Big Macs believe they are on right track
The scoreboard after a high school football game tells a story and at first glance, it’s been an all-too-familiar narrative for Canon-McMillan through the first two weeks of the WPIAL football season.
The Big Macs (0-2, 0-2) have allowed 105 points through two Class AAAA Southeastern Conference games and it is the seventh consecutive season they lost their first two games. Though improvement is often measured by victories, their losses have been deceiving.
The Big Macs trailed Mt. Lebanon 10-0 in Week 1 and Penn Hills 22-13 last week, but they could not sustain their strong play and were outscored by a combined 73-21 in the second half. Head coach Mike Evans did see positives out of both losses.
The offense made big plays and the defense made timely stops, but that hasn’t lasted for four quarters.
“I think we’re taking steps. You see some good, competitive play in the first half of games,” Evans said. “We have to continue to battle, compete and sometimes, I don’t know how the other teams think at halftime, but you look at the scoreboard and I think it’s a little bit different from what it’s been.
“I think our kids might be more surprised than the other team.”
The positives are greater than one might think. The 34 points the Big Macs have scored matched their output from more than five games last season.
In the first half of conference games last fall, they did not score more than seven points and were outscored by an average of 22.4. Evans wants that strong play to extend for 48 minutes as the program hopes to snap its 15-game losing streak.
Though Canon-McMillan’s players and coaches are focusing on the process instead of the end result, expectations have not wavered. Evans expects to win and that will continue to be the case tomorrow, when the Big Macs host rival Peters Township (0-2, 0-2) at 7 p.m.
“People have told this team it would be so great if we could just compete. Well, that’s not what our standard is and that’s not what our expectations are,” Evans, a Peters Township graduate, said bluntly. “No one is satisfied with playing a good half against Penn Hills.
“I know those are the right steps and those steps have to happen, but what we’re doing right now is not acceptable. It’s got to get better. We’re not coaching well enough and we’re not playing well enough. We’re all in it.”
The motto in Canon-McMillan’s locker room is 68 men. That’s the number of players and coaches for varsity football. The statement is used to form a bond between the two, showing that both groups are in it together.
When Peters Township head coach Rich Piccinini watched footage of the Big Macs’ two losses, he saw evidence of the change occurring at Canon-McMillan. The offense was balanced, the defense tackled effectively and he saw a more physical team.
The Indians have defeated the Big Macs in six consecutive seasons while averaging more than 38 points per game, but Piccinini has stressed to his players that their opponent tomorrow is not the same as in previous years. Peters Township has struggled in losses to Woodland Hills and Upper St. Clair this season.
With five new starters on offense, including a new quarterback, and a minor injury to running back TJ Kpan; the Indians had just 172 yards of total offense in their first two games.
“This is still a rivalry. We have high energy this week,” Piccinini said. “We know we are playing the guys down the street. I’m sure our kids know their kids and vice versa. If you can’t get up for a game a couple miles down the road, then you really don’t have a rivalry. We look to continue the success we’ve had in the series, but we emphasized to our kids that they are a better team.”
Despite having to rebuild the offensive line, which included Pitt freshman Alex Paulina, the Big Macs have found balance. Junior running back Bryan Milligan has rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns, and senior quarterback Dom Eannace has thrown for 338 yards and a touchdown.
It’s a sign of improvement and some players are still awaiting their first varsity win, but Evans is stressing the importance of the learning process. He admitted his emotions will be all over the place facing his alma mater, but Evans is simply concerned about the Big Macs playing well.
“The football field is a mean, cruel place and you have to work for four quarters of the game,” Evans said. “Our guys deserve the success they’re having, but it’s because all 11 guys are doing their jobs at times.
“If we can sustain that for longer than two and a half quarters, we’ve got a heck of a thing going on right now.”