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Recent GTA Grizzlies News

Skyhawks Host Grizzlies

By Ryan Watters 10/09/2024, 4:00pm PDT

An Ontario Conference Quarterfinal

Photo courtesy of W.J. Smith Photography

GTA Grizzlies @ Quinte Skyhawks – Saturday October 12, 1:00pm – Loyalist College | WATCH HERE

The 2024 CJFL playoffs open on Saturday afternoon with an Ontario Conference quarterfinal as the third seeded Skyhawks host the six seed Grizzlies.

They met four times during the regular season including just last weekend in Belleville.   The Skyhawks won all four meetings and outscored the Grizzlies 154-26 which included a pair of shutouts early on.

This is the first home playoff date for the Skyhawks after finishing 5-3 during the regular season and clinching the third seed in the standings.  All five of their wins have come against teams with sub .500 records, but it has grown their confidence as a club, and they have high expectations on themselves to make a run here in the playoffs. 

For the Grizzlies, they will need to play their best game of the season and find a way to get points on the board.   They averaged only 5.6 points a game during the regular season.  They have never won a playoff game under their current identity of the Grizzlies.

The winner advances to play either the London Beefeaters or St. Clair Saints the following weekend. 
 

Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser

By Ryan Watters 10/09/2024, 6:00am PDT

Hair We Go...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a member of the CJFL Executive has challenged a guru in the sport of rugby to raise funds for the Breast Assessment Centre at the Pasqua Hospital in Regina, Saskatchewan.   

It’s the age old battle of football versus rugby!

Prairie Conference president Randy O’Shaughnessy is representing the football side of things, while Levi Moore is the “hair” of rugby for this challenge.   Both men have been growing their locks for about two years and if enough funds can be raised in the month of October, the clippers will come out and they will have their heads shaved with their luscious locks donated.  

Both men chat with Ryan Watters and share why raising funds for breast cancer awareness is important to them. 

To  donate to Randy or Levi following this link – Home - Hair We Go (akaraisin.com)

 

Week 12 Preview

By CJFL Media 10/04/2024, 2:00pm PDT

The regular season will come to a close this weekend

Photo courtesy of Paul M. Williams Photography

The CJFL regular season concludes this weekend with all three conferences in action as teams prepare for a postseason run.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 5


BC Conference 

Westshore Rebels @ Langley Rams – Saturday October 5, 4:00pm – McLeod Stadium | WATCH HERE

This is the most intriguing match up of the weekend and a possible playoff preview as they meet for the second time this season.   If the Rams win they clinch second place and a home playoff date.  In order for the Rebels to leapfrog the Rams and clinched a home playoff date is to beat them by more than 13-points.  Three weeks ago, the Rams beat the Rebels 23-10 at Westshore. 

Head-to-Head
Records: Rebels 5-4 – Rams 6-3
Avg Points For: Rebels 32 – Rams 28.4
Avg Points Allowed: Rebels 23.6 – Rams 16 

Valley Huskers @ VI Raiders – Saturday October 5, 4:00pm – NDSS Field | WATCH HERE

For the one and only time this season the Huskers and Raiders will meet with kick-off moved up to 4:00pm due to the ever-changing ferry schedules.  With a win and a Westshore Rebels loss the Huskers would clinch third place in the BC Conference standings.   They have won three of their last four games, but that loss was last weekend at Okanagan.  Meanwhile the Raiders have won two straight and are looking to end their season on a winning note.

Head-to-Head
Records: Huskers 5-4 – Raiders 3-6
Avg Points For: Huskers 29.1 – Raiders 22.6
Avg Points Allowed: Huskers 26.8 – Raiders 30.2 

Prince George Kodiaks @ Kamloops Broncos - Saturday October 5, 6:00pm – Hillside Stadium | WATCH HERE

It’s the second half of a home-and-home as both teams want to end their season on the winning side.  Last weekend in Prince George the Kodiaks hung on for a two-point win which also handed the Broncos their fourth straight setback.  This game will be the seasonal series rubber match. 

Head-to-Head
Records: Kodiaks 2-7 – Broncos 1-8
Avg Points For: Kodiaks 18.4 – Broncos 18.4
Avg Points Allowed: Kodiaks 41.3 – Broncos 39.3

Ontario Conference 

Ottawa Sooners @ London Beefeaters – Saturday October 5, 3:00pm – City Wide Park | WATCH HERE

This is an important game for both teams as they wrap up the regular season and meet for the second time.  If the Beefeaters win they will clinch second place and a home playoff date.  In order for the Sooners to take over the Beefeaters and capture second place, they would need to beat them by more than nine points.  The Beefeaters beat the Sooners 28-19 in Ottawa earlier this season.   If Sooners lose and the Quinte Skyhawks win their game, the Sooners will drop to fourth place.

Head-to-Head
Records: Sooners 4-3 – Beefeaters 5-2
Avg Points For: Sooners 32.1 – Beefeaters 34.7
Avg Points Allowed: Sooners 22.7 – Beefeaters 21.1

SUNDAY OCTOBER 6


Prairie Conference

Calgary Colts @ Regina Thunder – Sunday October 6, 1:00pm – Leibel Field | WATCH HERE

It’s a playoff preview as the Thunder and Colts meet for the only time during the regular season and a home playoff date is on the line.  Whoever wins this game will host the other next weekend in a Prairie Conference semi-final.  Neither team will hide any cards and will lay it all out on the field on Sunday afternoon. 

Head-to-Head
Records: Colts 4-3 – Thunder 5-2
Avg Points For: Colts 26.7 – Thunder 33.7 
Avg Points Allowed: Colts 24.2 – Thunder 15.1

Saskatoon Hilltops @ Edmonton Huskies – Sunday October 6, 1:00pm – JP Bowl | WATCH HERE

The Huskies are the only thing standing in the way of a perfect regular season for the Hilltops as they meet for the second time. On August 11th the Hilltops beat the Huskies 38-13.  Regardless of the outcome these two will also face each other next weekend in a Conference semi-final in Saskatoon.   It’s a tall task for the Huskies but they are trying to snap a three-game losing streak.

Head-to-Head
Records: Hilltops 7-0 – Huskies 3-4
Avg Points For: Hilltops 43.4 – Huskies 20.7
Avg Points Allowed: Hilltops 13.1 – Huskies 23.2

Winnipeg Rifles @ Edmonton Wildcats – Sunday October 6, 1:00pm – Emerald Hills | WATCH HERE

Pride is on the line for these two teams with the winner finishing in fifth place in the Conference standings.  This is the one and only time they will meet this year.   They have both won just once this season, the Wildcats recording the upset win last week, while the Rifles captured their lone win two weeks ago.

Head-to-Head
Records: Rifles 1-6 – Wildcats 1-6
Avg Points For: Rifles 10.2 – Wildcats 16.4
Avg Points Allowed: Rifles 39.5 – Wildcats 35.8

Ontario Conference

GTA Grizzlies @ Quinte Skyhawks – Sunday October 6, 2:00pm – Loyalist College | WATCH HERE

It’s the fourth time this season these two teams will meet with the Skyhawks winning each of the three previous games, two courtesy of a shutout. If the Skyhawks win and the Ottawa Sooners lose, the Skyhawks will finish in third place, so plenty on the line this Sunday.  
Head-to-Head
Records: Grizzlies 0-7 – Skyhawks 4-3
Avg Points For: Grizzlies 5.5 – Skyhawks 19.2
Avg Points Allowed: Grizzlies 48.2 – Skyhawks 29.2

St. Clair Saints @ Hamilton Hurricanes – Sunday October 6, 4:00pm – Tim Hortons Field | WATCH HERE

It’s the second time these two rivals will face each other this season.  The Saints shutout the Hurricanes earlier this season in a lopsided score.  The Saints have clinched homefield advantage throughout the Canadian Bowl playoffs so its possible some of the starters won’t play this weekend giving them a chance to rest and avoid injury.  The young Hurricanes season will come to close after this game and they are hoping to build some momentum heading into the offseason. 

Head-to-Head
Records: Saints 7-0 – Hurricanes 1-6
Avg Points For: Saints 59.4 – Hurricanes 15.8
Avg Points Allowed: Saints 3.4 – Hurricanes 45