The Sudbury U16 Jr Spartans have no issue getting off to a good start versus the Huronia Stallions.

But where an early season match-up in May would see Sudbury take an 8-0 lead into the half-time break before Huronia rallied late for an 11-10 win, a quick burst out of the gates by the Jr Spartans in the playoff rematch this past Sunday was countered far more quickly - and impressively - by the Stallions.

Sudbury playmaker Noah Arsenault returned the opening kickoff more than eighty yards but that momentum was long forgotten by quarter four as Huronia eliminated the locals with a 38-18 victory in Barrie, earning a berth in the OSFL (Ontario Summer Football League) U16 AA final this weekend.

The Spartans were still holding out hope after the first quarter, up 6-3, but were stymied in quarter two and trailed 17-6 at the half. Two long touchdown passes from quarterback Evan DeMarchi to Noah Skrobot and Cameron Quesnel in the second half were not nearly enough to offset a Stallions crew that came to play.

"They are a very well coached team and they were prepared for us," said Sudbury head coach Dan Yoisten, his team ousted following an impressive 6-1 regular season run and a first round playoff win over Peterborough.

Turnovers, as they so often do, played a big part in the loss, with a first half fumble and interception leading directly to a pair of scores for the home side. While it is quite likely that Huronia was also down a player or two, it certainly did not help the northern squad to be without stars Byron Marshall and Levi Blouin, both with Team Ontario at nationals last weekend.

Still, Yoisten noted that Skyler Bennett stepped in nicely and safety, filling in admirably for Marshall, yet another positive on a summer than offered far more good than bad for the young Spartans.

"I think our team exceeded expectations this year," he said. "We have been in the bottom half the past few years."

"All of our players got better throughout the year. There isn't a single player on this team who is not a better football player at the end of this season than he was at the start."

That, he said, was clearly only partially of his making.

"I had a really good coaching staff that worked really hard with the kids - and the kids worked really hard to get better. You have to give them credit."

The experience of a very solid summer is sure to pay dividends as the bulk of these youngsters reconvene in the high-school ranks come late August and early September.