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Frustration building as losses mount for Spartans

Another close game ends in loss as Spartans fall to 2-4
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The Sudbury Spartans dropped yet another close game on the weekend, falling 28-24 to the Tri-City Outlaws on a last minute touchdown. File photo.

Being close just isn't good enough for the Sudbury Spartans these days. Dropping their third game of the season by a touchdown or less, the local NFC (Northern Football Conference) crew surrendered a late score on the road, falling 28-24 to the Tri-City Outlaws.

"The fact that they are always close games, and we're not on the winning end, it gets frustrating," said Sudbury head coach Junior Labrosse. 

Where there was a time, not all that long ago, that the players donning the Spartans' uniform might easily have considered a close loss as a moral victory, such is no longer the case.

"The mentality that I wanted to instill in these players, I think has taken root," said Labrosse. "The players are not happy at all with the games being close. The players flat out know that they can play with anybody."

Just as they proved, once again, Saturday in Cambridge, a contest which provided a contrast in style. 

"We had some trouble stopping the pass, they had trouble stopping our run," said Labrosse. "The coaches on both sides made a lot of adjustments."

The Spartans backfield tandem of Scott Smith and Josh Cuomo were front and center, recording for all three majors (Cuomo had two TDs) and combining for more than 200 yards on the ground.

"I was extremely pleased with the way that the O-Line played," said Labrosse. "They have been playing well all year, but this was by far the best they have played."

Massimo Cimino rounded out the scoring, converting all three touchdowns, and adding a 26-yard field goal.

Just as was the case in their season opening match-up, when Sudbury defeated Tri-City 21-14 in overtime, this battle was back and forth throughout. The Spartans grabbed a 24-21 lead with just over two minutes to play, only to see the Outlaws counter with an answer of their own.

"They got the ball back, drove the field, and scored with about ten seconds to go," Labrosse said. "The pass can move the ball a lot quicker downfield than the run game."

In the end, the long-time NFC defensive back knows that he is close, very close, to getting everything out of his team that they are capable of giving. 

"We don't have CIS and ex-CFL players knocking on our door, wanting to play," he said.

"We have hard-nosed, hard-working football players. Within that midst, we do have some athletes." 

The locals will now take their 2-4 record into a critical battle with the Sault Steelers (1-5), a squad that Labrosse is not about to take for granted.

"It's Soo-Sudbury," he summarized concisely. "It's going to be a hard fought game, probbaly go right down to the wire. They have a huge D-Line, led by (former Spartan) Brandon Lewis. Our defense is going to have to stop their power run game."

The Spartans and Steelers will kick things off this coming Saturday (July 23) at 7:30 p.m. at the James Jerome Sports Complex.
 


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