Mosquito Bears register huge win over pesky Steelers

BY MICHAEL PIASETZKI

With the North Shore Football League inter-park playoffs looming ominously on the horizon, observers of the mosquito brand headed to Glenn F. McHugh Field in Dollard des Ormeaux on Saturday.

The attraction was a crucial first-place showdown featuring two Dollard-based teams, the Sunnybrooke Bears and Westpark Steelers. Both sides headed into the contest with identical 7-1 records. The Steelers’ only loss came at the hands of the Bears on Aug. 25. Meanwhile, the Bears dropped their opening game of the season to the A Ma Baie Eagles.

For the Bears, a victory meant an almost assured first-place finish, and when all was said and done, it was mission accomplished for head coach Pat O’Brien’s boys. Aided by several crucial Steelers penalties, the Bears managed to build a 22-6 lead at halftime before holding off a determined and regrouped Steelers bunch in the second half to win 22-14. Adam Thaw on a pass from quarterback Justin McInnis and McInnis on a keeper scored touchdowns for the Steelers while James Tyrell scored a pair of TDs to lead the Bears. Anthony Hall added another off a pass from quarterback Raoul Baroudi.

“That was nerve wracking, I’ll tell you that,” said O’Brien. “It was a battle and a half. We came out on top, but I don’t find we played that well. Give big marks to the Steelers, though. They battled us all the way. Despite the 36 points scored by both sides, both defences played very well.”

O’Brien had to be feeling just a little queasy very late in the fourth quarter. Ahead by eight points with less than a minute left on the clock, he watched as the Steelers had the ball and were driving towards the potential equalizer. However, time simply ran out on them on as they stood at the Bears’ 40-yard line.

“Our defence really stepped it up the second half, and kept us in the game,” said Steelers head coach James Buteau. “Our kids played hard and didn’t give up. That’s the most promising thing.”

The Bears need only to beat the Alexander Park Cardinals this Saturday to claim the regular season championship. They shut out the Cards 34-0 earlier in the season.