The Tigrou Bowl (intermediate flag football tournament) continues to evolve, with schools from Sturgeon Falls (Jeunesse Active and Powassan (St-Thomas d'Aquin) part of the field of 350 to 400 elementary-aged athletes at the James Jerome Sports Complex last month.
Seven divisional banners were doled out between play in both the girls and boys brackets, with many a familiar entry near the very top of the heap.
Led by MVP quarterback Ava Wicklander, the St Charles College Cardinals girls dethroned the defending Girls "A" champion St Benedict Bears in a clash of perennial contenders.
In a game in which the teams traded touchdowns, blow for blow, it would be one final knockout punch for SCC that would make the difference for a Cardinals team led in scoring by multi-sport talent Ally Hebert.
Joining Wicklander and Hebert on the gold medal winning squad were Maelle Angus, Val Pastre, Lexia Slywchuk, Charlie Barros, Lucy Marsh, Taylor Poirier, Madden Poirier, Zoey Rietkoetter, Laela Fram, Marlah Johnson, Julia Rocca, Mackenzie Ewers, Fiki Phillips and coach Jennifer Laundry.
The Boys "A" final was also a bit of "been there, done that" as a showdown between the 2024 and 2025 tournament champs pitted the St Benedict Bears against the Algonquin Tigers, with the Bears earning an even split in the two-day event, hoisting the boys hardware thanks to a 49-35 triumph.
Emmanuel George was unstoppable on offense for St Benedict, with Brady Hartley displaying a great deal of poise at quarterback while defensive standouts included Taiwo Adeniji and James Faniran.
Rounding out the roster are Cole McNeil, Nick Folino, Ethan Caetano and Kaesen Adair (* we are awaiting confirmation of last names for another dozen players on the team) and head coach Christina Kilby.
The remaining championship final scores were as follows:
Girls - Division BJean-Paul II Comètes 35
Bishop A Carter Gators 28
Boys - Division B
St Charles Cardinals 35
Jeunesse-Active 28
Girls - Division C
Marymount Regals 35
Hanmer Sabres 0
Boys - Division C
E.C. St-Pierre (win)
Alliance St-Joseph (loss)
Boys - Division D
Hanmer Sabres 42
St Denis Tigres 35
