Lions advance in 55-0 romp

There was nothing spooky about the North Shore Lions 55-0 Halloween win over the Lasalle Warriors, rather it was just an old school shellacking. A gusty and wet afternoon was the setting for the victory that sent them to round 2 of the Quebec Bantam Football League (QBFL) playoffs.

It’s been said that rain is the great equalizer and for the first quarter it seemed as though the old adage would be proven true. With neither team able to make positive gains on first and second down, a field position battle ensued in what amounted to a punting contest. Particularly after the Lions sabotaged their first quality scoring opportunity, taking three consecutive pre-snap penalties to go from their opponent’s 10-yard line to the 25, it seemed destined to be a low scoring game.

However, running back Cedric Joseph saved the situation, scampering into the end zone on third and long, in effect awakening the Lions who would assert their dominance over the Warriors from then on. By the end of the half the Lions led 19-0 and had extended that lead to 41-0 by the end of the third quarter.

The defense, partly because of the sloppy weather conditions but mostly because they’re very good, gave the Warriors’ offense fits all night, limiting their effectiveness and creating turnovers aplenty, including interceptions returned for touchdowns by Patrick Smith and Eric Paquette. They also contributed a safety and keyed many more of the Lions points by setting them up in excellent field position. Special teams chipped in as well, with Shawn Steen, who doubles as the team’s kicker, returning a punt 65 yards for the final touchdown.

The game marked the first time the Lions had taken the field since breaking a 78-game consecutive win streak with a loss in their final regular season game. Head coach Terry Gaudreault said the team was using the loss as motivation in their pregame preparation. “It gave us an opportunity to start from ground zero and go back the basics. We’ve been able to redefine ourselves and replot our strategy,” said the first year head coach. “Over the last two weeks of practice the level of intensity has been something that we haven’t seen in some time where the team is playing harder and is more focused.”

No doubt about it, this team is back on track and ready to claim the 2009 QBFL title. They’ll face the Sun Youth Hornets in the semi finals on November 7th, 2pm at Riverdale.