Quebec pulls off the u-16 three-peat

Defeat over Ontario gives third straight title; Nova Scotia takes bronze

SACKVILLE, N.B. – Team Quebec has won the Football Canada U-16 Eastern Challenge for the third straight time, as they defeated Team Ontario 47-13 in Sunday’s championship game, held at Mount Allison University’s Alumni Field. Earlier in the day, Nova Scotia picked up their second straight bronze medal with a 10-0 shutout of the hosts from New Brunswick.

With the win, Quebec improves its record at the U-16 Challenge to a perfect 7-0, as they have won all three editions of the event that they have entered. Ontario finishes with their third silver medal in four trips to the event.

Bronze Medal: Nova Scotia 10, New Brunswick 0

Tanner Ferguson scored the game’s only touchdown as Nova Scotia claimed the bronze medal with a shutout of their Maritime rivals. Ferguson, whose hometown was not disclosed, found the end zone on a rushing play in the last minute of the first half to give his side a 7-0 halftime lead. Alden Buteau added a fourth-quarter field goal to round out the scoring.

Ferguson carried 15 times for 34 yards. Nova Scotia quarterback Landon Tomlin completed 10 of 17 passes for 84 yards, with Liam Johnson leading the receivers with two catches for 27 yards.

For New Brunswick, Noah Crowley of Saint John carried 14 times for 51 yards and went 2-for-5 passing for 57 yards. Noah Brannen finished with 61 receiving yards.

Defensively, Nantus Baard finished with 7.5 tackles to lead Nova Scotia, while Drew Kinley had two interceptions. For New Brunswick, Ethan St-Pierre led with seven tackles, while Tom Rogers forced a fumble and Landon Dinges blocked a kick.

Nova Scotia had a slight edge in total yards, 158 to 153, but made 16 first downs to New Brunswick’s six.

Championship: Quebec 47, Ontario 13

As they did on Thursday, Quebec started strongly and put the game out of reach after the first quarter. They exploded for four touchdowns and a safety touch to take a 30-0 lead after the first 12 minutes and stretched that out to 44-6 by halftime.

Quebec got off to a dream start when David Gabriel-Georges returned the opening kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown. Jacob Lamontagne, Kaiden Dewey and Keeyshawn Schneider Tabuteau also found the end zone in a frantic first quarter. Tabuteau, Dewey and Zachary Deschamps hit pay dirt in the second quarter, while a safety touch and a Jacob Malakai field goal rounded out the scoring.

Massimo Ferrone-Byrd and Xavier Smith scored majors for Ontario.

Dewey finished with nine receptions for an incredible 248 yards and two touchdowns. Gabriel-Georges led all rushers with 93 yards on three carries. Quebec quarterbacks combined for 314 passing yards, with Connor O’Connell was 5-for-5 for 178 yards and two touchdowns, while Deschamps went 9-for-11 for 138 yards and one major. Quebec put up 456 yards of total offence.

For Ontario, Ty de Koning Koehler caught seven passes for 135 yards. Quarterback Matt Pain went 10-for-20 for 98 yards, while Smith completed both passes he threw, for 61 yards. Ferrone-Byrd led the Ontario ground attack with 42 yards on 16 carries.

Defensively, Jérémy Burns led Quebec with eight total tackles, while Yohann St-Martin had 6.5. For Ontario, Emmanuel Brown led with three tackles.

The conclusion of the Eastern U-16 Challenge brings to a close Football Canada’s domestic tackle championships for the 2022 season.

Football Canada

2022 Under-16 Eastern Challenge

(at Sackville, N.B.)

Thursday, July 21

Ontario def. Nova Scotia, 32-9.

Quebec def. New Brunswick, 51-7.

Sunday, July 24

Bronze Medal: Nova Scotia def. New Brunswick, 10-0

Championship: Quebec def. Ontario, 47-13.