The Cumberland Panthers U14 peewee team is such a powerhouse this season that they are frightening teams into giving up before first quarter has even ended. That's what happened against the Bell-Air Lions at Millennium Park on Saturday as the Panthers scored on their first four possessions to take a 30-0 lead only to have the Lions coaching staff throw in the towel with a little over a minute left in the opening quarter.

The decision left many fans on both sides bewildered, and even confused some of the referees, one of whom was heard saying, "Never seen that before.".

The Panthers opened the game with a touchdown on their first play from scrimmage on a pitch from quarterback Grayson Rouleau to Evan Nicholls who scampered 65 yards down the far sideline. A successful to two-point convert play made the score 8-0.

When the Lions failed to pick up a first down on third and short on their next series, the Panthers took over possession deep in Bel-Air territory. Two plays later, Precious Okoro carried the ball into the end zone from the two-yard line. A two-point convert on a pass from Rouleau to Davlan Bradshaw would extend the Panthers lead to 16-0.

The Panthers third series of the quarter started on the Lions' 26-yard line. This time it took the Panthers five plays to get into the end zone, the last three of which were three straight carries by Jacob Kavanaugh culminating with a two-yard run up the middle. A one point convert made the score 23-0 with still over three minutes left in the opening quarter.

After failing to pick up a first down for the third series in a row, the Lions opted to punt but a bad snap forced the kicker to tray and run for his life before being swarmed by the Panthers defence on the Lions 24 yard line.

One play later, back up quarterback Noah Cassamajor found Okoro along the sideline for a 24-yard touchdown pass. Another one-point convert increased the Panthers lead to 30-0.

When the Lions were forced to punt the ball after failing to pick up a first down on their next series, the Panthers returned the kick to Bel-Air's 11-yard line, which is where the game ended.

With just over a minute left in the first quarter and the Lions about to give up another touchdown, the Bel-Air coaches talked things over very quickly on their sideline and then ordered their defence off the field. At the same time Bel-Air's head coach, explained to the head referee that they were forfeiting the rest of the game, giving the Panthers their league-leading seventh win of the season.

They will try to end the regular season with a perfect 8-0 record when they play the Bell Warriors next Sunday, Oct. 12. A win would give them home field advantage throughout the playoffs, which will end in a likely rematch against the Cornwall Wildcats for the NCAFA A-Cup city championship.

The Wildcats are the only team that has turned in a competitive performance against the Panthers so far this season, if you can call an 18-7 loss a competitive peformance.

Both teams have three more games to play before a potential rematch – the final game of the regular season, the opening round of the playoffs and the A-Cup semi-finals. If everything goes to form the two teams will face each other in the A-Cup final on Nov. 1.

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The game stayed tied at 7-7 until midway through the third quarter when a botched punt ricocheted off the back of a Mer Bleue player’s helmet and gave St. Peter a first down on Mer Bleue’s six-yard line.

A sack for a loss of 10 yards and an incomplete pass left the Knights with a third and goal from the 16. A second incomplete pass should have led to a change of possession, but an unnecessary roughing penalty called against Mer Bleue for a late hit gave the Knights a new set of downs on the one yard line.

St. Peter made the most of the gaff by scoring their second touchdown of the game just two plays later to take a 13-7 lead.

Mer Bleue responded immediately with an impressive drive that included a spectac-ular one-handed catch by Bryden Tandou deep in Knights territory.

Anderson and Tandou would hook up again on a nine yard pass in the end zone to even the score at 13-13.

Mer Bleue would eventually take the lead early in the fourth quarter on a one yard run by Gavin Poirier that was set up by a 24-yard pass from Anderson to Tandou

A successful two-point convert run by Poirier would give Mer Bleue a 21-13 lead.

The Knights would get a chance to potentially tie the game inside the final
three minutes, but a dropped pass in the end zone on third down nullified the threat and gave Mer Bleue the chance to run out the clock after the change of possession.

But instead of running out the clock, they took a huge gamble by going for it on third down deep in their end of the field. The gamble backfired when the Knight stopped Mer Bleue and took over possession of the ball on the 22 yard line.

Two plays later, Fiji found Tandou in the end zone to narrow the score to 21-19. All they had to do was complete a two-point conversion to tie the game.

When Fiji connected with a wide open Stephen Blais just inside the goal line it looked as though they had accomplished just that. Unfortunately, the Knights were called for having an illegal man down field and the two point convert was waived off, giving Mer Bleue the historic win.

When the final whistle blew, the Mer Bleue sideline erupted in pandemonium as what they had just accomplished sunk in.

For Anderson, who had a stellar game, it was one of the biggest wins of his football journey that has already included some big wins with the Cumberland Panthers.

“For my first high school game it was very interesting. It was back and forth but our guys, many of whom have never played football before, just played all out and gave 100 per cent,” Anderson said after the game. “Our goal now is to go for the city championship and put Mer Bleue on the map.”

Mer Bleu wouldn’t even have a football team without the effort of head coach and phys-ed teacher Jean Guillaume, who moved to Collége Mer Bleue at the beginning of last year after spending several years at St. Matthew High School where he led the football team to the city championship and a win in the 2016 Metro Bowl.

Coach Guillaume’s mission at Mer Bleue is to create a culture of excellence among his players both on and off the field.

“At the end of the day that is what coaching is all about, to help your players reach their full potential and to generate great young men in the community,” says Guillaume.

Mer Bleue’s schedule this season includes a game against Franco-Cité on Oct. 16 that is being billed as the Franco Bowl.

The St. Peter Knights, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from their loss when they face Franco Cité on Sept. 26.

The Knights schedule also includes a renewal of the battle of the saints when they take on the St. Matthew Tigers at Millennium Park on Oct. 9.