Sports News - November 6, 2006
The Mohawk Mountaineers are the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association Rugby Champions
The Mountaineers won a tense 11-7 decision over the Humber Hawks in Saturday's title match at Fletcher's Fields in Markham. James Cumpson, the league scoring champion in the regular season, kicked his only two penalty goals of the year to give the Mountaineers a 6-0 lead just past the half hour mark, but a little over a minute later the Hawks would take a 7-6 lead on Adam Chianello's try and Harry McLean's convert. It stayed that way until 14 minutes into the second half when Mohawk speedster Zack Crocker finally got loose down the right wing and scored what turned out to be the game winning try. Cumpson's conversion attempt was no good and the teams battled tooth and nail until the final whistle with the Mountaineers threatening to score again. Coach Alex Paris agreed Humber really came to play in the final. They had some injuries during the regular season and the players who they brought back were definitely the catalysts for their team. Paris noted Mohawk's defence was the team's prowess throughout the season and the Hawks had the same mentality not allowing the Mountaineers' offence to get untracked. While Mohawk's Crocker, the Guelph Collegiate product, was able to score, most of the play was up the middle. Crocker, a real threat on the wing, was faced with very muddy conditions down the sidelines and found the traction was not there at all. But he noted his team found a way to move the ball in a very controlled game.
The top player of the gold medal game was Brian Pearman. He was also named to the OCAA All-Star Team, as was Cumpson, the league's scoring champ. Paris, who guided a team which missed the playoffs last season to a perfect 9-0 season in 2006, was named OCAA Coach of the Year. It was his second league title. The Mountaineers also won the championship in 2000. Seneca, which saw it's five year run as OCAA Champion end this year, did manage to take home the bronze medal, edging Peterborough Fleming 13-12.
