CANADA OVERPOWERS FRANCE 45-10 IN OPENING GAME OF THE SWC
Canada overcame a spirited first quarter from France to triumph 45-10 in the second Group B game from Graz at the 2011 IFAF Senior World Championship.
France shocked Canada by taking a 10-7 lead as the Canadians suffered first night nerves on their world stage debut, but a second quarter comeback put the newcomers in the driving seat at the interval and they added insurance points after the break. Three Canadian quarterbacks – Michael Faulds, Josh Sacobie and Donnie Marshall – threw touchdown passes, with Faulds taking the team MVP award.
Faulds provided Canada with the perfect start with a 57-yard touchdown run on play that fooled everyone, but France were soon level at 7-7 when receiver Anthony Dable snared a 27-yard catch from Maxime Sprauel.
Canada punted away their next possession and then France used the running game to move the ball to midfield. A 15-yard penalty took the ball to the Canada red zone at the end of the first quarter and a 37-yard Bruno Nekili field goal edged France in front 10-7 with 11.41 to play in the half.
That was sufficient time for Canada to make progress in return but Alexandre Marquignon intercepted Faulds, though France then went three and out.
France had secured six first downs to Canada’s three and had twice as many passing yards, but Matt Walters put Canada back in front at 14-10 with a 10-yard rushing touchdown. Receiver Shamawd Chambers had looked on his way to the end zone on an earlier play on a big pass from Faulds, but stepped out of bounds at the 10.
France again went three and out and their frustration was compounded when Canada put seven more points on the board when France could have limited them to three. Running back David Stevens rushed to the French 30, Faulds in shotgun hit Scott Valberg for a first down and with his confidence growing passed underneath on a key third down to Chambers for another first down.
That play might have been a fourth down field goal, but for France enforcing a penalty that could have been declined. With a new set of downs and on first and goal, Faulds targeted Michel-Pierre Pontbriand for a nine-yard touchdown with 3.20 remaining.
Sprauel was again unable to find receivers as France struggled to reply and Canada were quick to respond. Valberg caught a tipped pass at the France 40, a personal foul moved the ball ever closer to paydirt and then Lirim Hajrullahu nailed a 36-yard field goal with six seconds remaining for a 14-point halftime advantage.
Canada’s comeback was underlined by the first half stats, leading 14-7 in first downs, 116-21 rushing and 158-88 passing and Faulds having completed 14 of 20 attempts for 158 yards and a touchdown and interception compared with Sprauel’s 8 of 17 for 88 yards and a touchdown.
Faulds added six more points on a quarterback sneak from the one-yard mark and the kick after pushed Canada 31-10 ahead in the third quarter.
Laurent Marceline reeled off a big gain for France and then a catch by Sandino October brought up a second consecutive first down, but the European Championship silver medalists were unable to make further progress.
With Josh Sacobie in at quarterback, Jedd Gardner was brought down within reaching distance of the end zone then on first and goal Sacobie fired a quick pass to Walters for his second touchdown of the game.
Leading 38-10 Donnie Marshall came in under center as the third quarterback used by Canada and went to work in French territory following an impressive punt return by Troy Adams.
Marshall might have been prepared to hand off and run down the clock with the two-minute warning approaching, but having been plowed into the advertising hoardings on a late hit, he went to the air. Marshall hit Chambers for a deserved six points and a 45-10 final score.
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