NFC Quarter Finals: Ottawa Sooners 21 at Sudbury Spartans 14

This game was actually played on July 28th but having been away much of that time, I am only finding out about it now.

The recap below is an abbreviated article from the Sudbury Star and was written by one Ben Leeson. I believe he took the accompanying picture as well. I am copying it from the league's website but am unable to find a direct link to it.

Hunter Holub could have found reasons to hang his head Saturday night. 

His Sudbury Spartans had just dropped a heartbreaker 21-14 decision to the Ottawa Sooners in their Northern Football Conference quarter-final, in a game the Nickel City squad may have won, if not for a dropped TD, a pair of missed field goals and a late fumble. 

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Hosting a playoff game for the first time since 2015, the Spartans had a slow start against the Sooners, who were missing a couple of strong starters, but remained a quality club on both sides of the ball. 

They showed that when quarterback Danny Mullins led a long first-quarter drive and finished with a short keeper for a TD. The ensuing convert made it 7-0. 

Ottawa’s offence sputtered deep in its own end near the midway mark of the second frame, however, allowing Sudbury to take over at the visitors’ 34-yard line. A 14-yard catch and run by Josh Cuomo put the locals inside the 20, where they came within a hair of scoring a major of their own when Holub found James Howatt open in the end zone, but Howatt couldn’t quite hold onto the pass. 

Spartans kicker Massimo Cimino then attempted a field goal, but booted it just wide.
Sudbury’s defence stymied Ottawa on another drive down the field, sacking Mullins to end the half. 

Holub had just missed Poirier with a long pass when the first-year quarterback aired it out for No. 20 again, this time connecting for a 87-yard score and bringing the crowd to its feet. Cimino’s PAT tied the score, 7-7, with 7:50 left in the third quarter. 

The Spartans missed on another field goal attempt later in the third. 

Ottawa restored its lead (with) Daniel McGrowder’s eight-yard reception in the fourth quarter, then scored again on an option pitch to Mike Leno. 

The Spartans embarked on a strong drive late in the contest that culminated in Holub’s wild scramble for a 21-yard TD, narrowing the score to 21-14, but could come no closer.

The Sooners will travel to Toronto on August 11th to challenge the powerful GTA All-Stars in the league semi-final. Tough gig; The All-Stars beat the Sooners at home earlier this year 39-16.