By Dan Plouffe
Michael Black, along with St. Matthew Tigers and Myers Orleans Bengals teammate Alex Gauthier, put in four weeks’ worth of work into a single day on Friday, Nov. 4, playing offence and defence for both his high school and community club.
“It’s a tough deal,” Bengals coach Ntare Bainomugisha says with a smile. “An old man like me, I wouldn’t expect to do that, but at their age, it’s just get hydrated, get some food, and that’s it.
“These guys have so much heart. There’s no way they’re going to let anything stop them from achieving their dreams.”
The afternoon didn’t start of well for the St. Matt’s pair as their severely understaffed Tigers fell to St. Mark in the league semi-final, but their evening ended on a great note as the Bengals completed an undefeated National Capital Amateur Football
Association season with a 21-0 victory over the Nepean Redskins.
Quarterback Darcy Lavoie, a Tiger grad himself, was named the team’s championship game MVP, while defensive leader Ryan Lawther received the Redskins’ honour.
The Cumberland Panthers (Tyke and Mosquito), Myers Riders (Pee-wee) and Gloucester South Raiders (Bantam) were also crowned NCAFA A Cup champions.
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