Late drive salvages Lions' pride South pulls out a win in final minute to beat Saunders in TVRAA semifinal. By STEVE GREEN -- London Free Press They were facing their first real test of the season and it was one the South Lions were determined not to fail. Stymied for the entire second half yesterday by a fired-up Saunders defence, the Lions put it together in the final three minutes, driving for a 20-13 win over the Sabres in their Thames Valley Region Athletic Association senior football semifinal at Saunders. Tyler McTavish and Jason Kyle were the workhorses on the winning drive, each ripping off chunks of yardage before McTavish plowed over from two metres out with 38 seconds left. TOUGH YARDS: Lawrence Bowlby of the South Lions fights for yardage against Saunders during their TVRAA Senior Football Semi-final game Nov.16th at Saunders. The Lions won 20-13. Photo: Dave Chidley, The London Free Press "It was do or die basically," McTavish said of the drive, on which the Lions found room to run inside after their outside attack had been thwarted. "We just showed the character of this team." "We've been preparing for this all week. We had the best week of practice we've had all year. There's a real team chemistry at work here." The Lions now meet the Catholic Central Crusaders in the TVRAA final a week today at TD Waterhouse Stadium in a matchup many have been anticipating all year. "It truly is a dream matchup," McTavish agreed, "but we weren't looking that far ahead today. Give Saunders a lot of credit. They came out strong at the start of the second half." Indeed, the Sabres answered the call, wiping out a 13-0 halftime deficit with a solid running game and tenacious defence. Their effort wasn't unexpected, said South head coach Chris Marcus. "We said to the guys before the game that, unfortunately, we haven't been in any games this year when people have truly tested us, and to be honest we got a little tight there in the second half. "But on that last drive, we just wanted to take it down and pound it inside -- and the kids responded well. We tried a new formation that we put in this week in case they took the outside away from us. "Our defence played well, too. That's certainly the best offence we've faced all year and give them credit, they never gave up." Lawrence Bowlby, who played a strong two-way game for the Lions and scored the game's first TD on a 28-metre run on the game's first possession, said the game's sudden-death nature spurred his teammates on. "You just know if you lose, you're done, so you dig within yourself for that little bit extra," he said. "Today, it was all about our offensive line. The line was digging in and making blocks like it was their last." Bowlby said he didn't think the game was in the bag at halftime despite the Lions having controlled the clock so well. "You always have to think it's 0-0. Saunders had the ability to score every time they touch the ball and they showed that at the start of the second half." The Lions also showed they could throw the ball, with quarterback Ted Bell connecting with a wide-open Paul Wood from six metres out in the second quarter. The first possession of the second half pretty well dictated the course of the game as the Sabres had to score to have any chance. An impressive drive, aided by a pass interference call on Bowlby in the end zone, led to Jay Leroy's one-metre TD plunge. Mike Pullam then booted a 25-metre punt single later in the third quarter and brought the Sabres level in the fourth when he caught a 16-metre TD pass from Nick Lees with a little more than four minutes remaining. But the snap on the convert was high and the game remained tied, setting the stage for the Lions' final march. Sabres head coach Greg Thurston took the loss in stride. "We didn't play well in the first half." he said, "But I'm still very proud of the kids. We told them at halftime that we hadn't played well, that that's not what we're about, and they responded." Thurston was at a loss to explain how the Lions rediscovered their offence on the final drive. "The possession before that they went four and out," he said. "I don't know what happened. After we scored to tie it, I really believed we were going to overtime and I liked our chances in overtime because we had all the momentum. "But South impressed the hell out of me. They're for real -- my hat's off to them." And with most of the team back next year and a good junior team as well, the Sabres look to be a contender for a while yet, although that was of scant consolation after such a tough loss. "The cup is half-full," Thurston said. "Isn't it?" This article was originally published in the London Free Press and on the London Free Press web site (www.fyilondon.com/londonfreepress). The London Free Press took the article down so a link to it no longer worked. This is my personal use copy, if you want this article please follow the London Free Press Copyright terms.

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seniors_semifinal.htm 17-Nov-01