After a shutout win in the first home opener of the season earlier this month, the AAA St. Thomas More Collegiate Knights were dealt a disappointing loss by fellow independent school rival Vancouver College at O’Hagan Field, Saturday.
The Sept. 13 afternoon matchup was an unlucky one for the No. 2-ranked Knights who fell to the No. 4-ranked Fighting Irish 50-32 after being up at the half.
“It was the tale of two halves,” said Knights’ head coach Bernie Kully.
Kully said it seemed like his boys played two separate games.
STM was ahead at halftime 26-17 and then got outscored 36-6 in the second half.
“We definitely failed to keep any kind of momentum in the second half, and we paid for it big time with a massive deficit by the end of the game,” Kully said.
Kully said the Knights’ lack of physical conditioning and mental toughness were factors.
“That is definitely something we are addressing,” he said, adding the scruffy Fighting Irish were also able to knock the Knights off the team’s game plan.
“A lot of times we weren’t executing what we have been doing for the last month, and that really hurt us,” he said.
It didn’t help the Knights that the Fighting Irish boys were true to their name and were able to come back from a rough start for the win.
Overall though, there were Knights who rose to the occasion.
STM quarterback Terrell Jana, who also happens to be one of the best basketball players in the school, had a 184-yard passing and threw for three touchdowns.
Shane Noel had 81 yards rushing and one touchdown.
JJ Deslauriers had 103 yards receiving and three TDs.
Matt Smigel had a 28-yard touchdown reception. Andrew Flett had one TD and six tackles.
The Knight defence was led by Ben Steele who had 11 tackles and two sacks. Spencer Moore helped out on defence with nine tackles and a sack.
Looking forward to homecoming against Coquitlam’s Centennial Secondary, which is also the team’s first league game, Kully said every Knight needs to bring his A-game. “It is an opportunity for us to showcase ourselves to our alumni and the hope is that we represent them well on the field,” he said.
The Knights homecoming game is Friday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m. against Centennial at Burnaby Lakes.
Junior Varsity
In the second game of the season, the AA Knights won over Surrey’s Holy Cross Regional 46-12 at Burnaby Lakes Sept 11.
The knights are on the road to take on Surrey’s Earl Marriot Sept. 17 at 3:45.
This will be the junior Knights first league game of the season.
The New Westminster Secondary boys AA Hyacks pummeled Samuel Roberts Tech 47-0 at Mercer Stadium Sept. 11.
The Hyacks next game is the first league game for the team and is at home against Pitt Meadows Sept. 18. Kickoff is at 5:30 p.m.
