There is no doubt that Quin Mazzuchin is the favourite target of local high-school quarterback Steven Sola.

Three years of chemistry developed with both the Lo-Ellen Park Knights and Sudbury Jr Spartans has created a level of sync not often seen in these parts.

It took all of two plays in the first SDSSAA game of the fall for the pair to connect, Mazzuchin hauling in a 57 yard touchdown pass from Sola.

But with the game on the line, the latter would look in a different direction.

A 12 yard TD reception by Byron Nelson with just eight seconds to play lifted Lo-Ellen to a 28-23 win over the Lively Hawks as the three-time defending champs were pushed to the limit in the 2024 ice-breaker.

With three touchdown receptions to his credit, including one from QB Noah Parsons, Mazzuchin was not about to get greedy with his team needing the win.

"I know that teams will game plan for me, for sure, but we have other guys on the field who can make plays," said Mazzuchin. "We saw it with Byron Nelson on that last drive too with the clutch catch."

"I'm confident that if I am double-teamed, I can still make a play on the ball," he added. "But if I am double or triple teamed, some guy has one on one. He can make a play and we're going."

It did not look like this encounter was going to be a nail-biter, with Lo-Ellen scoring on two of their first three possessions, both on Sola passes to Mazzuchin, both converted by Luca Cucullo.

It was only into the later stages of the second quarter, following an injury to Sola that things really started to get interesting.

Already moving the ball fairly well offensively - QB Ian MacDonald, in particular, scrambled for some nice yardage - Lively was rewarded when MacDonald hooked up with Koen Palmquist from seven yards out, cutting the deficit in half.

The Hawks caught a break on their next possession when Aiden Fauteux fumbled only to have the ball bounce right back to him in stride as he dashed in from the 25 yard line to even the score.

It looked like the teams were heading to the break tied at fourteen when Parsons marched the Knights down the field, finding Mazzuchin for his third TD, this one from the nine. Lo-Ellen made it an eight point lead when kicker Luca Cucullo alertly scooped up an errant snap on the PAT and ran it in for two.

With no scoring in the third, it would be an Ian MacDonald to Kadin Broomhead TD toss early in the fourth that had the margin reduced to less than a field goal as the two-point PAT went for naught.

The Hawks got that deuce back when another errant snap sailed over the head of the Lo-Ellen punter, into the end zone for the safety touch, making the score 22-22.

With about three minutes to play, Lively had a tight call go their way when punter Koen Palmquist launched a kick into the end zone, looking for a single point. The Knights returner appeared to have a chance to escape to his own goal line, only to have the play whistled dead when it was ruled his knee touched the turf as he initially corralled the punt, making it 23-22.

In a contest that had a bit of everything before a packed crowd at James Jerome, Lo-Ellen had one last chance when a third and one for the Hawks fell victim to a ball mark that did not go their way - by mere inches.

Making his return to the game, Sola relied on an array of receivers, including Jack Centis and little brother Niki (Sola) doing double duty at wideout (and DB), leading to the eventual game-winning score.

"Lively came prepared," admitted Mazzuchin. "Going into the game, I know they wanted it bad. Having played for coach Desi (Jordan Desilets), I know what he's like. I know that he planned hard on this game."

"That was a learning point, for sure," he added. "We've got to know that teams are hungry for us."

Of the three winning teams on Friday, the Confederation Chargers likely looked the best, building up a 21-0 lead at the half and cruising to a 22-6 win over the St Benedict Bears.

Evan Doyle and Braedan Beggs both rushed for majors as Confed threw the ball only twice, also receiving a key pick six from King David Igiehon. Beggs would add a rouge in the second half while the Bears could muster just one score, courtesy of signal-caller Phoenix Marks.

That defensive trend carried through to the final encounter of the night as the Lasalle Lancers doubled the St Charles Colleg Cardinals 14-7.

Dash Kamal returned the opening kickoff all the way back for an early 6-0 lead but the Cards got that one back when David Idehen struck paydirt, the convert from Kieran Adams giving St Charles a 7-6 lead.

All of the scoring would come in the first half as Sylas Asare-Corbiere also returned an interception all the way back, with Ryder Kirby adding a two-point conversion to offset the initial missed point after attempt.

Asare-Corbiere would finish the contest with a pair of picks and several big hits, joining Logan Mannella (8 tackles - four tackles for loss) as defensive standouts for Lasalle.

The second triple header of the season sees Lasalle and St Benedict meeting at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, followed by St Charles and Lo-Ellen and Confederation and Lively to close things off.