By Larry Moko
In his 26 years of coaching football at St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School, Claudio Silvestri has developed many outstanding players and teams.
But there's a current member of the Knights who, according to Silvestri, has special talent.
That Grade 12 player is versatile running back, defensive back and kick returner, Caleb Kowalchuk. "Caleb's hands are the best I've ever seen," Silvestri said following More's 38-0 victory over the visiting St. Mary Crusaders Friday.
Kowalchuk scored two touchdowns -- one on the ground, the other through the air -- to help the Knights improve to 2-0 in the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic league standings. The loss evened St. Mary's record at 1-1.
"Without a doubt, Caleb is university level," Silvestri said. "He's our best player on offence and defence. He's a captain of our team. The way Caleb goes the rest of the team goes. He's a tremendous football player."
More quarterback Marcus Perri tossed two deep touchdown passes. One went for 48 yards to Kowalchuk and the other covered 28 yards to wide receiver Noah Cannon.
Said Silvestri: "Marcus keeps getting better. His ceiling is so high."
Nyzaiah Bernard contributed a one-yard rushing touchdown to the point total while Adrian Klindzic Dovial booted field goals of 30 and 43 yards along with four converts.
Kowalchuk opened the scoring on a four-yard run. "Because of our blocking, I didn't even get touched going into the end zone," he said.
St. Mary also conceded two safety touches.
"We had a great start last week," Crusaders coach Sean Dennison said of the team's 29-15 victory over the Cathedral Gaels. "Perhaps the inexperience of having to deal with something so positive like a win impacted the way we performed tonight. We'll use this to make us better."
The Knights began their season with a return visit to Michigan for an exhibition game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. Following that, the Knights attended a University of Western Michigan game.
"It was a good experience," wide receiver/defensive back Cannon said of the U.S. trip. "We were the underdogs. They had been practising more than us. But in the second half we scored seven and they scored seven. So that was a positive.
"Our team is strong overall. We can throw the ball and we can run the ball. Our defence gave up zero points tonight."
In other action Friday, the St. John Henry Newman Cardinals defeated the St. Jean de Brébeuf Braves, 36-7, and the Bishop Ryan Celtics downed Cathedral, 38-0.
Photos by Richard Andoga
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