THUNDER BAY – The St. Ignatius Falcons have back-to-back statement wins.
The Falcons, coming off a 27-0 win over St. Patrick a week ago, were dominant on Friday on both sides of the ball and on special teams, and cruised to a 45-7 win over the Hammarskjold Vikings to improve to 2-0 to start the Superior Secondary School Athletics Association senior high school football season.
Alex Iossa scored three touchdowns to lead the way for St. Ignatius, snagging a 22-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Lucas Dupuis on the Falcons first drive of the second half, leaping in the air to haul in a nine-yard reception in the end zone for his second major of the day, and then ran a kickoff back 82 yards to round out the scoring midway through the fourth.
It was a great team win, Iossa said.
“It feels good. It’s great to have a defence like we do. What was it? Seven points and 0 points in the first game. When you have a defence like that, the offence is easy,” Iossa said.
He wasn’t taking any credit for his own success on the Fort William Stadium field.
“Three touchdowns, but when your quarterback can throw the ball beautifully – and every ball he throws is on the money, (it’s not tough),” Iossa said. “The kick return happens once in a little bit, so I was pretty excited for that.”
Dupuis, who had an injury scare after a three-yard run up the middle, opened the scoring midway through the opening quarter, calling his own name on a second-down play and racing 91 yards up the field for the game’s first touchdown.
“I asked them, are you going to run me the ball this game?” Dupuis said. “(Coach) said yeah, gave me the ball and that was great blocking by my O-line. My lead blocker, No. 98, Jonah Lahtinen gave a perfect block. It was a good read, and it was just easy after that.”
Iossa finished with four catches for 50 yards, while Dupuis, who left for a time to be evaluated for an injury after a three-yard first-half run, only to return to action in the third, was 7-for-9 for 73 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Mason Arthur had a 49-yard punt return for a touchdown and Zack Marino picked off Hammarskjold quarterback Taylor Main midway through the second and took it to the house from 58 yards out with 6:36 to go in the second quarter.
Main had a rough day behind centre, throwing five incompletions and an interception on his first six passing attempts, the Vikings dropping to 0-2 after last Friday’s 39-7 loss to Westgate.
“Both games have just been team efforts,” Dupuis said. “We’re working hard in practice. The energy is there, everyone is so hyped up for the game.”
Hammarskjold will take on St. Patrick next Friday, while the Falcons will tangle against Westgate.
