In 2007 The Kitchener Gaels stormed through Ontario’s ranks to reach the top spot in the Province. Despite an elite Tour title in the following season, and championship appearances, the Gaels momentum as a national contender all but fizzled out, until their Canadian championship run last year.

The Gaels, in the “Tournament of Champions” last season, were minutes, and a throw-away pass gone wrong, from stripping the three time Burlington Spartans of their elite Canadian title. While the loss must have been difficult to digest, the Gaels did what all great teams do: they found a silver lining to create new momentum.

At the first stop of this year’s Trillium Tour, the Gaels advanced to face the Spartans in semi-final elite action, dropping a close 22 to 17 decision. They had another chance at redemption in the Hamilton Bowl last month, where they once again faced the Spartans. However, the stakes were far higher this time around, as they were competing for the coveted AA crown.

The Gaels were a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball throughout their play-offs, even making fine use of their off-season qb acquisition, Almonte’s former underrated Steve Dalgity in a couple of games. The rest  did wonders for the Gael’s usual pivot, Dough Pinero, who plays both sides of the ball for the most part of every tournament. When he returned to throw in the end, he was fresh, which undoubtedly contributed greatly to their positive results.

The Gaels finally defeated the Spartans in a decisive 20 to 0 shut-out victory to not only earn their first elite title in almost two years, but to also leapfrog three teams to earn a second place rank in Ontario’s standings. Congratulations guys!

We also wanted to acknowledge the strides that the Hamilton Chargers and Ottawa Seminoles made at the Hamilton Bowl in tier one. It’s always nice to see some fresh faces knocking on the tier one door.

Quarter-Finals

Burl Spartans 28 vs Toronto Trojans 15

Hamilton Chargers 39 vs Miss Rebels 14

Kitch Gaels 29 vs Hamilton Piranhas 24

Ottawa Seminoles 28 vs Scar Steelers 16

Semi-Finals

Burl Spartans 20 vs Ottawa Seminoles 0

Kitch Gaels 33 vs Hamilton Chargers 14

Finals

Kitch Gaels 20 vs Burl Spartans 0

The Hamilton Piranhas have been the team to beat, or have beaten the teams to beat for years now, while the Toronto Trojans have slowly formed a similar mould. Expectations are always high for teams with such potential, which made for an exciting championship contest when the Piranhas and the Trojans locked horns at the Hamilton Bowl.

Before they could do so each squad had to overcome the hungry teams on the rise. When such high level teams drop to a lower tier, it’s not rare to see mismatches on the field and on the scoreboards. The Trojans and Piranhas each had their hands full at the Hamilton Bowl, however, as Ottawa Dodd’s Construction (sponsor must love you guys) and the Mississauga Rebels scared both in their solid semi-final showings.

The Piranhas and Trojans emerged to face off for the title in what could only be called a shoot-out. Sixty-three total points were scored, with only 5 splitting the difference. The Piranhas were on the positive end of that differential, allowing them to win the title, avenge a prior defeat (Trojans beat them in the last tournament) and earn the all-important 46 points to stay deep in the elite mix. Congratulations guys!

Quarter-Finals

Ott Dodd’s Construction 35 vs Scar Steelers 26

Hamilton Piranhas 18 vs T.O. Dirrty Birdz 15

Miss Rebels 28 vs T.O. X-Men 14

T.O. Trojans 22 vs S.O. Cobras 6

Semi-Finals

T.O. Trojans 8 vs Ott Dodd’s Construction 4

Ham Piranhas 22 vs Miss Rebels 15

Finals

Hamilton Piranhas 34  vs T.O. Trojans 29

The Mississauga Enforcers added some much needed firepower to their established roster. Having a full time qb is working wonders too, as their former ace couldn’t make the full commitment last season, leaving their experienced core short on chemistry.

Splitting both round-robin matches at the Hamilton Bowl, the Enforcers dominated the Toronto Hurricanes 24 to 8 in preliminary play to compete in the BB division.

For their play-off matches, the Enforcers would rely more heavily on their defensive core, holding all of their opponents to no more than two touchdowns over the course of three games. Scoring just enough themselves, the Enforcers were able to put away some very talented crews to earn their first title in years. Congratulations guys!

Quarter-Finals

Miss Gridiron 20 vs Ottawa 360’s 12

Miss Enforcers 15 vs Ott Underdogs 12

St Cats Grasshoppers 32 vs Scar Raiders 20

Hamilton Dolphins 23 vs London Colts 18

Semi-Finals

Hamilton Dolphins 25 vs Miss Gridiron 7

Miss Enforcers 22 vs St Cats Grasshoppers 14

Finals

Miss Enforcers 15 vs Hamilton Dolphins 14

The Ottawa Spartans opened their 2010 Trillium Tour the same way they ended last year’s season...with disappointing results. They had a good reason for their slow start, however, as this tight-knit group of athletic veterans added several new faces to the mix.

After their 0 and 2 round-robin start, the Spartans found their stride in the B-side, compiling some convincing wins. In three straight play-off contests, the Spartans held their opponents to 6 points or less. Scoring no less than 3 touchdowns a game in that streak allowed the Spartans to capture the B title and amass invaluable experience.

The Ottawa Spartans have always been one of the best teams in tier 2, but don't be surprised if their revamped version takes them to new levels of recognition. Congratulations on your fine finish guys!

Quarter-Finals

London Fury 16 vs T.O. Hurricanes 14

Kingston Vikings 20 vs Kitchener Stampeders 6

Oshawa Buckeyes 20 vs Miss Punishers 0

Ottawa Spartans 20 vs T.O. Hustlin’ Owls 1

Semi-Finals

Oshawa Buckeyes 26 vs Kingston Vikings 23

Ottawa Spartans 22 vs London Fury 6

Finals

Ottawa Spartans 18 vs Oshawa Buckeyes 6

After a close 18 to 13 loss the Kitchener/Waterloo Stingers, the hometown Hamilton Rusty Tractors blanked the Mississauga Steelers 31 to 0 to finish second place in their pool, which resulted in a DD semi-final bye.

Taking full advantage of their precious breather, the Rusty Tractors continued with their winning ways, compiling consecutive elimination victories to capture the crown. Congratulations guys!

Quarter-Finals

Toronto Lancers 13 vs Hamilton Enforcers 1

Semi-Finals

Ham Rusty Tractors 19 vs Toronto Lancers 7

St Cats Dirty Birds 6 vs Miss Steelers 0

Finals

Ham Rusty Tractors 18 vs St Cats Dirty Birds 6

The defending Ontario champion Ottawa Devils were back in form at the Hamilton Bowl after fighting injuries and the sour taste of defeat in a championship loss to the Toronto Wolverines at the Early Bird Tour stop last month.

It didn’t take long for the Devils to get their chance at Wolverine vengeance in Hamilton, however, as these two teams squared off twice, first in round-robin play, then in play-off elimination. The Devils were victorious in both contests, earning consecutive lopsided victories as though they were trying to send a message to their opponents.

Update*

We had a completely incorrect score, on the Devils/Rockets final, which painted a very different picture in this newsletter. It was written that the Devils only beat the Rockets 6 to 0, but the actual score was 36 to 6 for the Devils.

Obviously the Devils did not struggle offensively, as I had written, so I'd like to apologise for the error. Congratualtions on such a strong finish ladies, it sends an even stronger message to the rest of the division!

Quarter-Finals

Ott Devils 27 vs London Rebels 13

Toronto Rockets 18 vs Ottawa Jets 7

T.O. Rebels 20 vs Landell Lightning 14

Toronto Wolverines 9 vs Toronto Shock 6

Semi-Finals

Toronto Rockets 18 vs Toronto Rebels 12

Ottawa Devils 26 vs Toronto Wolverines 0

Finals

Ottawa Devils 6 vs Toronto Rockets 0

Toronto’s Landell Lightning opened their 2010 Trillium Tour season with a bang, as they earned multiple victories over perennial contenders, the Toronto Rebels, as well as the A title.

Failing to build on that success, however, the Lightning opened their Hamilton stop with far different results, including an 0 and 3 start and a preliminary defeat at the hand of the Toronto Rebels. The Lightning play their best ball when their backs are against the wall, and they held up to that reputation in elimination play.

Defeating the Ottawa Jets with a convincing 26 to 7 score, the Lightning advanced to face the then #2 ranked Toronto Shock in the finals. That championship contest couldn’t have ended any closer, however, as both teams were scoreless when the whistle to end regulation time blew.

Converts were needed to decide the outcome, and while both teams took turns keeping the other from scoring, a disputed Shock-led catch was called off by the back judge. Video footage later showed that the ball was trapped just as the reff had said, so kudos to him for making a call that was so close even the player trying to make the catch couldn’t tell it hit the ground.

In an exciting sudden death situation Landell’s defence stopped the Shock’s first effort only to find the end zone themselves on the next play, earning a huge win over their long time rivals to record a second straight Trillium title, well played ladies!

Quarter-Finals

Toronto Shock 35 vs London Rebels 7

Landell Lightning 26 vs Ottawa Jets 7

Finals

Landell Lightning 6 vs Toronto Shock 0

Scarborough’s Lady Raiders have always shown that they can put up points when they play to their potential, and Hamilton was a great showcase for that scenario.

Posting a respectable 1 and 1 round-robin result to open the tournament, losing only to the higher ranked Jets, the Raiders took their offensive prowess to the BB division.

In elimination contests, the Raiders were unstoppable offensively, and unwilling to yield defensively. In those two play-off matches, the Raiders scored a combined 57 points and kept their opponents from scoring a single point to earn their first title of the season in a convincing fashion. Congratulations ladies!

Quarter-Finals

Burl Enemy 7 vs Toronto Venom 0

Toronto Jaguars 12 vs Ott Mavericks 7

Semi-Finals

Burl Enemy 13 vs T.O. Landell Thunder 0

Scar Lady Raiders 29 vs Toronto Jaguars 0

Finals

Scar Raiders 28 vs Burl Enemy 0

The hometown Hamilton Shockers finished last season by advancing to the B finals at the Canadian championships. Although they were overmatched by a team that should have been ranked higher, they put up a spirited effort and posted more than a few memorable highlights on film (here].

The Shockers opened their 2010 Trillium Tour season with a lacklustre semi-final finish, a 19 to 2 loss at the hands of the Toronto Assassins.

On their home turf at the Hamilton Bowl, the Shockers stepped up their play, posting a solid 2 and 1 pool result. Their only loss was to the Ottawa Mavericks, whom they defeated in play-off action before advancing to the finals. There, they only managed to kick a single point. However, it proved to be enough as their defence held their opponents scoreless, allowing the Shockers to earn the title. Congratulations ladies!

Semi-Finals

Toronto Falcons 1 vs Toronto Venom 0

Hamilton Shockers 7 vs Ottawa Mavericks 6

Finals

Hamilton Shockers 1 vs Toronto Falcons 0

The 2009 Ontario champion Hamilton Hogz saw several of their key players merge with many Hamilton Hornets to form the Chargers. Like the Chargers in their division, the Hogz didn’t seem to struggle with Chemistry, as they merged with another team themselves--the Hamilton Hitmen.

Splitting their round-robin results, the Hogz slipped into the CC division, where they continued to improve. After beating the Mississauga Pyhoms 22 to 13 in the semi-finals, the Hogz moved on to beat the hungry Hamilton Boilermakers (making their second straight championship appearance) 28 to 22. Congratulations Hogz!

Semi-Finals

Hamilton Hogz 22 vs Miss Pyhoms 13

Ham Boilermakers 27 vs Ham Dynasty 6

Finals

Hamilton Hogz 28 vs Ham Boilermakers 22

After their poor start to the Trillium Tour, the Burlington Mandingos played like a completely different team in the Hamilton Bowl. The vast contrast saw the Mandingos go from 1 and 3 Early Bird losers, to 5 and 0 Hamilton Bowl champions.

The Mandingos didn’t just impress with their win/loss record, as their points for and against margin was impeccable. Aside from their close 15 to 14 semi-final victory, the Mandingos never let their opponents score more than a touchdown. Averaging over 25 points a game, the Mandingos nearly dominated their way to their first title. Congratulations guys!

Quarter-Finals

Kitchener Stingers 26 vs Burl Broncos 19

Ott Knights 21 vs Burl Delta Squad 20

Burl Mandigos 37 vs Ham Playmakers 0

Ham Firefighters 6 vs Oshawa K. Beezzzz 0

Semi-Finals

Kitch Stingers 26 vs Ham Firefighters 6

Burl Mandigos 15 vs Ottawa Knights 14

Finals

Burl Mandigos 25 vs Kitchener Stingers 0