Weather and familiarity could be the deciding factor in who wins the highly anticipated playoff game between the Sir John A MacDonald Flames and the Charles P Allen Cheetahs on Friday afternoon. The two teams will kick off the tier one playoffs in the Nova Scotia Student Athletic Federation Football League (NSSAFFL).
The last time these two teams met was last year in the second round of the playoffs. The Flames won the game 20-7 over the Cheetahs. Flames head coach Alan Wetmore has a lot of respect for their opponents.
“CPA is a great organization that is, and will continue to be strong in the NSHFL,” says Wetmore. “We met in the playoffs last year and it was a very close hard fought battle and anticipate that it will be the same this Friday.”
Familiarity doesn’t just run with the previous playoff meeting. Wetmore knows some of the Cheetahs players and expects them to be “game day” ready.
“Four of them I have trained personally last off season in my Off Season Football Program,” explains Wetmore. “They were exceptional in the program and I am sure they are excited to play us and beat the one that made them!!lol”
“I expect an exceptional competitive effort from them and they will help lead their
team to do the same.”
The Cheetahs ended up with an impressive 6-1-1 record after regular season play. As a result, the team got the second place seed in the Nova Division.
Offensively, the Cheetahs game plan execution will be spearheaded by quarterback Andrew Adams. The pivot had a 52.3 percent completion rate, as he had 45 completions for 86 attempts for 543 passing yards and six touchdowns.
Running back Louis Stephen will be one of the offensive weapons for the Cheetahs, in the regular season, Stephen amassed 889 rushing yards on 37 runs and six touchdowns. League most valuable player candidate Jordan Koch is another player the Flames will have to watch for Friday. The receiver tallied 214 receiving yards on 11 catches and one touchdown during the season. Additionally, Koch had 239 rushing yards on 19 catches and one touchdown.
Receiver Mack Thompson will have a role in the offensive game execution. Over the course of the season, Thompson had 204 receiving yards on 14 catches and four touchdowns. Running back Lucas Foresey is a force to be reckoned with on the field as he amassed 216 rushing yards on 22 runs and two touchdowns.
The defense unit of the Cheetahs will be led by linebacker Dustin MacCallum. During the regular season, MacCallum had 22 tackle solos and 24 tackle assists. Also, he has 129 rushing yards on 37 runs and six touchdowns.
Another defensive player that will lead the charge for the Cheetahs is linebacker Taylor MacDonald. He had 27 tackles, 15 tackle assists and four sacks. Also watch for linebacker Mike Donovan, defensive back Ian Archibald and defensive back Daniel Keays.
Weather could play havoc with game executions plans for both teams. The forecast is calling for 50-70 millimetres of rain and high winds. Cheetahs head coach Mike McPherson says that the team expects the Flames to be ready.
“I am not sure what the forecast will be weather wise, but one thing is for sure, Sir John A will come prepared to play on Friday either way,” says McPherson. “Their hardnosed brand of football is consistent year over year and we are going to need to play sound football for four quarters.”
The Flames had a rough road this season just to get into the playoffs. Due to an administrative error by the school, the Flames had fielded an ineligible player. As a result of the error, the Flames had to forfeit two wins. In order for the Flames to get into the playoffs, they had to win out the rest of the games in the regular season.
Ending up with a 4-4-0 record, the Flames became the third seed in the Scotia Division. The team knew they would have to face a tough opponent in the first round of the playoffs but is looking at it in a positive light.
“It is tough to have to play one of the best teams in the league right of the get go but if you want to be the best you have to beat the best,” adds Wetmore.
Regardless, the Cheetahs still believe their opponent is the one of the elite teams in the NSSAFFL. McPherson says that the Cheetahs are prepared for how good their opponent is and what they will be bringing to the field on Friday afternoon.
“They have a nice running game that we’ll need to game plan for and have one of the best QB’s in the province that should keep us on our toes,” adds McPherson. “Their defense in the past has been stingy and very aggressive and we anticipate this to remain the same with us having to work for every yard.”
The Flames running game will be led by quarterback Matt Shannon and running back Justin Stevens. Additionally, the team has a superior core of receivers in Mark Gaudry, Michael Soley, Ryan Murchison and Brandon Gorman. Running backs Hayden Clarke, Mitch Isshac, and Josh Bordage will be an integral part of the offensive game plan of the Flames.
Linebacker Keith Langille will be expected to lead the defensive unit of the Flames. A trio of defensive backs could factor into the success of the team and they are Jamal Alhendal, Zack Leger and Devan Johnson. Other defense players to watch for on the field are linebackers Donovan Blue, Nate Rostek and defensive back John Perrott.
Wetmore says this highly anticipated matchup will live up to the hype and there is a lot at stake.
“It is exciting for the football community and players to have the opportunity to continue to grow what is turning into a pretty good rivalry,” says Wetmore. “The game is big for the fact that we are each standing in the way of each team’s goal of winning the championship.”
The Cheetahs and Flames will battle on Friday afternoon at 3:00 pm at Burnside Turf.
(Cheetahs photo courtesy of Joe Chrvala of Cheetahs Football)
(website: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jchrvala)
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