Quarterback Adam Rocha threw for three majors as part of a 227 yard passing performance (14/20) and veteran defender Andrew Gillis registered one of three interceptions for the homeside, returning his pick to the end zone from the 11 yard line as the Sudbury Spartans evened their record to 1-1 with a 28-8 win over the Sault Steelers.

Rocha connected with both Dylan Bertin (28 yard TD) and Connor Campeau (20 yards) in the second quarter and then again with Victor Paajanen (59 yards) midway through quarter four as the Spartans defense outscored the Steelers' offense 7-0 on the night.

The visitors opened the scoring with a safety when Sudbury punter Nicolson Christmas opted not to tempt fate, punting from his own end zone and added a major on special teams when speedster Kylen Azem Simmons returned a punt 63 yards on the final play of the third quarter.

Up 13-2 at the half, the Spartans quickly increased their lead on the defensive score from Gillis as Sudbury place kicker Mateo Bedoya made good on three of four conversion attempts and Christmas added a single on a punt.

"I really think we have a winning culture here; everyone is just focused on doing their own job," noted Campeau, an 18 year-old first year Nursing student at Laurentian University who suited up with the Lasalle Lancers in high school and was also part of the Jr Spartans varsity team that captured an OSFL title in the summer of 2022.

This past winter, he would play alongside Adam Rocha in a winter flag football league, beginning to develop some chemistry that the pair are now taking to a whole other level entirely.

"It's honestly just going to practice, getting those practice reps in, making sure that we develop our game and know what we're doing," said Campeau. "As long as I step up to the line as confident as I can be, then I feel like I'm going to make a good play."

While it wasn't exactly as scripted, chalk up the touchdown reception as a good play - and a nice bit of improvisation by the Sudbury tandem.

"It was a broken play," said Campeau with a smile. "I forget what the route was but Adam scrambled out and I was in the end zone, trying to get open. I kind of pointed to a hole and he put it right in the basket."

In addition to interceptions from both Marcus Britt and Andrew St Amour (as well as Gillis), the Sudbury defense racked up a pair of sacks courtesy of Tyson McFadden and Brandon Soucy, with Soucy leading the team with 4.5 tackles followed closely by undersized dynamo Hayden Liinamaa.

The Spartans are back in action again at home next Saturday in what is shaping up as a decent encounter against the Tri-City Outlaws, with both teams having lost by similar margins to the Sarnia Imperials.