On Saturday, the Scott O’Neal-coached squad rolled to its seventh consecutive victory of the campaign and in doing so clinched the Eastern Conference pennant and took home field advantage in the playoffs, which opens here on David Jardine Field this Saturday.
The wrap-up victory came at the expense of the Riverview Royals, the same team they defeated last fall to seal the provincial high school football championship. And again the win was spearheaded by U18 All-Canadian running back Aidan O’Neal, who rambled for a trio of touchdowns and an untold number of yards along the ground.
The final score was 27-10 and marks the 16th consecutive win for the Titans, which is believed to be a record.
On Saturday, the Scott O’Neal-coached squad rolled to its seventh consecutive victory of the campaign and in doing so clinched the Eastern Conference pennant and took home field advantage in the playoffs, which opens here on David Jardine Field this Saturday.
The wrap-up victory came at the expense of the Riverview Royals, the same team they defeated last fall to seal the provincial high school football championship. And again the win was spearheaded by U18 All-Canadian running back Aidan O’Neal, who rambled for a trio of touchdowns and an untold number of yards along the ground.
The final score was 27-10 and marks the 16th consecutive win for the Titans, which is believed to be a record.
In fact, this has been an unbelievable season for the athletes representing the smallest school in the conference. They have put a seemingly impossible 311 points on the boards for an average of 30 a game, while limiting the opposition to a mere 36 or a shade over five a game. These numbers may be an all-time record, although last season in six they held a 255-30 edge in league play.
Some followers of high school football recall the great teams of the l980s when they brought home three titles in succession and on one occasion had a 10-0 record. But there has never been a period when they proved so superior to their opponents and were able to use all players, substituting second and third stringers after having built up a healthy margin.
Saturday’s contest was held at Rocky Stone Field in Moncton having been moved from Riverview due to the threat of heavy rains, which would have turned that field into a quagmire.
It didn’t take long for O’Neal and young quarterback Justin Vogels to stake their team to a 20-point lead by the mid point of the second quarter. But the Royals would not go away as they finally got on the boards with a touchdown and field goal and the score remained unchanged until late in the final session when O’Neal completed his hat trick.
The vaunted Titan line again stood out but were seriously challenged by a huge Riverview group that was battling for its life. The Royals went into the game with a 5-1 record and a victory for them would have meant first place so they left it all on the field.
However, the depth of the Titans – at least 40 young men well trained and in good condition – meant the difference. They simply refused to bend and so victory was assured.
But coach O’Neal said, “This was not an easy win and any time you’re playing for first place you know you are up against a good team.”
He went on to say that finishing in first place is a great accomplishment, “the real season starts next week.”
The Titans will host the Harrison Trimble Trojans in the first round of the playoffs here in Sackville this Saturday with the game scheduled for 1 o’clock. The Titans toppled the Trojans 40-14 in the season opener and O’Neal is taking them anything but lightly. He is again calling for strong fan support to provide that extra punch for his team.
The next round will pit the winner against a team from the western section and it is believed if the Titans can continue undefeated, they may again face Riverview for the championship. Riverview will play off against l’Odyssee in the other round of the opening playoffs.
So the Titans will be placing their 16-game winning streak on the line this Saturday, the result of 13 regular league victories and a trio of playoff decisions last season. Can they extend it for three more? Wait and see but ensure every football fan in the region is on hand for a first hand look.
