Mustangs Silence Thunder
Devon Harper is clearly a quick learner. The 17-year-old, Grade 12 student never played organized football until this season, but has quickly become an important piece of the puzzle for the Saint Michael Mustangs. Harper collected a key interception in the end zone as the Mustangs blanked the Blessed Trinity Thunder 7-0 in a Niagara Catholic Athletic Association senior boys football game played Friday at Lakeshore Catholic.
“We just practice hard every day,” he said. “For a lot of us, this is our first time. For me, this was my third game ever so we’re doing really well.
“We’re picking it up.”
Harper tried the sport last season at the urging of Mustangs quarterback Jared Schlueter, but didn’t commit until this year.
“I went to come out last year and wasn’t feeling it but this is my last year so I had to come out,” he said.
Harper, who has also played hockey and soccer, likes the physical nature of the game.
“I needed to play a contact sport,” he said. “All the sports I was playing were house league and all the cheap stuff — anything we could afford — and we got lucky with this.”
Harper loves the team aspect of football.
The Saint Michael Mustangs senior football team has set the bar high for the upcoming Niagara Catholic Athletic Association season.