NCAFA Minor Football
Panther tykes quest for perfection passes toughest test to date
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Cumberland Panthers running back Markaedyn Nelson sheds a tackle during second quarter action in the tyke quarterfinal game on Sunday. Fred Sherwin/Photo

The Cumberland Panthers tyke team moved one step closer to the A-Cup championship on Sunday, downing the Bell Warriors 45-0 to advance to next week's semi-finals.

For the first time this season the tykes showed signs of vulnerability against the Warriors, if for only a brief moment. After not allowing a first down all season, the Panthers allowed three against their west end opponents and very nearly blew their shutout streak which now stands at eight games.

The streak was in jeopardy in the third quarter when the Warriors found themselves on the three-yard line thanks to a Cumberland penalty. But fortune would smile on the Panthers when the Warriors fumbled the ball away, nullifying the threat and keeping the streak intact.

The Panthers set the tone on the opening play of the game when Fabrice Mukendi sprinted 44 yards for his first of three touchdowns on the day.

Markaedyn Nelson scored on the Panthers' third play from scrimmage to make the score 13-0 in favour of the home team. He would score again on a 25-yard run to cap the Panthers' third series of the game and added his third major on the team's very next series to give Cumberland a 26-0 lead after Mukendi ran the ball in for his second conversion of the contest.

The Panthers would score again on 15-yard run by Mukendi to go up 32-0 at the half.

The Warriors, meanwhile, failed to make any in-roads against the Panthers vaunted defense. Although they were able to get two first downs in the first half, they could only manage 17 yards in total offence and never seriously threatened to score.

The second half started with a 45-yard run by the Warriors #7 to the Panthers' 10 yard line. What followed was an offside penalty against the Panthers and a turnover by Warriors on the five.

Cumberland would add to their lead later in the third quarter. After Avery Bent forced a fumble that was recovered by A.R. Ismail on the Warriors' 38-yard line, Nelson ran the ball in on the first play from scrimmage to extend the Panthers to 39-0.

Cumberland would add another major on a one-yard quarterback keeper by Christian Veilleur to make the final score 45-0.

Nelson would finish the game with 101 yards on seven carries and three touchdowns. Mukendi rushed for 135 yards on nine carries and scored three converts to go along with three touchdowns. Zachary Buckley had 24 yards on two carries and Joshua Ruby added a convert.

While the entire defense gave the Warriors a clinic in gang tackling, Bent's star shone the brightest. He recovered the fumble that prevented the Warriors from scoring in the second half. He sacked Bell's quarterback on a third down play on the Warrior's 10-yard line that set up the Panthers' fourth touchdown. And he stripped the ball that led to Nelson's third touchdown of the game.

After the win, Panthers head coach Jeff Koradi said the Warriors gave the Panthers their toughest game yet. He also admitted to being a bit nervous when the Warriors were threatening to score in the third.

"We knew we might give up a couple of first downs against these guys, but we really wanted keep the shutout streak intact and we did. I think the final score showed how well prepared we were, how great our defence is and how good our offence is. We executed and it showed today," said Koradi who will begin preparing for their semi-final game as soon as they find out who their opponent is.

(Posted 10:30 p.m., Oct. 21)

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