When one door closes, another one opens.
That slim proverb proves true for the St. Thomas More football program, which didn’t have much time to enjoy a AAA senior playoff berth.
While the St. Thomas More Knights were handily blanked 27-0 in the senior circuit, the game goes on for those among the junior ranks.
STM launched the junior playoffs in the same note as they marked the regular season, winning 34-7 over Mount Boucherie at Burnaby Lakes last week.
The jr. Knights continued their undefeated season by building up a 21-0 lead before halftime, with the lone blemish coming just before the midway mark on a blocked punt that a Mt. Boucherie player ran in for a major.
Scoring in the first half for STM were quarterback Dario Ciccone, who ran in touchdowns of 15- and three yards, and Michael Simone, who pulled down a Ciccone pass for a 47-yard TD.
Marc Abboud scored later in the game on an 18-yard run, while Simone added his second of the night off a 53-yard punt return.
Defensively, Sam Steele counted seven solo tackles while Daniel Auld sacked the Boucherie quarterback three times and forced a fumble.
The Knights, who were 5-0 in the regular season and 2-0 in exhibition play, are now lined up against the Mount Douglas Rams in a game today (Wednesday) in the provincial capital.
“No matter where you play or who your opponent is, you have to play your best to get where you want to go,” said Knights coach Dave Ruzycki. “We’re kind of playing with house money so far because no one thought we’d be here, undefeated. But so far they’ve proven everyone wrong.”
