Tommies play Sussex tough in loss

Rookie JMH Tommies football team played Sussex on Saturday, but improvements do not earn a win.

The James M. Hill Tommies played their second game of the season on Saturday (of all time, actually) in the NBIAA 10-man football league.  The team in green who lost their opener against the Pulamoo two weeks ago, took on the Sussex Sonics in front of a few hundred fans at the MVHS field. Weather was sunny but cool. (pictured above is Tommies linebacker Jarred MacDonald)

The Sonics got off to a fast start scoring 19 in the first quarter, and 9 more in the second frame.  The Tommies were blanked for the entire game, mired with terrible field position for the entire match, and eventually lost 35-0

Part of the problems for the Tommies was blocking, and execution.  The Sonics outblocked the Tommies and were able to gain big chunks of yardage by running effectively around the edges and down the sidelines.  The execution miscues came from 3 snaps that went over the heads of the Tommies quarterbacks for large losses including one safety.  The Tommies also had a lot of problems fielding punts and kick-offs, with balls bouncing passed them and giving them terrible starting field position most of the game.

Tommies running back/line-backer Jarred MacDonald (23) was a workhorse for the Tommies, playing the majority of snaps on both sidesof the ball.  The grade 11 student had 10 tackles on defence and one tipped pass.  He also amassed 78 yards on 8 rushing attempts, including a 13 run on a faked punt and a 43 yarder that was his longest of the day.  MacDonald also caught 2 passes for 17 yards.

MacDonald said his team had trouble containing the Sonics on the edges all day long, and that the team had to keep working on fundamentals.

Jonethan Russell (9) of the Tommies chipped in with 22 yards on 4 carries, and Mike Walsh had 10 yards on three carries from the quarterback position.

Passing the ball for the Tommies, the player that so far shows the most promise is Matthew Daigle.  Daigle (7) competed two of two for 24 yards to Jake Caissie (99) and Branden Cabel (21).

Also chipping in defence for the Tommies was Daitan King with 4 tackles and 2 forced fumbles, and Trent Somers with 4 tackles and forced fumble.