Tron Locked and loaded
The Thorold Golden Eagles are expecting big things from Tron (Megatron) Locke this season.
“He was a big player for us last year and he got to learn from a couple of our seniors which was huge for him,” Thorold head coach Duane Kemp said. “We are expecting him to take on more of a leadership role this year with the younger guys and teach them what and what not to do.”
Locke was front and centre Thursday, scoring a pair of touchdowns to lead the Golden Eagles to a 30-0 road victory over the St. Catharines Collegiate Saints in the Niagara Region High School Athletic Association Tier 2 opener for both teams.
“He’s shifty, he wants to get better, he wants to learn and we want him to push other players. If we see guys not doing it in practice, we want him to get on them in a positive way. The only way we are going to get better is if we push each other,” he said. “We have a good group of leaders already and he is one of the ones we count on to keep everyone engaged and motivated.”
Kemp feels the biggest thing Locke has improved upon the season is his confidence level.
“He knows he can be a difference maker at this level and he realizes that he can break some tackles. Last year at the beginning, there was maybe a little bit of doubt. By the end of the year he was great at catching some deep passes and now he has included the running game and he is stronger.”
The 17-year-old agrees that confidence is the biggest difference in his play this season.
“I used to get nervous pre-game and even the day before. My heart would be racing and I would be nervous. I didn’t know what to do and I would overthink the plays because I wouldn’t want to mess up,” the Grade 12 student said. “This year, I have a little more experience under my belt so I just use that to be confident and do whatever I need to do,” the 5-foot-10, 145-pounder said. “There are a little bit of nerves still but you’ve got to suppress them. You have to feel them and go on and play the game.”
With only two 12Bs on the roster, Locke realizes he needs to be more of a leader this year.
“You’ve got to lead the younger guys and you have to show them what the guys showed you. You have to show them how to do the play, what they did wrong and what they can do right.”
Losing to Centennial in last year’s championship game has provided Locke with plenty of motivation.
“It gives me nightmares still and I still think about it to this day. I think about what I could have done better.”
He is excited about this year’s version of the Dirty Birds.
“I like the drive and the push. There is some swagger but they have to prove themselves.”
Thursday’s game was definitely not what Collegiate head coach Nathan Greene was hoping for in the debut of the Saint’s new artificial turf field.
“No but it was just rookie mistakes. It was guys being introduced to football for the first time and getting those live reps,” he said. “It was really tough to start with three turnovers on our first four offensive plays but our kids learned about the game speed that there is in high school football and the ferocity and we will be better for it.”
Greene wasn’t surprised by the opening game miscues.
“There was a lot of anxiety about having that first game under your belt and there were a lot of jitters in that room before we started. That is going to make every other game we have that much easier.”
Greene and his players love their new football digs.
“We are really lucky that the DSBN (District School Board of Niagara) supports us in that way. The locker room, the change room and the whole space is big for us and the kids are responding.”
Thorold, which went unbeaten against Tier 2 opponents last season, didn’t take anything for granted opening on the road against the Saints.
“We knew that Collegiate was going to be coming in fired up and excited with their first game on their new and beautiful field so we were trying to match their intensity off the hop,” Kemp said.
The Golden Eagles did just that and led 24-0 in the first quarter.
“We couldn’t ask for a better start. Kickoff, get a fumble, score on a couple plays, kickoff again, stop them, it was a dream start. It was exactly how we wanted it to go. Overall, it was a perfect start.”
Kemp is pleased with how his squad has developed since the start of training camp.
“The key is getting some confidence in the players so they believe when they are out there that they can make a play. I believe guys are doing that now and that is big part of it. They know the plays, they understand what they are supposed to do and they know their techniques. I think we have progressed a lot in two and half weeks.”
STATS PACK
Golden Eagles 30 Saints 0
Cat’s Caboose Player of the Game: Thorold’s Tron Locke with an 18-yard TD run and a 12-yard TD catch from Kalen Locatelli.
For the Thorold Golden Eagles: Locke, two TDs; Braiden Genest, 15-yard TD and two-point convert on run; Tyrese Gibson, 45-yard TD run; William Sargeant, two two-point converts on passes from Locatelli; fumble recoveries by Jessie Hodgins and Carson de Roos; and, interception by Lucas Smith.
For the St. Catharines Collegiate Saints: Fumble recovery by Nathaniel Doucette.
