BY SCOTT
HADDOW
It's the second quarter of a hard-fought NFC game and the
Spartans are  desperate to move the football up the
field.
The running game has been choked off, so the team goes to the
air with confidence.
Quarterback Paul Gauthier steps out of the pocket and launches
a missile down field.
Through a sea of opponents, who are waving their arms and
stretching their fingers in a feeble attempt to intercept the
pass, the ball lands into the hands of Spartans wide receiver
Brandon Dougan. It's a big strike and the Spartans are back
in control of the game.
Over and over again, Dougan has come up big for the Spartans
with his magnet-like hands.
Not just this season, but for 10 years, Dougan has been one
of the most effective offensive players in the NFC.
In 2006, Dougan caught 22 passes for a total of 440 yards, which placed him second overall in the league. He also scored four touchdowns and averaged 20 yards per catch, which was also second best in the NFC.
He managed these bloated totals despite the fact Sudbury
employed a staunch ground game all season, running the football
more than throwing it.
Dougan's season earned him elite status as he was named
to the NFC Second All-Star squad as a wide receiver.
"It's great and nice to know I can still play with the
young guys," said the 34-year-old receiver. "First or Second
Team, it makes no difference to me. Everyone on the list is a
good player and it's nice to be mentioned with them."
Dougan will play in the NFC All-Star Game, which goes Sept.
9 at Queen's Athletic Field.
He played in the first all-star event last season in
Hamilton. Dougan loves the fact he gets to play with former
foes, who just weeks earlier wanted to spill his blood all over
the field.
"It was a blast," he said. "Just playing with the other guys
and getting to know them better is neat. It's about being
around people who love the game as much as you do."
Dougan has been a premiere player since his high school
days.
"I've followed Brandon for a long time," said head coach
Chris Bartolucci. "He's always been a tough guy to play
against. I haven't seen a better pair of hands on a player
ever. He's like a magnet,  any ball that is close to
him, he catches it. He's stellar in terms of speed too. He
also has a knack for getting open. He's a good one for
sure."
Dougan gets full value out of playing for the Spartans.
Toughing it out over the summer helps him in the fall when the
local football spotlight shifts directly on the high school
loop. Dougan is the head coach of the Confederation High School
squad.
Even after 10 seasons in the NFC, Dougan was still learning
a few valuable lessons in 2006.
"I learned what commitment really means," he said. "I've always been dedicated, but this season, as we went through the ups and the downs and stayed committed, everything worked out in the end. We made the playoffs and that was our main goal for 2006."
