A more favourable schedule down the stretch clearly played a part in a 5-3 final regular season record for the Sudbury U16 Jr Spartans this summer.

But it certainly was not the level of opposition alone that sees the team carrying a five game winning streak into a home playoff matchup next weekend.

"I played the first three games and then was injrued for the next three games that we won," noted linebacker Mateo Frattini last week, just days before the U16 Jr Spartans closed out their pre-playoff games with a 43-0 shellacking of the Durham Dolphins.

"I came back last game and realized that we were playing more together," said Frattini, focused largely on the defensive unit but making a statement that easily could be applied right across the entire roster.

"It's not just one guy wanting to be a hero. I think we've all gotten a lot better. We've been playing pretty hard and playing pretty good."

While that element of additional teamwork might not stand out to the casual football fan, students of the game like Mateo Frattini know all to well the types of plays that might not be rewarded on a personal stats sheet - but simply help teams to win games.

"When the offensive line is pulling to help block, you might take on the block instead of just trying to get to the guy with the ball," explained the 16 year-old grade 11 student at Lively District Secondary School.

"Obviously, I want to get to the ball - but I know if I hit the lineman, it will give another teammate a much better opportunity to make the tackle."

That kind of game knowledge is, without a doubt, reflective of the coaching he receives at all levels of local football, but also is a product of playing more or less the same position - linebacker - since he first strapped on the pads.

"In high-school, I tend to be on the right side more but in summer, it varies depending on who we are playin against," explained Frattini. "Last game we played, I was on the short side of the field - but that really depends on how they like to run their plays."

Heading into their Saturday match with the Dolphins, Frattini could feel the confidence of this group surging.

"I am happiest about how much we have all developed together," he said. "Some people came to this team without ever having touched a football in their life and it's unreal to see how much better they have gotten."

As noted from the score above, the Sudbury lads slowed very little, in terms of their progress, in the Saturday triumph over Durham, their winless record not overlooked in the least by the homeside that built up a 28-0 lead by the half.

"I've learned that you never doubt a team, no matter what," noted cornerback Micah Taylor, back for his second year with the U16 Jr Spartans. "No matter the record, you play them as though as are playing any other team."

"To prepare for this game, we practiced the same as we do normally."

It would take about eight minutes for Sudbury to get on the board - but once they did, there was no looking back.

Running back Evan Doyle rambled 44 yards to open the scoring and punched in a second major from short range on the final play of the first quarter, that field position set up thanks to a lengthy pass and run from quarterback Evan Demarchi to wideout Jude St Michael-Leblanc.

It was back to the air and that same combination for the third score of the game, an 18 yard touchdown reception for St Michael-Leblanc followed a short TD run from David Idehen.

Second half offense featured Oliver Poupore (1 yard TD run), Owen Blay (41 yard TD reception from Noah Parsons)and five converts from place kicker Colton Cooke.

Lineman Aarush Ghost was credited with a safety after the Dolphins took a knee in the end zone to round out the scoring as Sudbury witnessed little in the way of a drop-off in substituting with regularity in this contest.

Evan Doyle carried early (76 yards on 4 carries), but Levi Blouin followed right in his footsteps (84 yards on 5 carries), with David Idehen (80 yards on 3 carries) and Owen Blay (41 yards - one carry) also chipping in for a crew that racked up 377 yards on the ground, averaging a shade under 20 yards a carry.

Defensively, Colton Savage (6 solo tackles, one assist) was right in the thick of things from start to finish, with Maddox Preston also helping out with a big sack.

Given that "knocked down passes" is one of the stats that the OSFL (Ontario Summer Football League) does not maintain, it might be easy to overlook the contribution of Micah Taylor, though his coaches are definitely not about to.

"I feel like I have stepped up in a big way to help the team," said Taylor, one of several returning vets. "I've learned a lot thanks to coach Jordan (Jordan Desilets) and the rest of the coaches."

"My skills have gotten better," he added. "I've improved a lot in playing the ball, playing the receiver, playing the run."

One of three teams deadlocked for fourth place at 5-3 (along with the Vaughan Rebels and Sault Sabercats), the Jr Spartans have earned a home playoff game in the "B" pool of post-season play, hosting either the Brantford Bisons or Forest City Thunderbirds next Saturday (July 20th) at 4:00 p.m.