With both teams sporting records of 2-2 entering the contest, the Lively Hawks knew they were in for a big game Thursday evening.
But moments after the Hawks solidified their playoff hopes with a 17-6 win over the Lockerby Vikings, one sensed there was a greater issue at play.
Talk of the potential closing of the Lively District Secondary School has garnered headlines in recent weeks, and the chatter is certainly not lost on a football program that has proudly donned the school colours, while progessing to the point of capturing a city title a few years back.
"It's hard to see it possibly go," said long-time kicker and rookie to the defensive secondary, Keegan Prefontaine. "Even this conversation can bring me to tears sometimes. I want the younger people to be able to enjoy school in Lively, without having to travel everywhere.
"It's hard for a lot of our guys who have been here throughout our secondary years. It's hard just watching this topic come up."
Now 17-years-old and completing his fifth year at LDSS, Prefontaine made good on a pair of conversions, sailed a field goal through the uprights from 17 yards out, and added a fourth quarter interception.
"I used to play receiver a little bit, but this year, coach (Reg) Bonin gave me a great opportunity to play cornerback on the defence," said Prefontaine. "The biggest key is not to let the guy behind you, the receiver.
"It can be tricky to get back and still be in front of him. You have to adapt to the back-peddling, you need to be very agile and know how to move."
As far as his first ever pick, right place, right time, said Prefontaine.
"The slotback and the receiver on my side were in just a little too much, so the ball just perfectly landed in my hands. I gave it a shot and gave it a run."
Joining Prefontaine on the score sheet were quarterback Nicholas Rideout (2-yard TD run) and running back Brandon Sasseville (4-yard TD run), both in quarter two.
Lockerby workhorse Jared Loyer got one of the majors back just before halftime, darting in from the five yard line, but that was the only dent the Vikings could make on the Hawks defence.
The Lo-Ellen Park Knights received three touchdowns from Graeme Stevens, two from Darcy Labelle and a final one from Evan Cormier, stampeding the Collège Notre-Dame Alouettes 45-0 in the opening game of the Friday triple-header.
Stevens scored from two and 16 yards out, and Labelle hauled in passes of five and 36 yards from quarterback Jeff Suitor as Lo-Ellen dashed out to a 28-0 lead after fifteen minutes of play.
Sam Santi went five for six on point after attempts, but also chipped in with a 19-yard field goal, and a single on a kickoff, completing the Knights scoring.
The Confederation Chargers were equally as dominant, improving to 4-1 with a 38-6 win over the Lasalle Lancers. Curtis Theobald recorded a pair of majors, while Connor Sauvé posted a stat-line that included a touchdown, a 30-yard field goal, and five converts in leading the Chargers' attack.
Bradley Patterson (50-yard pass from Kyle Preseau) and Seth Leroux (75-yard punt return) rounded out the scoring for the winners, while running back Luke Crepeau broke the shutout for the Lancers, reaching the end zone late in the fourth quarter.
The best game of the day proved to be the nightcap, as the St. Benedict Bears provided a surprisingly stiff test for the undefeated St. Charles College Cardinals, dropping a 17-13 decision.
The Bears got on the board first as Max MacGillivray rambled home from the seven, converting his own touchdown to make it 7-0. The Cardinals would register all of their offensive production in the second quarter, including a fourteen point surge in the final 90 seconds of the half.
Bankamina "Djuwa" N'Galamulume got the defending champs on the board with a field goal, but then added a 50-yard dash to the goal line at 13:30 of the second quarter, followed by a 20-yard TD pass reception from QB Nathan Rivet with just 15 seconds to play.
MacGillivray picked up his second six-pointer of the game in the third, courtesy of a nine yard run, as both defences held the fort through the final 21 minutes of the game.
The final week of regular season play features a pair of intriguing matchups, as Confederation (4-1) and Lo-Ellen (4-1) go toe to toe Thursday night at 8 p.m., while Lockerby (2-3) and St. Benedict (1-4) battle for fifth place Friday at 3 p.m.
