AKO season ends

by Ashley Davidson

After losing to the St. Leonard Cougars Sept. 29 in Montreal, the AKO season and their hopes of redeeming themselves in the playoffs ended.

The Fratmen finished the season with four wins and four losses and did not qualify for the playoffs. The match with the Cougars was a must-win game, with both teams fighting for a spot in the post-season. At the beginning of the fourth quarter the Fratmen led 8-7. They went on to lose 24-8 when the Cougars scored a touchdown on a kick return and a second touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Coach Mike LaChance said the Cougars game, along with the previous game against London, defined the season.

“Once the running game went away the offence kind of went away with it,” said LaChance.

The team lost all four running backs from the previous season and seemed to be unable to keep a running back healthy this year.

Robb Matton pulled a hamstring early this season, causing him to miss the last four games and Corey Bezaire and Bradley Marsden were both injured in the final game against the Cougars. With no other choice, slot back Joel Archer finished the game at running back and was also injured at the end of the game.

LaChance said the defence played their game despite the injuries on offence.

“Defensively, we were outstanding,” said LaChance. “We had the best defence in the league statistically and I was talking to the guys and they were disappointed we didn’t score defensively.”

Defensive back Deandre Jones played his final season with the AKO Fratmen this year. He said even though their defence was strong they wish they’d been better.

“We didn’t make plays on defence the way we did last year,” said Jones. “We had touchdowns last year and this year we had zero.”

Going into the season the Fratmen had high expectations due mainly to last season’s success.

“You have all the expectations, but when it comes down to the actual football game anything can happen,” said Jones.

Defensive lineman Anthony McDonald has one more year of eligibility with the Fratmen but is undecided about whether he will return. He said the team next year needs to be cocky.

“We were cocky in the beginning and then the same thing within our games. We were good in the beginning then we would get punched in the mouth and we would back down,” said McDonald. “The first time we had a little bit of a struggle with a team we started to back down.”

The Fratmen will be recruiting in the off-season in hopes of improving their record for the 2013 season.