretta and Andrew Steko.  The Defence was led by Nathan Konwisarz, Adam Burgos, David Munoz, Nicolos Gray, Kyle Prieur and rookie Delroy Njonguo.  

In the quarterfinals, the Wolfpack had a 13 - 0 lead heading into the 2nd half vs. Mayfield,  with the strength of the team's defense on show for all to see. The team forced three safeties, before a TD by van der Veen sealed the game. But the Mavericks never gave up.  They battled back with a TD by Joshua Long.  Then, with 1:43 left in the game, Quinn Sullivan would make an amazing one handed catch to put the Mavs up 14 - 13.  But the Wolfpack would not waver. Kirkham would lead them down the field. He would twice find Andrew Steko on deep passes to bring the ball within field goal range. Then, with time expiring on the clock, Steko would drill a 20 yard field goal to send the Wolfpack to the Semifinals with the 16 - 14 victory.  

In the semifinal game, Robert F. Hall traveled down to Mississauga to face the undefeated 1st place team in the South, Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Carmel would jump out to an early lead, on the strength of their Fullback, Dylan Fallavollita, and their kicker Andrew Kaszuba would drill a pair of field goals. The Wolfpack answered back with a touchdown by Steko on a long pass from Kirkham. But Carmel was controlling the game and went into halftime with a 23 - 8 lead. However, the Pack don't know when to give up. An injury to Fallavollita crippled the Crusaders offence, and their number one Lineman, Eddie Burvill got himself ejected.  With those two out of the game, Carmel could not control the flow of the game any longer.  Van der Veen and Santarossa started to control the ground game, while Kirkham found Sam Dizon in the endzone to start the comeback.  Kirkham would also score a TD with a goal line plunge, set up by an interception by Steko on defense.  

Michael Cross would round out the scoring, and the defense allowed no points in the second half, causing turnover after turnover by the Carmel offense. Robert F. Hall would punch their ticket to the finals with the 27 to 23 victory.  

In the finals, the Wolfpack squared off against the unbeaten Aquinas team, fresh off their semifinal victory over St. Martins, 32 - 8.  The local team kept practicing all week in the cold and snow. Over 500 hometown fans showed up at Etobicoke Centennial Stadium for the game. The Pack went down early, with Aquinas scoring a TD on their opening drive to silence the crowd. 

Then the defense began to take over:  Paul Ansah sacked the Cardinals QB in the end zone for a safety to put Hall on the board, down 7 - 2.  Later, Steko would drill a field goal to bring the Wolfpack within 2, down 7 to 5.  Steko then would intercept a ball and bring it back 50 yards for a TD to put Hall up 12 to 7 going into Halftime.  The team's offence would continue to roll behind the running of van der Veen and Danny Flynn.  Layomi Ojutalayo would make a pair of amazing catches to give Hall great field postion. So would Sam Dizon. This would set up a TD pass from Kirkham to Steko to give Hall the 19 to 7 lead.  

Yet the Cardinals would not give up, scoring again to pull within 19 - 14.  Keion Charles would stop their onside kick attempt however, stopping their momentum.  But the Cardinals' D would make the Hall offense go 2 and out, forcing a punt, all with only two minutes left in the game. Aquinas would begin to march the field, but great pass protection from Kyle Prieur and Michael Maglio would thwart the air attack.  

With only 2 seconds left on the clock, Aquinas would line up for the final play of the game.  On an attempted rugby-style pitch and go, linebacker Adam Burgos would strip the ball to seal the game and give the Pack the 2019 Championship.  

The Wolfpack squad would like to thank the coaches - teachers J. Sweeney, J. Beresford, H. Burgos, M. Chondronikolas, D. Paolucci and P. van Heukelom, as well as our community coach, Sean O'Keefe.  

We would also like to thank our sponsor, Core Solutions Physiotherapy of Caledon East.  We would also like to thank our Principal, Ms. Currah and the rest of the admin team for their continued support of Robert F. Hall Athletics.