Western Bowl

2001 

Date: Friday, November 30th

Venue: Skydome, Toronto

Sandwich Sabres (Lasalle) 24, London South Lions (London) 10

Quarter-finals
Pauline Johnson defeated Ross (Guelph)
SWOSSA football final: Sandwich 42, Northern 23

Semi-final
Sandwich (Windsor) 31, Ross (Guelph) 0
 

Championship Game

Sandwich Sabres (Lasalle) 24, London South Lions (London) 10

The following column from Jim Parker appeared in the December 1st edition of the Windsor Star:
 

If there is a better high school football team in Ontario, the Sandwich Sabres haven't met them.

The Sabres capped an unbeaten season Friday by taking the OFSAA West Bowl football championship at Toronto's SkyDome.

Sandwich finishes the season a perfect 10-0 after dropping the London South Lions 24-10 before a crowd of nearly 1,000.

"This was a goal we set at the start of the year and to do it undefeated is great," Sabres head coach John Bloomfield said.

"I think we're the best team. We've played everyone and done it on the road."

To take the title, the Sabres had to win road games in Sarnia, London and Toronto.

"It wasn't easy at all," Sabres quarterback-safety Tyler Kirby said. "It was a hard game and we played a physical game."

The Sabres had to play the game without starting tailback Tang Bacheyie, who was limited to a few plays on defence because of a sprained ankle. Mark Metulynsky, a Grade 10 student who could still be playing junior, stepped in and rushed for nearly 150 yards Friday.

"Our offensive line was amazing," Kirby said. "They just moved the pile."

Sandwich's offensive front five of Mike Gyetvai, Brian Jones, Adam Morrison, Gibson Gervais and Brandon Woltz averages 260 pounds.

That helped Sandwich drive the field on the ground early with Kirby going in from a yard out to make it 7-0. Kirby came back on defence with an interception return of 78 yards that put Sandwich up 14-0 after the first quarter.

Things only got interesting in the final two minutes when London got it's only touchdown to make it 17-10.

The Lions had the ball on the onside kick, but dropped it and Sandwich's Tony Chartrand scooped it up and took it to the London two where Kirby cashed it in for his third score of the game.

Alan Sebastien converted all three scores and added a 23-yard field goal to round out Sandwich's scoring.