BOTH HURON HEIGHTS SQUADS ENJOYING EARLY GRIDIRON SUCCESSES
By Sam Laskaris
Members of the Huron Heights Warriors’ football program are hoping to continue their early-season successes.
Both the Huron Heights’ junior and senior squads have earned some impressive victories during the first couple of weeks of their 2022 campaigns.
The senior Warriors continued their winning ways this past Saturday by pulling out a hard-fought, 22-20 comeback victory against the host Notre Dame College School Fighting Irish of Welland.
Huron Heights’ quarterback Ethan Schwarz provided the winning major via a one-yard scamper with a mere 17 seconds remaining in the contest.
The Warriors were able to drive for the winning TD in the dying moments of the match after Notre Dame managed to take a 20-15 lead with under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
“I think they’re better than people believe,” Warriors’ head coach Heath Weir said of the Fighting Irish squad.
The Notre Dame team is led by quarterback Marshall McCray, unquestionably the heart and soul of the club.
“We managed to contain him even though he rushed for 200 yards and probably threw for another 150 yards,” Weir said.
Meanwhile, the Warriors’ bench boss continues to be impressed with Schwarz, a Grade 12 student who is in his first year of being the team’s starting quarterback.
“He’s coming along,” Weir said. “He’s started two football games in his high school life. But the O-line is providing him some time to develop.”
The victory over Notre Dame allowed the Warriors to improve their official season mark to 2-0.
Huron Heights had downed the St. Mary’s Lancers, a squad based in Lancaster, N.Y. in their season opener.
The Warriors had also picked up a ‘win’ in their battle against St. Matthew High School, an Ottawa-based club, in their encounter, which was dubbed a scrimmage earlier this month.
Besides being impressed with his team’s offence, Weir also has praise for his revamped defence.
“Defence is playing well,” he said. “But we only have five returning starters on defence.”
And the Warriors have been counting on plenty of new faces who have become regulars to lead the squad in 2022.
“Basically all of our statistical leaders (from last year) have graduated,” he said.
The Warriors are now hoping to continue their winning ways on Saturday. The Huron Heights squad will have a lengthy bus ride up to Sault Ste. Marie to square off against Korah Colts, one of northern Ontario’s premier clubs.
The opening kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.
As for the junior Warriors, they earned an impressive 33-6 triumph over the host Paul Dwyer Saints from Oshawa this past weekend.
With that W, the Huron Heights side boosted its mark on the season to 2-0. The junior Warriors were then credited with a 1-0 victory when Toronto’s Chaminade College forfeited a game that was scheduled for today (Sept. 23).
“Our juniors again have had a great start to the season,” Weir said. “It’s a team-over-me concept here. Our juniors are learning that.”