Momentum is a powerful thing, and the St. Thomas More Knights are glad to have it on their side.
On the strength of Friday’s 24-19 victory over the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers, the Knights are one of just three AAA senior football teams at 4-0, with three games to play in the regular season.
The past few tests have been of the playoff-calibre kind, as well as a healthy outlet for the STM community mourning the loss of varsity coach Bernie Kully, who died two weeks ago after a battle with cancer.
Although they never trailed, the Knights were pushed by the Panthers and needed some huge defensive plays to leverage momentum into their corner.
In the first half, Tweedsmuir put up the first points on their second drive to take a 6-0 lead. St. Thomas More took a little longer before answering back, with Grade 10 defensive tackle Kaishaun Carter’s interception and 20-yard return late in the half setting up pivot Dario Ciccone’s 28-yard touchdown pass to David Osho, with the ensuing convert making it 7-6.
Tweedsmuir, which began the year among the top-five ranked 3-A programs in the province, continued to pressure the Knights defence, thanks to standout effort from running back Derek Best. But it was More’s Tyler Eckert who led off the second half, on a four-yard dash, to give the Knights a 14-6 advantage, which was upped to a 10-point lead on the first of two safeties in the game.
It wasn’t a comfortable lead, however, as the Surrey school replied with a major of their own to pull within three points, before Eckert put his stamp on the win with the next possession, burrowing 50 yards to set up his own two-yard push a few plays later. It was all part of a 140-yard game for the league’s leading rusher.
“It was tough grinding. Their defence was very solid, so (Eckert) earned every yard he got that night,” remarked More head coach Steve De Lazzari. “He’s definitely getting a lot of attention from other teams’ defences. You have to figure out different ways to get him the ball and different offensive packages and sets, and we’ve done that.”
Tweedsmuir would score on the final drive of the game to make it 24-19.
On top of his 20-yard interception, Carter corralled eight tackles, including two quarterback sacks. Also collecting eight tackles each were Jonah Fridfinnson and Osho, while Sam Steele and Eckert registered six tackles apiece.
Ciccone, meanwhile, continues to demonstrate a cool head under pressure from the QB position. The Grade 11 pivot completed eight of 12 pass attempts for 94 yards, and bootlegged for nearly 40 yards.
“Something that’s impressive for him, a Grade 11, is (Ciccone) hasn’t thrown an interception all year,” noted De Lazzari. “He makes really good decisions with the ball, and I hope I don’t taboo him with that statement.”
At 4-0, STM continues to garner raves and special attention as they sit first in the Eastern Conference and third overall in the provincial rankings, behind Western Conference’s New West and South Delta.
Up next are the 2-2 Mount Boucherie Bears in Kelowna.
“(Mount Boucherie) has a couple of good running backs and receivers, and their quarterback throws the ball really well,” said De Lazzari. “On the defensive side of the ball, just watching them I see they fly around and make a lot of big plays. With the travel up they’re going to be a good little test for us.”
The Knights next home game is Oct. 27 against W.J. Mouat.
