Photo: Bob Davies

Coming off a 37 – 20 loss in Kingston, Ontario on July 1st, the Sault Sabercats returned to Sault Ste Marie, Ontario for a July 9th matchup when they hosted the Cumberland Panthers at Superior Heights in Ontario Summer Football League action.

31 seconds into the game on the second play of the contest, Hugo Djeumeno rushes the ball for a 57 yard touchdown to give the Panthers a 6 – 0 lead. Cumberland quarterback Jackson Plante finds Dave Auger in the Sabercats endzone for an extra two to bring the visitors lead to 8 – 0. With 3:57 remaining in the opening quarter, Heavon Moke runs for a 22 yard major to give the Panthers a 14 – 0 lead. 65 seconds left in the first, Sault quarterback Matti Tucker finds Jack McPherson in the endzone to score the Sabercats first touchdown of the game. Nate Carter found the uprights to add a convert to send the game into the second quarter 14 – 7 for Cumberland.

Wide receiver Heavon Moke adds to the Panthers lead with his second major of the contest 54 seconds into the second with Cole Telfer adding the convert to bring the lead to 21 – 7. At 7:02, Cumberland quarterback Plante finds Keegan Brunet with a 41 yard pass and two yard carry for Brunet to give the Panthers a 27 – 7 lead. Telfer added an extra point with a Panther convert. With a 12 yard carry, Brunet scores his second touchdown of the quarter at 5:14 to give the visitors a 34 – 7 lead, Telfer kicks his third convert of the game to give the Panthers a 35 – 7 lead. Sabercat Kaylob Thibodeau rifles a 35 yard pass to Nathan Guizietti to close the gap to 35 – 13. Carter added the extra point with a Sabercat convert at 2:25. With 56.1 seconds left in the half, Etison Pholo sends Cumberland into the half up 41 – 14 on a two yard rush.

Eli Bennett continues the scoring for Cumberland at 2:28 of the third, Telfer kicks his four convert of game to increase the Panthers lead to 48 – 14. Thibodeau catches a Plante interception at the Panthers 17 yard line to run the ball into the endzone at 10:15 of the final quarter. Sabercat quarterback Matti Tucker finds Carter in the end zone for the two point Sault conversion. At 5:56, Cumberland adds two points to their lead with a conversion to bring the lead to 50 – 22. With 2:59 remaining in Saturday’s contest in Sault Ste Marie, Xavier Bertand evades three Sabercat tackles to carry the ball for a 78 yard touchdown, Tefler convert found the uprights to give the Panthers a 57 – 22 win over the Sault.

Check out Bob Davies photo gallery of the Panthers versus Sabercats in junior OSFL action.

The Sault will now sit and wait to see who they meet in the first round of the OSFL postseason.