Steelers Battle Hard but Fall Short in 2025 Home Opener to Visiting Burlington Longhorns -

Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos

The 2025 Northern Football Conference season continued on Saturday, June 7th, as the Burlington Longhorns traveled north to Rocky DiPietro Field to open their season against the (0–1) Sault Steelers. Despite a resilient effort from the hometown squad, the Steelers dropped their home opener in a tightly contested 30–22 decision, falling to 0–2 on the season.

The game opened with early promise for the Sault, as veteran Michael Reid found the endzone on a 3-yard rushing touchdown just 3:34 into the first quarter. Burlington quickly responded, with Daniel Seymour tying the game 6–6 on a 5-yard touchdown run less than 30 seconds later.

The second quarter saw the Longhorns take control. Tevin Wheatley broke through the Steelers’ defense for a 73-yard untouched touchdown just over a minute in. That momentum continued as Baxter Balthazar added a 2-yard touchdown at 2:32 to give Burlington an 18–6 lead. As the half wound down, Sault rookie Ethan McCorkell showed poise under pressure, drilling a 37-yard field goal with just 2.2 seconds left to bring the Steelers within nine at 18–9 going into halftime.

In the third, Burlington extended their lead to 24–9 after Ryan Malvaso ran in a 7-yard major at the 8:50 mark. But the Steelers fought back. Quarterback Hunter Holub connected with Reid for a 7-yard reception, followed by another 3-yard touchdown run from Reid. After a successful convert by McCorkell, the score tightened to 24–16.

Reid continued his stellar performance in the fourth quarter, punching in his third touchdown of the night at 6:08 to bring the Steelers within two, at 24–22. However, the Longhorns delivered the final blow with just under two minutes to play. Steve Adu picked off a Holub pass and returned it 73 yards for a pick-six, sealing a 30–22 Burlington victory.

Reid finished with three touchdowns, continuing to shine as one of the Steelers’ key offensive threats. McCorkell added a field goal and two converts, while Holub managed a gritty performance under center despite heavy Longhorn pressure.

The (0–2) Sault Steelers will now regroup and look to bounce back as they travel to Sudbury on Saturday, June 14th for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff at the James Jerome Sports Complex, where they’ll face the (0–1) Spartans in a pivotal Week 3 matchup.