Two highly anticipated football games between St. Pat’s and UCC brought out the best in both teams, each fighting to hold their ground. The first matchup, held Friday, October 26 at UCC, saw St. Pat’s secure a 10-0 victory. Quarterback Nathan Tremblay led the team with a rushing touchdown, and kicker Liam O’Rourke added a field goal. St. Pat’s strong defense, led by Coach DiBrita, kept UCC from scoring in what was a tough, physical game.
“As expected, it was another tough, physical game against our Catholic rivals in UCC,” said Coach DiBrita. “Very proud of the team as they faced adversity and stayed focused to hold onto the win. Our defense led the way holding UCC scoreless.”
The rivalry continued on Friday, November 1, when UCC aimed to turn the tide at Norm Perry Park. Reflecting on the previous week’s loss, Coach Morkin said, “We learned a little bit about St. Pat’s during our loss, but we also learned a lot about ourselves. St. Pat’s played their most disciplined game of the year. Their defense was outstanding, and we could not handle their backfield or their short-yardage pass plays. They were the better team that day and gave us a lot to consider.”
Determined to rebound, UCC emerged victorious in the semi-playoffs at Norm Perry Park with a final score of 31 to St. Pat’s 21. Coach Morkin noted, “Norm Perry has not been kind to UCC in recent years, so it was great to get a win there. We had a much better game plan going in this time. St. Pat’s has some great athletes, and we found it difficult to contain their quarterback at times. We found a healthy mix in our passing and ground game on offense. Our downfield coverage and tackling on special teams were better, and we were able to get our defense off the field early in the game.”
Both games underscored the dedication and rivalry that define each matchup between St. Pat’s and UCC, with both teams showing resilience, teamwork, and a drive to win.
The UCC Lancers are set to take on Northern Collegiate on their home field in Sarnia, on Saturday, November 9, at 1:00 PM in the LKSSAA Quarterfinals.
