#CFCOPC16 (Varsity – Central vs West): Pilato, Beno and Macphail-Silver named MVPs

HAMILTON – On Friday, Team West squared off against Team Central (varsity) in the first game of the Ontario Prospect Challenge. While there were many high-end performers, the game MVPs were narrowed down to Austin Pilato of Team West, Zach Beno of Team West and Ronan Macphail-Silver.

Austin Pilato (#25) with Rick Wood (left) and Mike Solanki (right).

Austin Pilato (#25) with Rick Wood (left) and Mike Solanki (right).

The game’s overall MVP award was given to running back Pilato, who sported #25. “Kind of humbled and you know I would like to take credit for it but I really can’t,” he said. “It’s not a one-man effort.”

He added that, “I have five guys in front of me, I have a quarterback beside me and another running back in front of me. As much as I would like to say that it was all me, it really wasn’t. It was a team effort and we stuck through the whole game.”

Solanki said, “I give [Pilato] a lot of credit to as well as the offensive line. But he saw his opportunity and he took them. He ran very, very hard.”

Zach Beno (#10) with Rick Wood (left) and Mike Solanki (right)

Zach Beno (#10) with Rick Wood (left) and Mike Solanki (right)

Quarterback Beno, who wore #10, took home the title of offensive performer of the game. “It was just a good team effort and I was lucky enough to have a good game and come out with MVP,” he said.

“But everyone contributed and it was awesome. I owe it to them. I owe it to the team. It was a good team effort. Everyone put their heart and soul into the game,” he added.

When asked about his highlight of the game, Beno cited his three quarterback sneaks. “That was pretty crazy,” he said. “Coach trusted me to get the ball and the first down.”

Mike Solanki, the head coach of Team West, had nothing but praise for Beno. “He is a field general,” he said about his young quarterback. “Great command of the game, very intelligent young man and physically, he has all the measurable.”

Ronan Macphail-Silver (#24) with Rick Wood (left) and Mike Solanki (right)

Ronan Macphail-Silver (#24) with Rick Wood (left) and Mike Solanki (right)

Defensive back Macphail-Silver, who was #24 in blue, won the defensive performer of the game. “Honesty, I don’t even know what to say. I just have been working hard all year and it’s just great to be out here playing,” he said. “Title is really nothing. I just want to play, you know?”

For Macphail-Silver, the highlight of the game was his interception. He also added, “Getting to play with all the boys, last year in high school before university football so just playing.”

Rick Wood, the head coach of Team Central, was impressed by all that he saw from the three MVPs. “I think those guys came out and played inspired football. They were leaders on the field and they led their players. They were the guys,” he said.

In the end, Team East topped Team Central with a final score of 17-7. “A very competitive game. 17-7 I think is very close game,” Solanki said. “I give credit to both coaching staffs and the players.”

He added that, “I thought it was a job well done. Everyone an amazing game. Everyone did an amazing job. It is not an easy thing to do to pick a standout player.”

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