Road to the 2024 NOSSA Senior Football Championship in Sault Ste Marie

Posted On: November 13, 2024
Posted By: Saultsports
Comments: 0

The stage is set for an exciting 2024 NOSSA Senior Football Championship showdown on Saturday, November 16th between two undefeated Algonquin Barons from North Bay and the hard-charging Colts of Sault Ste Marie. Both teams have been dominant throughout the season, with the Barons relying on their powerful offense and tough, disciplined defense to cruise through their schedule. Meanwhile, the Colts have shown remarkable resilience, overcoming early-season adversity to become one of the most dynamic teams in the league. The Barons will look to impose their physicality and control the tempo of the game, while the Colts will rely on their quick-strike ability and playmaking skills to keep the pressure on. With both teams boasting standout players and a deep roster, this NOSSA championship clash promises to be a thrilling battle for supremacy, where every play counts and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Fans are in for a memorable contest as two of Northern Ontario’s top teams square off for NOSSA glory.

Korah Colts coach Tom Annett too Saultsports.com that “this is one of the first true “run first” teams we will have played this season. We are challenging our six box players to stop the run this week. Algonquin has some very big and talented lineman, so this will be a challenge.”

Algonquin Coach Ryan Desbiens told Saultsports.com that “we feel the key matchup will be the Korah running game versus the Barons run D and the Barons passing attack versus the Korah Colts. Korah has an exceptional run game with a stable of outstanding running backs (including one of the best in the province, #22, Nathan Guizzetti) and a strong and aggressive offensive line. The Barons DLine and LB’s will be in tough and will have to play good gap responsibility and make one on one tackles to have any success at all. The Barons have demonstrated a strong passing attack this year, passing for 17 TDs and zero INTs in the NDA loop this year. They will need to get the passing game going to have any success moving the ball on O.”

Players to Watch

QB #2 Dayne Meyer (grade 11) – 17 TDs with 0 INTs during the reg season and playoffs
WR / DB #32 Mathieu Desbiens (grade 11) – Led NDA with 10 total TDs and 4 INTs this fall
SB / RB #24 Ryan Smetana
DE #54 Jacob McGill DE (NDA Final Game MVP with 10 tackles, 2,5 sacks, 5,5 TFLs)
NT / LT #95 Wyatt Grant
FB / LB #45 Jacob Dubois
LB #52 Mathieu Séguin
FS #7 Max Dufresne

“Algonquin saved their best game of the season for last in the NDA, both offensively and defensively. More importantly, they minimized mental mistakes and miscues. Doing this will be key if Algonquin wishes to have any success against a top ranked team like Korah, said Desbien.

Annett also said “we have become more multi-dimensional this season. Our pass game is much more advanced than previous years and this is credit to our QB (Zayn Murdoch) and the perimeter players in our system. We will need to limit the Algonquin run game to be successful this week. Offensively, we will need to use all of our weapons. Our special teams have been pretty solid all season. We are hoping to gain some field position and make some plays on special teams.

Algonquin Barons Record (4-0 regular season)

Game 1 – Algonquin Barons (42) vs (19) Scollard Hall Bears
Game 2 – Algonquin Barons (40) vs (8) West Ferris Trojans
Game 3 – Algonquin Barons (32) vs (16) Scollard Hall Bears
Game 4 – Algonquin Barons (21) vs (7) West Ferris Trojans
Algonquin Barons (31) vs (6) West Ferris Trojans (PLAYOFFS – NDA FINAL)

“Algonquin has some very talented perimeter players that they move around to different positions. They do a great job of distributing the ball. For Korah, offensively, we will have to use the same approach of distributing the ball. All of our opponents are aware that we have one of the best RBs in the province in our backfield. We need to make opponents pay when they over-adjust or overcompensate to stop Nathan Guizzetti. I think our athletes and Offensive coaches have done a great job of this all season, added Annett.

Watch the 2024 NOSSA Senior Championship on Saultsports TV.