Senior Boys Football
St. Peter Knights look dominant in opening season win over South Carleton
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

The St. Peter Knights Mike Murray tries to escape from the grasp of a South Carleton defender during a kick-off return in the second quarter of their senior boys match-up on Wednesday. Fred Sherwin/Photo

The St. Peter Knights kicked off the 2009 high school football season on Wednesday with an impressive 50-0 win over the South Carleton Storm.

As football games go, it was as dominating a performance as you are ever going to see. In fact, If there was a mercy rule in high school football the game would have been over by halftime.

Case in point, the Storm only had one first down in the opening half and even that was a gift from the officials who gave it to them on a second and inches play in which the Knights pushed the entire South Carleton offensive line back about four yards as soon as the ball was snapped.

St. Peter, meanwhile, scored on their opening drive and never looked back.

After Steven Dalekos scored the Knights' first touchdown on a pair of 10-yard runs, the South Carleton defence did their best to keep the Storm in the game. Unfortunately, the offence didn't hold up its end of the bargain and twice had to give up safeties when they couldn't move the ball beyond their own five yard line. In both cases the Knights scored on their ensuing drives.

The first safety came with two minutes left in the first quarter. On the ensuing kick-off the Knights ran the ball back 45 yards to the Storm's seven yard line. Two plays later, Dalekos ran the ball in for his second touchdown of the game.

A 35-yard field goal by quarterback/kicker Ryan Begin midway through the second quarter would improve the Knights' lead to 19-0.

Begin's kicking gave the Storm fits all game. South Carleton's second safety came after Begin hammered a 32-yard punt out of bounds at the seven-yard line. After the Knights got the ball back, Begin almost connected with Steven Masterson for what would have been a 42-yard pass.

Undaunted, Begin went back to Masterson on the Knights' next play and this time Masterson caught the ball for a 45-yard touchdown reception to put
St. Pete's up 28-0 at the half.

Things quickly went from bad to worse for the Storm who had their first play from scrimmage in the second half picked off by the Knights. Four plays later, Isaiah Harris ran the ball up the middle for a one yard touchdown and a 35-0 Knights lead.

St. Peter would add two more touchdowns and a single in the second half to make the final score 50-0, but it was the Knights defence that was the story of the game.

The Storm had a grand total of 40 yards in offence and only four first downs, two of which were the result of Knight penalties. The Knights D forced the Storm to turn the ball over four times and forced two safeties.

Delakos ended the game with over 100 yards rushing and three touchdowns, while Masterson, Harris and Kenny Benoit had a touchdown each. Begin kicked all five converts and the single to go along with his field goal for a total of nine points.

But probably the most impressive stat of all was the fact that the Knights were only called for three penalties in a complete reversal of past season openers where they would often committee multiple infractions.

The team's discipline was not lost on their head coach Jim Mick.

"Yes, I was definitely pleased about that, especially considering that we've had a relatively a short time to prepare," said Mick. "This team has a lot of good athletes and a lot of depth, but it's a long season and one game doesn't make you heroes."

In other opening day action involving teams from the east end, the Sir Wilfrid Laurier Lancers were shut out 22-0 by the St.Mark's Lions and the
St. Matthew Tigers led the Ashbury Colts by a score of 7-3 on a touchdown pass from Mcauley Banning to Nick Rozman before losing 17-7.

(Updated 2:30 p.m., Sept. 17)

Return to top

Return to Front Page