On Sunday, July 27th, the East Division Sault Sabercats will take the field at Richardson Memorial Stadium, on the campus of Queen’s University, in pursuit of the prestigious Sandy Ruckstuhl Memorial Championship Trophy. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 a.m, as the Sabercats face off against the undefeated west division Brantford Bisons in the 2025 OSFL ‘AA’ U18 Championship.
The Sabercats enter the championship game with a 5-2 regular season record, scoring 250 points while allowing 100 points over seven contests. Their explosive offense and disciplined defense have powered the team through a competitive East Division.
The Brantford Bisons, however, arrive in Kingston as the only undefeated team (7-0) in the west division and boast the most points scored during the 2025 OSFL season. Defensively, Brantford has been nearly impenetrable, allowing just 37 points all year—a league-best mark.
As the season builds toward its climax, one message has remained constant in the Brantford locker room — take it one game at a time. That mindset has become the foundation of a team-first approach that has propelled the Bisons to this point. Week after week, Brantford has seen different players rise to the occasion, stepping up in critical moments to make the big plays. It’s been a true team effort on both sides of the ball, with contributions coming from every corner of the roster.
A key to their success has been the leadership within their group. Many of their veterans have experienced championship runs before, and they bring a calm, focused presence to every practice, every film session, and every game. Their understanding of what it takes to be successful throughout a season has helped guide Brantford’s younger players and create a culture of accountability and belief. Everyone has fully bought into the systems the Bisons run, and it’s paying dividends on the field.
Bison coach James Kelly told Saultsports that “offensively, our opponents bring a dynamic run game to the table. Whether they’re lining up in tight, physical formations or spreading the field, they’ve found success in multiple looks. We’ve spent the week installing some new defensive wrinkles, aiming to slow their rhythm and challenge them with different alignments and schemes we’ve been refining in practice.”
“Defensively, they’re no slouches either. They bring physicality and intensity to the trenches — they don’t just show up, they come ready to battle. We know we’ll need to stay creative on offense, using a variety of formations and play calls to keep them off balance. Finding the right matchups and exploiting the smallest advantages will be critical if we want to move the ball consistently,” added Kelly.
Sabercat coach Jamie Antonello told Saultsports that “our resiliency, we’ve gone through tough unexpected losses, overcome injuries, come from behind in games in a variety of ways. This PLUS our experience will help us weather any storm that may come our way in the finals. Like always we’ve got a great gameplan and are ready to adjust where/when we need to. Its going to be a tough matchup but our guys are ready.”
“I’ve told the guys, lean on your fifth years, lean on your coaches. At the end of the day is a football game and we’ve played nine of them already this summer. Enjoy it, trust your teammates and let’s execute come Sunday morning, said Antonello.
Sabercat Payton Mechiorre told Saultsports that “playing for a chance to win an OSFL championship doesn’t come around all that often. So when we get the opportunity that we’ve earned we have to take full advantage of that. It all starts with the right prep, eating right, getting good sleep and travelling well. One advantage we have is that fifth year players were in this same situation two years ago and I have full confidence that they can lead us the right way to attack this championship game. We as a team have been locked in when it comes to practice and film and now it all comes down to execution. I think being able to run the ball is going to be a make or break. If we can punish defences with long drives in a heavy set I think we’re going to be just fine considering how elite the defence is. With what I consider the best linebacking corps in the OSFL and a standout Defensive line we’re going to bring pressure quickly and force rushed throws into a solid secondary.”
Melchiorre also added that “some teams only get one shot at a championship in a lifetime so we’re sure going to make it count.”
This highly anticipated matchup will feature two elite programs battling for provincial supremacy in a game that promises to deliver intensity, talent, and high-stakes football action can be seen on TYSN Sports at 9:00 a.m on Sunday, July 27th.
