Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos

Guizzetti’s three-touchdown performance leads Sault to 41-37 Victory, in a game filled with momentum swings, explosive plays, and late-game drama, the Sault Sabercats battled back from a two-touchdown deficit to edge the Scarborough Thunder 41-37 in the OSFL semi-final on Sunday, punching their ticket to the league championship game.

The semi-final clash opened with Scarborough registering a single point off a rouge to take a 1-0 lead. But the Sabercats answered quickly as Windsor Lancers commit Nathan Guizzetti broke loose for a stunning 70-yard touchdown run, putting the Sault ahead 6-1. Kicker Anthony Coccimiglio added the convert to extend the lead to 7-1.
Scarborough bounced back with a 14-yard touchdown run and a convert to reclaim the lead, 8-7. After forcing a Sabercats fumble on their own 29-yard line, the Thunder capitalized five plays later to go up 15-7.

Guizzetti responded once again with a 51-yard touchdown burst — his second of the day — cutting the deficit to 15-13 after a failed two-point conversion. Coccimiglio then hit a 40-yard field goal to make it a one-point game, 17-16.
Sault College commit Ethan Carchidi powered his way into the end zone with a 7-yard rush, and Coccimiglio added both the extra point and a kickoff rouge to give the Sabercats a 24-15 lead. The Thunder narrowed the gap with a touchdown drive, making it 24-22, and then tied the game with a missed field goal that resulted in a rouge. The Sabercats held a narrow 24-23 lead at halftime.

The Thunder came out firing in the third quarter, scoring back-to-back touchdowns to go up 38-24. But Guizzetti struck again, this time scooping up a blocked punt and dashing 53 yards to the end zone for his third major of the game. Coccimiglio’s kick made it 38-31.

With the game clock winding down and tension rising, Carchidi found the end zone once more on a 6-yard run. Coccimiglio’s convert gave the Sabercats their first lead since early in the third quarter, 38-37.

The final blow came with just over a minute left on the clock, as Coccimiglio calmly nailed a 16-yard field goal to seal the victory for the Sabercats, 41-37.

Sabercat coach Jamie Antonello told Saultsports that “another very gritty game! I’m Incredibly proud of our guys and the way we came from behind and took over in the fourth quarter. Waterloo Warrior commit Kiran Juma blocked a punt and Nathan Guizzetti picked it up and scored to ignite the comeback. Our Offense then grinded out a bunch of first downs and eventually scored to take the lead. CJFL Cougar commit Grant Mathewson sealed the game with an Interception with 42 seconds remaining! We now face a very tough Brantford team but our guys are ready.”

The Sault Sabercats have officially punched their ticket to the 2025 OSFL ‘AA’ U18 Sandy Ruchstuhl Memorial Championship, set to take place at Richardson Memorial Stadium in Kingston, Ontario. The championship matchup is scheduled for a 9:00 a.m. kickoff on Sud, where the Sabercats will face the Brantford Bisons, who advanced with a dominant 42–9 semi-final victory over the Etobicoke Eagles on Saturday, July 19th. With both teams riding high after impressive playoff performances, the stage is set for an exciting showdown to crown the 2025 ‘AA’ U18 champions.