Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos

Sault Ste. Marie, ON – Under the Thursday night lights at Superior Heights on October 16th, the Sault Ste. Marie High School Junior Football playoffs kicked off with a commanding performance from the first-place St. Mary’s Knights, who powered their way to a 46–12 victory over the White Pines Wolverines to punch their ticket to the 2025 Junior City Championship.

The Knights wasted no time asserting their dominance. Dylan Dewar opened the scoring midway through the first quarter, breaking through the Wolverines’ defensive line from the one-yard line to make it 7–0 after William Watts converted the extra point. Moments later, Adam Provenzano extended the Knights’ lead with an impressive 33-yard run, followed by another Watts conversion for a 14–0 advantage.

Before the end of the first quarter, quarterback Landon Chiarot connected with Matthew Circelli on a 24-yard pass, setting up a seven-yard touchdown to make it 21–0 after another successful kick from Watts.

Just fifteen seconds into the second quarter, the Knights’ defense joined the scoring when Russell Pine intercepted a pass from Wolverines quarterback Shamus Cochrane and sprinted 13 yards for a pick-six. Watts remained perfect on the conversion, pushing the lead to 28–0.

White Pines finally broke through at 11:28 of the second, as Lucien Talda-Chillman weaved through four would-be tackles for a stunning 90-yard touchdown run, narrowing the gap to 28–6. However, the Knights quickly responded. Riley Papi-Grant hauled in a 34-yard pass before running it in from 29 yards out to restore St. Mary’s dominance at 35–6. Watts added a rouge later in the quarter to make it 36–6 heading into halftime.

In the third quarter, Cohen Kellar called his own number at the goal line, punching in a one-yard touchdown to extend the Knights’ lead to 43–6. As the clock expired in the quarter, Watts capped off his stellar night with a 17-yard field goal, pushing the score to 46–6.

The Wolverines showed grit until the final whistle, with quarterback Shamus Cochrane running in a two-yard touchdown at 9:07 of the fourth quarter to close out the scoring at 46–12.

With the win, St. Mary’s advances to the 2025 Sault Ste. Marie Junior High School Football City Championship, set for Thursday, October 23rd at 7:30 p.m. at Superior Heights. They’ll await the winner of Friday’s semi-final matchup between the Korah Colts and the Superior Heights Steelhawks to determine who will challenge them for the city title.

The Knights, now one win away from a championship, look poised to finish what has been a dominant season from start to finish.