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.

“Just being part of the team and getting some aggression out.”

Harper admits there is a huge learning curve.

“This is very difficult. It is very different going from not being able to hit anyone in any sport to coming out and having to hit people,” he said. “I don’t know the sport that well so they are just getting me (playing time) wherever I know.”

The Mustangs have used Harper in the defensive secondary for the most part and that is where he came up with a crucial pick in the end zone to end a dangerous drive by the Thunder.

“That felt amazing,” he said. “I got hit (before) and my whole arm starting tingling. I thought I was done but I got back up and pushed it out and got the interception and then ran through a guy.

“I never felt better in my life.”

Mustangs head coach Brian Carter was understandably proud of his team.

“It feels awesome,” he said. “It’s guys making the plays and understanding the game a little more each week. We have a lot of guys who have never played football before and now they’re starting to understand the things we’re talking about at practice.

“They’re learning a little more each day.”

Carter said seeing a player like Harper succeed is what high school sports is all about.

“It makes a lot of memories and friendships they will have forever,” he said. 

BT coach Sean Jones indicated it has been a taxing season for the Thunder.

“We made a quarterback change this week and the schedule is not very forgiving,” he said. “We played a game on Monday so we had two days to prep our quarterback. We’ve had some injuries and had to shuffle some things around and our bench is a lot shorter than we anticipated it being.”

The Thunder began the season with 45 players and are down to about 29.

“We had a couple of kids not see the time they had seen previously and then quit this week,” he said. “Kids want that instant gratification. They want to play now, or not at all, and if they’re not starting, they don’t want to stick it out.”

The win evens Saint Michael’s record at 2-2.

The Thunder fall to 1-3.

Mustangs 7 Thunder 0

Mick and Angelo’s/Johnny Rocco’s/Cracker Jack’s Players of the Game: Devon Harper for Saint Michael and Gavan Banga for Blessed Trinity.

Blessed Trinity Thunder: Saim Haseeb with a 25-yard touchdown catch. Convert by Richelieu Marigomen.

Saint Michael Mustangs: No scoring.

Through the air: Saint Michael’s Jared Schlueter 4-for-9 with one touchdown and one interception (Brendan Gratton); Blessed Trinity’s Jaxson Austin 5-for-16 with three interceptions (Harper, Marigomen, Caleb Hetherington).