If there were any concerns that last week's bye could have left the No. 2-ranked St. Thomas More Knights a tad rusty entering Saturday's Subway Bowl quarter-finals, they were extinguished quickly.
Like those guys who leave their Christmas shopping until the last day, the Knights wasted little time browsing and loaded up their basket in a forceful 32-13 victory over the Notre Dame Jugglers.
STM now ventures into the semifinals next week against defending provincial champion Terry Fox, who won their quarter-final match against Seaquam with a dramatic touchdown off a blown punt in the earlier game.
On a six-play drive that covered 55 yards -- not including Mateo Carteri's sharp 20-yard kick-off return -- the Knights put up the first six points just 2:17 into the contest, with Joel Pielak bowling in on a 33-yard run.
Their next major didn't come as quickly, requiring 11 plays on STM's third possession with quarterback Dario Ciccone taking it in from five yards.
Up 12-0, the Burnaby program's strong start was equal parts defensive domination, as they held Notre Dame to just 15 offensive yards over the first quarter. The Jugglers, who posted a 4-3 record during the regular season, didn't collect a first down until midway through the second quarter.
The Knights increased their lead to 19-0 when Ciccone hit Connor Hayek for an 11-yard TD pass with 40 seconds remaining in the half. It capped another sleek march for the 10-0 squad, where the Grade 11 quarterback carved out a four-pass drive set up by an earlier stingy defensive stand.
Although the two teams would trade majors twice in the second half, the lead and momentum had already been corralled by STM.
"It was huge, huge," STM coach Steve DeLazzari said of the quick start. "Once we got a couple of scores on them it forced them out of their game. They're a great running team and they had to throw the ball. That's one of our strengths, too, our secondary... (Notre Dame) averaged 30 points a game all year and we held them to 12."
With two-way leader and co-captain Tyler Eckert absent for a third straight game, the spotlight shifted to Ciccone, who continues to handle the job like a veritable life-time member of the Rat Pack. He scrambled through numerous blocks and past tackles, and finished with three rushing touchdowns.
He completed seven of 13 pass attempts for 83 yards (all stats are unconfirmed).
Pielak, who missed a month of action after getting hurt early in the win over Terry Fox six weeks ago, delivered a monster performance in carrying the ball more than 22 times and 123 yards. Although it was a major test going into the playoff tilt without Eckert, considered one of the best two-way players in the province, the Grade 12 rusher ate up the opportunity and was instrumental in the win.
"We needed that. (Pielak) answered the bell," said DeLazzari. "He hasn't played a lot this season so I think part of that is he was an X-factor in that no one has seen him carry the ball like that. ... You could see it when he carries the ball, he's patient. He reads his blocks well and hits it with speed."
The Knights now face Terry Fox, a team they bested 15-8 on a wet October night in Coquitlam, when the Ravens were No. 1 in the provincial poll and STM had just begun to crack the top-five rankings. The game is expected to be played Saturday at BC Place.
