The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, November il, 2003-23 vMD's hopes for IvorWynne hit deep freeze Late TD strike sinks Mustangs By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion For the Mustangs, Friday aftemnoon's bone-chilling winds couldn't compare to the cold hand of revenge. Milton District's senior football team booked passage so IvorWynne Stadiumn with a tier two semnifinal victory over the Burlingtou Central Trojans last fait, and was on the verge of doing so, again after erasing an early deficit wish straight touch- downs jusi before half-time. But MD couldn't build on their two- point advautage. and had it wiped out with six-and-a-half minutes 10 go- when opposing quarterback Zach Hogan nailed a diving Andrew Eccles in the end-zone from about the 20. A couvert and subsequent rouge gave the Trojans a 20-14 lead - one that would hold up for the duration aod squash MD's bid for a retumn to the championship. 'We're obviously disappointed to corne up a touchdown short. But for a couple of plays we could have won it," said head coach Keith Pearce. "But the guys pre- pared well for the game and put their hearts into it. We're éxtremnely proud of the sea- son they had." Down 12-0 in the waning moments before intermhission, the Mustangs provid- ed their fants newfound optimism with back-to-back majors just 50 seconds apart. Ryan Mitchell converted botb touch- downs - ont by dominant musher Lee Frittenburg on a 12-yard canry, and the other on a 35-yard drive by Tim Anderson as time ran 0ut. A fumble recovery by Mike Basso set the stage for this lead-changing score, which shifted the momeutum squarely 10 thse championship-minded Mustangs. But MD simply couldn't capitalize on this window of opportunity, and failed to get the one of two breakout plays that would have solidi- fied another trip 10 Hamilton. Central controlled the tint of serimmage at key points down the stretch and forctd îwo tumnovers before their comeback. For the Mustangs, Frittenburg's standout efforts were complemented by some nifty gains from both James McLntosh and Daryl Meinen. Mitchell's extra-point kicks made him a perfect 14-for-14 on couverts through post-season play. Steve LeBlanc can be reached ai sie- blanc(&haltonsaetrch.Conl. Photos by CHANTAL AVOUTE Milton District Mustang Tlm Anderson can't hide his disappointment after dropping a 20-14 deci- sion to Burlington Central in tier two semnifinal play at MD Friday afternoon. Inset right, Anderson delivers an opening-half touchdowfl run before the eventual loss. The Mustangs led until the final six-and-a-half minutes - when their hopes for a return trip to lvorWynne were dashed with an end- zone strike. IRoyals silenced by Blakelock in. semis By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion Bishop Reding's football seniors weren't even suppose to make it to the tier two semnifinals. 'Mat notion no doubt helped case tht sting of Friday's 20-0 defeat at tht hands of Oakville's T.A. Blakelock Tigers, who whitewashed their rebuild- ing guests for entry to tht champiouship show- down at IvorWynut. Arg uably tht division's most insprovtd team this year, the Royals kept thinga respectable with a thoroughly suffocating second-half - limniting their hosta to three first downs and no points. But failure to make gond on their own opportu- nities overshadowed this top-notch defensive tan- paign -at least in terms of tht final outcome. -I couldu'i have been prouder of tht way we played in the second haîf." stîessed head coach Jot Jurus. who pointed to the exceptional performant- es of such veteraus as Phil Fontaine, Mike Rego. Kevin Bines, Mike Resdcu and Reg Taylor. Offeusively, Marcas Gray uarrowly missed catching a few bust-out passes that May well have turued tht tidt, whilt dependable kieker David Wynne had trouble punting into tht wind and was upstaged by bis Tigers counterpart. Remarked Jut-us, "It's not s0 much that David was bad as their guy was good. lt's strange because that's (kicking gamne) usually ont of our key strengths." Blakelock used a big decoy play to reach the end-zone on its second possession and cushioned of the Oirsi quarter. Erom there. one more major and some fonda- mentally-sound play - with special-teama prowess sprinkled in for good measure - hand- cuffed comeback efforts by Reding. Nevertheless, Jures was thrilled to blank the Tigers alter haîf-time - a suitable conclusion 10 a solid rebuildiug year for the Royals, who rtachtd lier two's final four following a dismal 1-5 record and first-round loss last year. "If somebody had bold me at the start of the year that we'd make the semifinals, 1 would have been quite content with that," noted Jurus. "We're defi- nitely movmng in the right direction." Steve LeBlanc can be reached at sleblanc@hal- tonsearch.com. 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