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Cornwall makes a statement to start its Ontario Summer Football League season with a big win on its home field.
Author of the article:
Todd Hambleton • Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Published May 18, 2026 • 3 minute read
Cornwall Wildcats OSFL head coach Alex Labonte, middle, and starting quarterback Peter Constantinidis (No. 10, right) watch the plays against the Brampton Bulldogs at Joe St. Denis Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Cornwall, Ont. The Wildcats won 34-14. Photo by Todd Hambleton /Special to the Cornwall Standard-FreeholderArticle content
After months of tryouts and practices and envisioning possible scenarios on how the season would begin, the Cornwall Wildcats finally got to play a game late on Saturday afternoon.
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The U18 squad wasted no time making memories.
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Running back Hunter Holmes took the handoff, cut to the left and dashed 83 yards down the east sideline for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage, and Cornwall went on to post a 34-14 Ontario Summer Football League (OSFL) win over the visiting Brampton Bulldogs.
“Honestly, I wasn’t expecting that,” Holmes said afterwards, surely capturing the sentiments at the time for most of those watching at Joe St. Denis Field. “My muscles weren’t ready for that.”
Holmes, a second-year Wildcats player from Russell, had some impressive runs late last season, but the Wildcats struggled at home toward the end of the campaign, finished with a 4-3 mark, and didn’t qualify for the playoffs — a Cornwall rarity.
With an opportunity to make an early statement in 2026, Holmes was glad to get the ball on the first play and have an impactful two-touchdown afternoon.
“I love hyping the team up, and setting the tone, and we just have to keep pushing (as the season moves along),” Holmes said. “We have a lot of guys back (from 2025), and we’re looking to bounce back.”
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Cornwall Wildcats OSFL players, including linebacker Marc Labossiere, corral a Brampton Bulldogs player during play at Joe St. Denis Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Cornwall, Ont. The Wildcats won 34-14. Photo by Todd Hambleton /Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder
Just after Holmes scored and kicker Abbas Gedeon booted the extra point, one of the Brampton coaches uttered from the sideline what could end up being a strong contender for the understatement of the year, when he told the visiting squad 44 seconds into the game and season that there’s a lot of football left to play.
There definitely was plenty of time remaining, and Brampton did shake off the bus legs and make a game of it, getting a touchdown before the end of the quarter to narrow the deficit to 7-6.
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Cornwall would be the team making most of the big plays — including a 90-yard toss and run from quarterback Peter Constantinidis to receiver Kohlman McIntyre that made it 15-6 midway in the second quarter.
It was the Wildcats playing extremely well defensively, too.
“Our defence kept us in the game, especially in the first half,” said Holmes, a speedy and agile runner who early in the fourth quarter had a much shorter (25-yard) touchdown run but also highlight reel scamper to put the game out of reach, pushing Cornwall’s lead to 31-6.
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Back when it was still a tight contest midway in the third quarter, and Brampton was down 17-6 but moving the ball well, that stout Cornwall defence forced a punt, and Caleb Cardinal returned it 80 yards for a major, putting the home side up 24-6.
Cornwall Wildcats OSFL players huddle at Joe St. Denis Field after defeating the Brampton Bulldogs 34-14 on Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Cornwall, Ont. Photo by Todd Hambleton /Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder
Cornwall kicker Gedeon had a big day, with four extra points and a 30-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter that closed out the Wildcats’ scoring.
Cornwall also got a single on a punt into the end zone, and the defence forced a two-point safety.
Brampton’s best player, quarterback Tevonte Bramwell, was a dual threat, tossing a first-quarter 13-yard touchdown pass to Joshua George, and he scored on a 23-yard run in the game’s very late stages.
Bramwell is a smooth runner who frequently scrambled out of jams for positive yardage, and he threw some impressive deep balls too. But, the Cornwall secondary had a great performance, blanketing the Bulldogs and often having two and even three defenders covering receivers being targeted by Bramwell.
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Fourth-year head coach Alex Labonte and his Wildcats hit the road for their next few games, landing in Kingston to face the Grenadiers on May 23, then to Nepean to face the Myers Riders on May 30. The Wildcats are set to host the Cumberland Panthers at home on June 6, with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
The Cornwall Wildcats are fielding an Ontario Women’s Football League team for a second year — its season starts on the road on May 29 against the Kemptville Jaguars, with a home opener scheduled for a 12 p.m. kickoff on June 6 against the Cumberland Panthers.
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