Milton captures NFC title (new)

Move over Longhorns, there’s a new champion in The Northern Football Conference.

The third-year Milton Marauders knocked off perennial champs Oakville Longhorns 35-14 Saturday at Bronte Field in Oakville to win the championship and ending the Longhorns sgreak of 11 straight championships.

Earlier this season, Milton defeated the Longhorns 17-13, snapping Oakville’s 32-game win ning streak in league play.

The Marauders scored three times in the first quarter and. Wayne Sliwinski got Milton started by picking off Steve Nott and returning 12 yards for the score. This was followed by touchdown runs from Jon Nedeljkovic (14 yards) and Steve Lubin (16 yards) to stake the Marauders to a 21-0 halftime lead.

Oakville came out strong to start the second half on their opening possession, they drove down with Derwin Phillips plunging in from a yard out. An interception by Vince Rinella gave the 'Horns the ball back in Milton territory and Phillips found the end zone again.

Marauders kept the ball on the ground in the fourth quarter and Steve Lubin (five yards) and Nedeljkovic (four yards) closed out the scoring.

Milton's Steve Lubin copped offensive game MVP honours based on 24 carries for 143 yards and 2 scores while Oakville linebacker Vince Rinella was cited as the defensive player of the game for his four tackles, two tackles for losses and interception.

With the victory, the Marauders have earned the right to represent the NFC at the Canadian Championship versus the Alberta Champion at Edmonton on Saturday Oct. 2.

The following statistics are from John Metcalfe, league statistician :

Summary

Qtr. Time Team Play Convert

1st 4:17 Milton Wayne Sliwinski – 14 yard int. return Len Watkins
1st 8:07 Milton Jon Nedeljkovic – 14 yard run Len Watkins
1st 10:23 Milton Steve Lubin – 16 yard run Len Watkins
3rd 4:16 Oakville Derwin Phillips – 1 yard run Ryan Kooistra
3rd 9:50 Oakville Derwin Phillips – 1 yard run Ryan Kooistra
4th 5:24 Milton Steve Lubin – 5 yard run Len Watkins
4th 12:15 Milton Jon Nedeljkovic – 4 yard run Len Watkins

Statistics
Milton Oakville
Rushing (att.-yds.) 48-270 25-86
Passing (comp.-att.) 4-12 8-26
Pass Yards 15 121
Losses -12 -5
Net Offence 270 202
Return Yards 44 153
Penalties – Yards 10-90 16-129
Fumbles – Lost 2-0 2-1
Interceptions by 5 1



INDIVIDUAL STATS



Rushing
Milton: Steve Lubin 24-143, 2 Td: Jon Nedeljkovic 12-75; Toritseju Okorodudu 2-31
Oakville: Derwin Phillips 15-85; Chad Kennedy 7-9; Jim Catton 1-3

Receiving
Milton: Andy Taylor 3-14; Crispin Barnes 1-1
Oakville: Colin Grant 3-41; Theon James 2-27; Al Kawa 1-24

Passing
Oakville: Domenic Camastro 3-7-0-0; Mike Mallot 1-5-0-1
Oakville: Steve Nott 8-26-0-5

Tackles
Milton: Mike Bartello 3
Oakvillle: Mike Dingsdale and Craig Davoren, 5.5

Championship MVPs
Offence - Steve Lubin – Milton
Defence - Vince Rinella - Oakville