QB Travis Eman (Brampton, ON) and RB Mercer Timmis (Burlington, ON) paced the Canisus Crusaders to victories over Monsignor Martin and St. John Baptist.
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SEPT 11
Canisius 41, St. John Baptist 7: The Crusaders pulled away from their visitors from Long Island with a 27-point second quarter. QB Travis Eman was 4 of 10 for 152 yards and two TDs and he rushed four times for 101 yards and two TDs. Running back Mercer Timmis had 122 yards and two TDs. Defensively, the starters did not allow 100 yards. Defensive end Kyril Threats had four of his team’s five sacks along with seven tackles and a fumble recovery. Two TDs came on the first plays of drives.
SEPT 4
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: Canisius gets a big victory at home over a Monsignor Martin opponent thanks to a player who’s new to Western New York football.
About 11 months ago, quarterback and Toronto-area native Travis Eman (PICTURE) had a breakout game at Canisius’ Stransky Complex in West Seneca as the Crusaders beat rival St. Joe’s, 41-28.
On Saturday, Eman’s senior season started with another standout performance in a 40-7 victory over Cardinal O’Hara, but this time the coming-out party belonged to another Canadian transfer in Mercer Timmis.
Timmis, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound junior, showed off great reads and blazing speed as he ran eight times for 127 yards and three touchdowns.
“I tell you what — he runs, and he runs violently,” Canisius fourth-year head coach Brandon Harris said of Timmis. “A lot of people didn’t know who he was — kind of like … last year about Travis. Now, I think everyone will know Mercer. He’s the real deal. Our offensive line blew some holes wide-open and he did a nice job.”
In a matchup that pitted last year’s Monsignor Martin League AA (large school) champion in Canisius and its League A (small school) winner in O’Hara, the Crusaders dominated from the start and took an 18-0 lead after one quarter.
On their opening drive, the Crusaders converted a fourth down with a long Eman run inside the 5, and two plays later Timmis burrowed behind blocking for a 3-yard score.
Eman, who ran four times for 120 yards, added a 40-yard touchdown run after faking a handoff to a running back headed to the right, then running to the left and accelerating away from the defense to the left pylon.
A botched punt snap by O’Hara set Canisius up with a short field shortly thereafter, and two plays later Eman had plenty of time in the pocket before lofting a pretty spiral down the left side for junior Trevor Jachimowicz. Jachimowicz went airborne to make the catch as a defender went by and easily went the last few yards for the 35-yard touchdown. Eman hit 3 of 5 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown.
Timmis put on an excellent display of his speed on his next touchdown, a 58-yard run that would lead to a 26-0 advantage 1:52 into the second quarter. He carried to the left side and outran defenders in the secondary before they could get any kind of angle on him.
“I just saw the cutback lane and just ran through,” said Timmis. “I thought the guy was going to catch me on the sideline, but he didn’t. The last one [his 41-yard run early in the third quarter] was a cutback play. I just followed my blocking. Our O-line was really taking it to them.”
Timmis is from Burlington, Ontario, located on Lake Ontario at just about the point where Western New York travelers make the eastern turn to head around the lake to Toronto. Eman is from the Toronto suburb of Brampton.
The Canisius lead was comfortable enough that the Crusaders got significant playing time in the second half for second-string quarterback Chris Jugovic, a 6-foot, 190-pound junior who is also from Burlington.
“The word spreads, and kids see a program that’s putting kids in school,” said Harris. “We have a fun defense that’s very active and kids want to play in that, so they’re coming over.”
O’Hara’s only score came on a highlight run by Robert Davis, who appeared caught in the backfield before reversing field to the left on a 54-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
[URL]http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/high-schools/article181970.ece
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