HAMILTON-WENTWORTH CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
Gaels crowned girls' touch football league champions

By Larry Moko

A 5-yard touchdown pass from Keira Daly to her twin sister Nicole with five minutes remaining lifted the Cathedral Gaels to their first-ever championship in girls' high school touch football.

That scoring strike - immediately following a 50-yard pass hook-up between the same Grade 10 duo - was the lone major score in the Gaels 6-1 victory over the St. John Henry Newman Cardinals Monday.

Touch football kicked off as a Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic league sport in 2014.

"They're a great team," Newman coach Chris Bartolomeo said of the Gaels, who went undefeated during the two rounds of tournament action. "They've got two deadly sisters out there who control the game. One plays quarterback. They know where each other are.

"It seems like any time there is a big play for them (the Dalys) were involved. I believe they are the two best female athletes in the city."

Newman broke open a scoreless tie on the final play of the opening half when Natalie Hunt booted a 35-yard punt single.

Despite trailing at the half, the Cathedral quarterback remained confident. "Newman has a really strong defence," she said. "I realized we had the wind in the second half. It was a factor in throwing the football and also kicking it."

Newman quarterback Julia Romano connected on three consecutive passes during a final drive, but time ran out for the Cardinals.

"The girls have worked hard the last few weeks," Cathedral coach Tony Tassone said. "I love coaching touch football. I think it's a great way to get kids involved in football and understanding the sport. Now girls appreciate and understand a little bit of the terminology and so forth. They have absorbed it."

Other members of the Gaels this season included Atteyla Barichello, Senoya Brown, Kiara Dalla Pasqua, Rachel Daly, Maya Flynn, Akeelah Jegeris, Kaileez Joseph, Destinee Langa, Angelina Medieros, Valentina Munn, Carolina Munn, Shilyn Osmond, Taia Papalia, Kylie Rosos, Kaylor Rosos, Darrah Smith, Amy Varasso and Jasmine Wall -Gordon.

Said Tassone: "Kiara had an interception today and was a great option quarterback for us all tournament. Valentina and Jasmine were our rushers and Amy Varasso had some key knock downs for us in defence."

The deep pass play that set up the lone TD came when Keira Daly rolled to her right and threw on the run. "Rolling out kind of makes it easier because the rusher usually comes right at you. It creates more space and gives you more time."

It's the third sport the Dalys have won gold medals in this school year. In November, they were starters for the Gaels basketball team that won the AAA city, regional and OFSAA titles. And most recently, they teamed up in girls doubles to take top honours at the Hamilton-Wentworth junior badminton championships.

That's not all, though. On Sunday, their Transway club team won the JUEL league of Ontario basketball tournament at the University of Guelph.

"I haven't played touch football before, but when I was younger I used to play flag football," Keira said. "My dad and Mr. Tassone used to be my coaches."

St. Thomas More Knights coaches Rob Fuciarelli and Joe Burke launched touch football eight years ago as a way to give girls the opportunity to play and provide a developmental step for boys tackle in the fall.

"The numbers for the girls' game have gone up exponentially," Fuciarelli said. "We had 80 girls try out for our team alone. There is a lot of interest. It's nice to get the tournament going again after everything was shut down for two years. No matter the scores, enthusiasm has been strong."

Newman players wore new uniforms this season with their name and number on the back.

"That was at the girls request," said Bartolomeo, who coached the Cardinals when many of the players were in Grade 9 before the COVID-19 shutdown. "They wanted something to commemorate their last year of touch football."

The boys' touch football playoff tournament is scheduled for Tuesday at St. Thomas More.

Cathedral Gaels capture their first-ever championship in girls' high school touch football in the league final against St. John Henry Newman on May 30. Photo: Rob Fuciarelli