A late game single point and a 25-yard chip from Derek Williams was all that Birchmount Park Panthers could muster against their Don Bosco Eagles opposition, but it was enough for this year's city-wide high school senior boy's football crown.
The results could have been very different, though, had it not been for Greg Appleby and his shoestring tackle after the Eagles caught a 'blooper reel' loose ball and ran it back to the Panthers' two-yard line.
By virtue of the championship win at Varsity Stadium, under slippery, wintry conditions, the Panthers will now move on to the Metro Bowl semifinal against York Region champs Huron Heights on Thursday, Nov. 29, 1 p.m., at North York's Esther Shiner Stadium.
The city championship title is a first for the senior Panthers football program, and a first for head coach Rob Pacas, who has been a coach with the squad since 1997.
"It was terrible, the conditions, which dictated a lot of what happened on the field," he said, adding that, as a result, both sides were restricted to running the ball.
"And Don Bosco is a very run-oriented team. I have to give credit to out defensive co-ordinator for putting together a great day," he added.
Pacas, who heads up the local high school's respected Birchmount Exceptional Athletic Program, says his charges now have their hands full against Huron Heights.
"We've seen film, they execute very well, but we do too," said the coach. "With the conditions this time of year, it's about who can step up in critical situations."
Don Bosco head coach Rob Ford who helped install a senior program to the Etobicoke school six years ago, said he and his charges are beside themselves.
The team thinks that they should be the ones celebrating and preparing for the Metro Bowl.
"But there's no excuses, we lost fair and square," he said. "I congratulate Birchmount on a well-played game and wish them all the best this week (in the Metro Bowl)."
"Our job now is to prepare for next year, and we've already done that. Hopefully we'll be back better than ever next year."
St. Mike's, meanwhile, will face Whitby's Donald Wilson Gators in the other semifinal match up.
The Metro Bowl final takes place the following Wednesday.