Loyalists - Atlantic Champs

For the first time in the history of the Aliant Atlantic League, the home team did not find themselves on the winning end of a championship match. The Fredericton Loyalists bucked the Atlantic Aliant League trend and defeated the Saint John’s Swilers at their home field by a score of 31-19. The match was the Loyalists toughest game of the season, marked by hard hitting and wide-open play.

The Swilers pressed the Loyalists for the first ten minutes of the match, but the loyalists managed to stifle what seemed to be endless attacks and finally gained momentum of their own with an opportune try by Malcolm Reeves. From this point on Fredericton managed to play some of their most inspired rugby of the season and maintained the game’s momentum until late in the match when Saint John’s managed to cross the line to even the gap.

Scoring for the Loyalists on the afternoon were Chris Aaen, who rumbled through after an exciting series of play. Simon Pacey and Chris Hunter also scored for Fredericton with Scott MacAfee converting all four tries and adding a penalty kick to round out the score.

Fredericton was able to set up the Aliant League Championship match by defeating an upstart Mount Pearl Dogs the day before. Under typical Newfoundland wind and rain, the Loyalists gained a hard fought 33-10 win and a much needed bonus point to set up the Championship game versus the Swilers.

Fredericton coach Keith McAlpine was both humbled and elated with the result “I am just amazed at how the guys played today, and cannot tell you how exciting it is to win this cup on Newfoundland soil for the first time. The guys are battered and bruised, but not one of them is complaining right now. What a team effort.”

Fredericton now regroups for a shot at the historic Caledonia Cup, the symbol of Maritime bragging rights. The cup goes through Saint John, which means there is still some high end rugby to play in New Brunswick during the month of October.