Bobcats Tame Panthers In LKSSAA Football Final
The Blenheim Bobcats won the LKSSAA 8-man football championship Saturday, defeating John McGregor – Photo by Susan Burk
Dalton Shuian, as he has all season, carried the Blenheim Bobcats offense scoring an incredible five touchdowns in the 55-29 win.
For Shuian, winning the title was important, as it was his final chance to play with his brother Tanner.
“When you play for the love of the game, the game takes care of you, after getting hurt in the championship last year, I didn’t know whether or not I was going to play this year,” explained Shuian. “I decided to play knowing that I would be playing with Tanner, so I wanted that for me and Tanner, and I’m the only one who hadn’t had a ring yet, with Tanner winning the Ontario Championships.”
“I couldn’t really write up a better script,” continued Shuian. “We played hard nosed, old school Bobcat football all year, and it was awesome, I could not go out of this sport on a better note. We started working in August, and it paid off. It hasn’t even fully hit me yet that this is it.”
After finishing the regular season with a perfect 6-0 record, outscoring their opponents 231-77, the Bobcats pounded the St. Clair Colts 56-10 in the semi-final to advance to face John McGregor.
“It feels really good,” said Blenheim’s Kristopher Van Raay about winning LKSSAA. “Especially after the upset we had last year, but we put in work. We started training mid-August and didn’t take a day off all season. I’m really proud of the whole team we played a really great, rounded season.”
The other Blenheim touchdowns came from Brayden Pegg, Matt Laidlaw, and Evan Brady. Mo Ibari did the kicking for Blenheim.