Jul 11, 2012- 1:00 PM
A 42-42 draw helped Sudbury improve to 2-4-1, and with the 1-5 Oakville Titans coming to town on Saturday, one more victory should be enough to clinch the chance to play at least one more game.
For the opening 30 minutes, late-game heroics seemed a complete non-issue for the homeside, which spotted the visitors an early 7-0 lead but roared back, building up a 28-7 advantage at the half.
After Jonathon Landry hauled in a 63-yard touchdown strike from Hunter Holub, running back Eric Lacelle-Sauvé went to work, scoring on runs of six, 18 and 15 yards, with Matteo Vigna converting all four majors.
The Sudbury lead could have been bigger as a 30-yard TD pass to Connor Chezzi was nullified on a holding penalty, with Vigna missing to the right on a 31-yard field goal attempt moments later.
The Gladiators outburst was aided by some intriguing fourth-down play-calling from the visitors, who opted to attempt a fake punt of three straight series, all to no avail, and twice providing the locals with outstanding field position well into Peterborough territory.
The second half was another matter altogether as Wolverines sensational running back Logan White took control of the game. The speedy ball-carrier finished the contest with no less than five touchdowns, with Lacelle-Sauvé adding a fourth in the third quarter for the Glads.
In the end, Holub needed to call his own number with no time remaining on the clock in order to pull Sudbury within one.
With a tie leaving the Gladiators' post-season hopes completely in their hands against Oakville, coach Kevin Ellsworth did not hesitate for a moment, earning a valuable single point on Vigna's sixth conversion of the game.
Lacelle-Sauvé moved from his spot at wide receiver to the backfield when starter Matthew Glass suffered a season-ending knee injury at practice earlier in the week. Unfortunately, Lacelle-Sauvé also left the game due to injury, just after scoring his fourth touchdown of the afternoon.
