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Canwest News Service
The Windsor Dukes returned one senior starter to its ranks this season, and when things mattered most on Saturday, he was impossible to miss.
Jeff Lavis caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Zach McKnight in overtime to carry North Vancouver's Dukes to a 12-9 overtime win over North Delta's Sands Scorpions in the first of two Subway Bowl 2009 B.C. Double A semifinal games at Langley's McLeod Stadium.
The win lifts the Dukes into its first provincial final since 2005 when it won its second of back-to-back provincial titles. Windsor will face the Mt. Douglas Rams in next Saturday's Subway Bowl B.C. Double A championship final.
"Jeff is our leader, he is our captain," said Windsor head coach Jim Schuman, whose team blocked an extra point on Sands' fourth-quarter TD to force overtime. "Others may overlook him, but you just can't measure character." Lavis' major was a clutch grab in the overtime, which gives each team four shots at the end zone from the 10-yard line.
Sands opened the overtime with a 27-yard field goal from Nikolai Karpun and Windsor was facing third down when Grade 11 quarterback Zack McKnight gunned the ball to the far corner of the end zone to Lavis for the win.
"Coach Schuman called my number and I just did the rest," said Lavis, who doubles as a starting corner on defence. "Every day we work that stuff, we rep it to death. He is on us every day to do the perfect thing and so when it's time to do it we do it." Sands couldn't crack a big play until quarterback Jamie Al-Abed went 55 yards to Anthony Brito for a fourth-quarter score.
However, Karpun's point-after attempt was blocked by Windsor's ace receiver Rhys Gilbert.
Sands head coach Ron Uyeyama admitted afterwards that two second-half fumbles played a big role in the final outcome.
"That's the name of the game," said Uyeyama, whose team was turnover-free in its quarterfinal shutout win over South Delta last week. "I think we turned the ball over too many times to win the game and we still had a shot at the end of the game. But they scored a touchdown and we kicked a field goal. That's football and I am still proud of them for getting this far. We played solid defence and that has been our strong point throughout the season." The Dukes opened the scoring early in the second quarter after recovering a fumble by Sands' running back Jordan Traversey at the Scorpions' 27-yard line.
On the ensuing play, McKnight spotted running back Thomas Kramer all alone on the sideline for a 27-yard TD. The point-after was blocked by Sands' Gianni Vulcano.
Campbell River's Timberline Wolves defeated Burnaby's Moscrop Panthers 49-20 to win the B.C. Tier 2 championship final.
