The St. Joan of Arc (JOA) Knights senior football team is heading to the Catholic School Athletics of Simcoe County (CSASC) final and have done it seemingly with ease.
The Knights wrapped up the regular-season schedule at home Friday afternoon with a 47-0 win over the St. Peter’s Panthers.
In four CSASC games this season, the Knights have only given up three points, which was a late fourth-quarter field goal last week to Midland's St. Theresa’s. Add it all up and JOA has outscored its opponents 113-3 in the 2021 season.
JOA defensive co-ordinator Paul Harrington, who has been with the team since 2006, says the last year and a half has been challenging for all involved, but he believes the players have found their footing.
“Coming out of COVID has been hard on everybody, from coaches, players to parents. Everyone has just been trying to find their way these first three weeks,” Harrington told BarrieToday. “The players were just getting used to playing again, the coaches were getting back to coaching, and I honestly feel like today’s game is where we turned a corner a little bit.”
JOA has long been a force on the local football scene, winning the last five consecutive Catholic board senior titles and six Georgian Bay Secondary School Association (GBSSA) championships in the last eight years.
During that run, they have also captured a provincial title.
Harrington credits the amount of on-site coaches at the south-end Barrie school.
“We’re very fortunate in our school to have seven coaches in our building on our staff," he said. "Having coaches in the building is the recipe for success, because we know the kids on the field and in the hallway, or if they’re not in the hallway and should be. There is that ability to communicate with kids, not just for that hour and half at practice.”
It was announced in September that due to the pandemic there would be no Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) championships this year, so the GB finals between the Catholic board champions and their Simcoe County District School Board counterparts at the Simcoe County Athletic Association (SCAA) will be the grand finale.
After Friday's game, Knights quarterback William Howard said he's happy with the leadership from staff as well as the play of his teammates this season.
“The coaching is great," Howard told BarrieToday. "We always get a lot of help whenever we need it from them.
"On the field, the offense is clicking; we have a lot of stacked and skilled players,” added the 17-year-old. “(The) defense knows how to play and has a great chemistry as well.”
The Grade 12 student joined the Knights this year after transferring from St. Joseph’s. He said he knew coming in what was going to be expected once the season started.
“There is always an expectation that has to be met and I think the coaches do a great job keeping everyone accountable,” Howard said. “When you suit up for the Knights, you know you have to play hard.”
On Tuesday, St. Theresa’s will play St. Peter’s in a semifinal game and the winner will play JOA on Friday, Nov. 5 at St. Joan of Arc’s home field on Mapleton Avenue.
