The Northern Football Conference (NFC) was formed in 1954 as the
Northern Ontario Rugby Football Union (NORFU). Its purpose, then as it
is now, is to provide an opportunity for athletes over the age of 19 to
play football beyond the high school level.
The NFC plays by the rules contained in the current edition of the
Canadian Rule Book for Amateur Football with the following exceptions:
- Four downs are used
- The one-yard restraining zone at the line of scrimmage is waived
- A coin toss is used to determine the choice of kick, receiver, end or defer for all scheduled games
- Overtime
is played to a maximum of two possessions per team for regular season
games and until there is a victor for playoff games.
A list of recent league champions is
included below.
2011
|
Tri City Outlaws
|
def.
|
Ottawa Invaders
|
12-11 |
2010
|
Sault Ste. Marie Steelers |
def. |
Tri City Outlaws |
35-04 |
2009
|
Sault Ste. Marie Steelers |
def. |
Tri City Outlaws |
31-18 |
| 2008 |
Tri City Outlaws |
def. |
Sault Ste. Marie Steelers |
21-10 |
| 2007 |
Sault Ste. Marie Steelers |
def. |
Tri City Outlaws |
23-10 |
| 2006 |
Oshawa Hawkeyes |
def. |
Milton Marauders
|
20-17 |
| 2005 |
Tri City Outlaws |
def. |
Milton Marauders
|
13-09 |
| 2004 |
Milton Marauders |
def. |
Oakville Longhorns |
35-14 |
| 2003 |
Oakville Longhorns |
def. |
Sault Ste. Marie Steelers |
51-00 |
| 2002 |
Oakville Longhorns |
def. |
Mississauga Wolverines |
34-06 |
| 2001 |
Oakville Longhorns |
def. |
Mississauga Wolverines |
36-34 |
| 2000 |
Oakville Longhorns |
def. |
Sault Ste. Marie Storm
|
38-03 |
| 1999 |
Oakville Longhorns |
def. |
Markham Raiders |
15-13 |
| 1998 |
Oakville Longhorns |
def. |
Markham Raiders |
23-16 |
| 1997 |
Oakville Longhorns |
def. |
Toronto Eagles |
34-04 |
| 1996 |
Oakville Longhorns |
def. |
Sault Ste. Marie Storm
|
35-14 |
| 1995 |
Oakville Longhorns |
def. |
Hamilton Wildcats
|
13-03 |
| 1994 |
Oakville Longhorns |
def. |
Sudbury Spartans |
35-14 |
| 1993 |
Oakville Longhorns |
def. |
Scarborough Crimson Tide
|
25-21 |
| 1992 |
Sudbury Spartans
|
def. |
Oakville Longhorns |
31-07 |
| 1991 |
Sudbury Spartans
|
def. |
Brampton Bears |
36-07 |
| 1990 |
Oakville Longhorns |
def. |
Sudbury Spartans |
13-12 |
The
NFC has been involved in national competition as well in recent years.
The
first Quebec-Ontario Bowl was played in August 2009, pitting the
Toronto MadDogs against the Beauce X-Men. Played at Sainte-Marie de
Beauce, Quebec, the home team scored the winning TD with less than a
second left on the clock to take a 20-18 victory.
The ultimate goal of the Quebec-Ontario Bowl is a Canadian championship
match within the frame of the Canadian Major Football League (CMFL).
Presently, the Canadian championship opposes the Alberta Football
League champion and the NFC champion. Following their 2010 NFC title
victory, the Sault Ste. Marie Steelers defeated the Calgary Vandals 32-00. Here are the results of past NFC/AFL meetings.
| 2010 |
Sault Ste.
Marie Steelers |
def. |
Lloydminster
Vandals |
32-00 |
| 2009 |
Sault Ste.
Marie Steelers |
def. |
Edmonton
Stallions |
65-06 |
| 2008 |
Calgary
Wolfpack |
def. |
Tri City Outlaws |
35-07 |
| 2007 |
Sault Ste.
Marie Steelers |
def. |
Edmonton
Stallions |
59-10 |
| 2006 |
Oshawa Hawkeyes |
def. |
Calgary
Wolfpack
|
43-29 |
| 2005 |
Calgary
Wolfpack |
def. |
Tri City Outlaws |
20-14 |
| 2004 |
Milton
Marauders
|
def. |
Calgary
Wolfpack
|
40-27 |
| 2003 |
Calgary
Wolfpack |
def. |
Oakville
Longhorns
|
39-28 |
| 2002 |
Oakville
Longhorns
|
def.
|
Calgary
Wolfpack |
54-46 |
2001
|
Oakville
Longhorns
|
def.
|
Calgary
Wolfpack |
41-00
|
|
|
The Northern Football Conference at a glance
- The Northern Football Conference (NFC) was formed in 1954 as the Northern Ontario Rugby Football Union (NORFU). It adopted the Northern Football Conference name in 1967.
- The Oakville Longhorns have won the most conference championships among active teams, 14 in total, including 11 consecutive from 1993 to 2003 (inclusive).
- Historically the Sudbury franchise known as the Hardrocks, and later the Spartans, have the most conference championships with 18.
- On August 22nd, 2009, The Sault Ste Marie Steelers won their second conference crown in three years, and sixth overall, defeating the 2008 defending champion Tri-City Outlaws 31-18.
- The Steelers moved on to host the Edmonton Stallions in the 9th Canadian Major Football League National Championship game on September 19th. They defeated the Stallions by a score of 65-6.
- This marked the Steelers' second victory in the National Championship game. Their first such victory came when they defeated the same Edmonton Stallions 59-10 in 2007.
- The National Championship Trophy is named the Sid Forster Memorial Trophy after the late co-founder and long-time coach of the Sudbury franchise. Sidney Forster was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2001 as a builder.
- The Northern Football Conference began a post-season series against the Silver Cup winner of the Ligue de Football Majeur de Quebec last year. In the first meeting, played on August 29th in Sainte-Marie de Beauce, the Beauce X-Men defeated the Toronto Maddogs 20-18 with less than one second left on the play clock.
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