Game of the week: Evans returns as rivals C-M and PT meet for opening clash
Mike Evans is a Peters Township grad and though he now bleeds blue and yellow as Canon-McMillan’s football coach, he still frequents the area he grew up in.
“I still shop at their Giant Eagle,” Evans said. “I still go to their Bruster’s Ice Cream place and when I run and walk with my wife I do so on the trail that I’ve been going to since I was 12 years old.”
In a sense it’s the perfect setting for Evans to make his return to the sidelines.
After taking a hiatus last year while receiving treatment for liver cancer, Evans is back and ready to lead Canon-McMillan against its neighboring Washington County rival Peters Township in the season opener, 7 p.m. tonight at Confluence Financial Partners Stadium.
“My August has certainly been more eventful,” Evans said about returning to coaching. “Last year, staying at home and going to chemo … dealing with that wasn’t fun, but it was also boring.
“I always look forward to playing Peters Township. Obviously, it’s where I played. I put a lot of blood and sweat on that field, but they’ve turfed it over since.”
Evans has an experienced group that aspires to host a playoff game in Class 6A.
The first test is a team that has become a perennial power in Class 5A in Peters Township, although the Indians will have a fresh look.
Peters Township graduated 19 seniors, most of them major contributors, including three Division I prospects quarterback Nolan DiLucia (Villanova), and defensive standouts Reston Lehman (Pitt) and Lucas Shanafelt (Stanford).
Their departures leave a new crop of players to step into the spotlight.
The Indians do have some experience on the offensive and defensive lines with three returning starters: Brady O’Connor, Cole Camilletti and Gavin Hollander.
“I know they are a little bit younger, I get that, but they’ve been competing for WPIAL championships for the last five years or so and the pedigree of the program speaks for itself,” Evans said of Peters Township. “That alone raises what we have to do to win. They’re a really good program and we have always had a tough time with them. We’d have some good battles.
“They’re our rival and they’re only a few miles down the road.”
Canon-McMillan lost Buffalo recruit TJ Sabatucci to graduation but returns plenty of experience and talent. That includes Ty Jansma, a three-year starter at quarterback. The Collins brothers Brayden and Bryce bring versatility on offense and defense. Braelon Wingfield returns as a featured back. Luke Sohyda is a Division I prospect at tight end with a bunch of offers, including Ohio State and Pitt. Roman Cimarolli provides Jansma an experienced target at receiver.
Jansma had 1,749 yards passing and 13 touchdowns as a junior, helping the Big Macs reach the Class 6A playoffs.
“This is going to be his 24th or 25th start, so we feel really good about him,” Evans said. “I don’t think it’s out of line to say that most coaches feel better when they have a returning quarterback with starting experience, because it’s the toughest position to play in sports.”
Peters Township has won the last three in the series, including a 42-14 triumph in last season’s opener. Canon-McMillan’s last win against the Indians was in 2023.
“It’s a game where you try to do your best to keep the noise and emotion to a minimum,” Evans said. “But it’s game one and obviously it’s a rival and our kids want to win.”
Extra points
Peters Township and Canon-McMillan is not the only matchup featuring two local teams tonight. In fact, there’s seven more: Charleroi at Monessen, Chartiers-Houston at Fort Cherry, Jefferson-Morgan at Burgettstown, Mapletown at Avella, McGuffey at Bentworth, Ringgold at Trinity and West Greene at Waynesburg. … Wash High opens its season at Steel Valley and will look to break a four-game losing streak against the Ironmen, which includes two playoff losses. … There’s only one new head coach at a local school, Carmichaels’ Ken Perkins.
Perkins makes his varsity head coaching debut when the Mikes travel all the way up to Armstrong County to face Leechburg.