The North Shore midget AAA Mustangs were defeated in the second round of the Quebec midget Football League (QMFL) Sunday at Glenn McHugh Field in Dollard des Ormeaux. After having seen the Laurentian Wildcats take a nearly insurmountable 40-14 lead in the fourth quarter, the Mustangs attempted a comeback but came up short in time and lost 40-35.
“We took too long to get things moving. It cost us. Jokingly, when the referees came to give us the three-minute warning, we asked if we could have three more. We just came out a little flat and a little slow to get started. We came alive in the fourth quarter and it was a little too late. I have a great team, my coaching staff is great, the support staff is great. It’s too bad we’re not going to the finals next week,” said Mustangs’ head coach Jason Jourdenais.
The Mustangs woke up mid-way through the fourth quarter. Quarterback Justin McInnis started things off by throwing a 34-yard pass to Hergy Malaya who caught it at Laurentian’s eight-yard line. Two plays later, McInnis connected with Malaya again for a four-yard touchdown. With only 7:43 left in the game, time was beginning to run out on North Shore.
The North Shore midget AAA Mustangs lost in the QMFL semi-finals Sunday against the Laurentian Wildcats. Photo by Rob Amyot." />
The Wildcats missed a field goal attempt with 3:36 left and the Mustangs gave their all to bridge the 19-point gap. On the next rush down the field, McInnis first reached Malaya with a 24-yard pass. McInnis ran 11 yard on the next play bringing the ball to Laurentian’s 27-yard line. The Mustangs quarterback reached Malaya again on the next play for the major with 36 seconds remaining.
North Shore’s onside kick gave the Mustangs the ball at Laurentian’s 39-yard line on the next play. Malaya then caught McInnis’ relay at the five-yard line before the quarterback punched it in for the touchdown with 15.8 seconds left on the scoreboard.
With a score of 40-35 and mere seconds left, the Mustangs needed to get the onside kick again if they hoped to win it. A Wildcats’ defender caught the ball however ending the Mustangs’ season.
“My players were determined to win it. We put our foot off the pedal a little in the end. We thought the game was already over I guess. But all in all, we controlled the game, we ran the clock and we stuck to our game plan,” said Laurentian’s head coach Steven Nadeau.
