By Larry Moko
Cornerback Lucas Horvat could do no wrong Friday as a kicker for the Bishop Ryan Celtics.
In gusty wind conditions, the left-footer connected on five field goals and a convert to help the visitors from BR to a 22-0 high school football victory over the St. Jean de Brébeuf Braves.
Even when Horvat missed a three-point attempt in the first quarter, the play turned out quite well for the Celtics -- a penalty for contacting the kicker nullified a 115-yard touchdown return by Brébeuf’s Dante Dos Santos.
As a result, the possession continued for Bishop Ryan and Horvat drilled a 28-yard field goal through the uprights to give BR a 3-0 lead.
Horvat, who has been run into a couple of times previously as a kicker, said it was satisfying to immediately respond the way he did. “You’ve got to adapt and get it out of your head,” he said. “You always play for the next play.
“You need to focus on the ball and the follow through.”
Horvat’s other field goals were from 17, 12, 22 and 12 yards.
“Lucas did a great job,” Celtics coach Jim Davies said. “He’s got a strong leg and his accuracy dealing with this swirling wind today was bang on.”
Lucas’ older brother, Michael, is a former Celtics kicker. He’s a Second Team All-Canadian, currently in his third-year with the McMaster University Marauders. Said Davies: “Lucas is walking in his brother’s footsteps, coming through for us in clutch moments.”
The Horvats each handle both punting and place-kicking duties. Michael, however, uses his right foot.
A 100-yard rushing performance by Kyler Bailey-Johnson plus solid-around efforts by the Celtics defence and special teams were other key factors in the outcome.
The lone touchdown was scored in the second quarter on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Ben Bowden. That was followed by another field goal by Horvat set up by an on-side kickoff recovered by Tyler Jobson.
“Our strength is usually our run defence, but we didn’t do a very good job on that today,” Brebeuf coach Phil Iannone said. “They had some good blocks up front and they found the holes. We had a bye week last week and we obviously didn’t prepare properly.”
According to Iannone, the Braves took some undisciplined penalties that proved costly.
“Congratulations to BR, they played a great game,” he said.
The win was the third in as many starts for Bishop Ryan this season. Brébeuf dropped to 1-1 in the standings.
Last season for McMaster, Michael Horvat’s punts averaged 45.5 yards and he was successful on 83 per cent of his field goal tries. Last week in a win over the Carleton Ravens, he made two field goals and averaged 43 yards on three punts.
In other Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic senior action, the Bishop Tonnos Titans topped the St. Mary Crusaders, 37-3, and the St. Thomas More Knights defeated the Cathedral Gaels, 28-9.
Photos by R.F. (Bob) Butrym RFB Sport Photography
More photos on the HWCDSB Athletics Facebook page here
