CANONSBURG, Pa. – When Peters Township and Canon-McMillan squared off last season, the Big Macs gave the Indians problems early on, but Peters Township made enough big plays to win the game. Fast forward a year later and with both teams meeting in the 2024 season opener, and the Big Macs continued to give the defending WPIAL 5A champions Peters Township problems. But behind defensive stops, plays on special teams and an explosive second half performance by Nick Courie, Peters Township came back to defeating Canon-McMillan 42-17.
The Big Macs scored 17 unanswered points to start the game. For a short period, it looked like the Big Macs were going to come away with potentially one of the biggest upsets to begin the season.
During a punt return by the Big Macs in the second quarter, multiple shoves were distributed from both teams after the play which started after Canon-McMillan’s Giovanni Pucillo and Peters Township’s Darius McMillon were going at it on the sideline. It looked like a full out brawl was about to erupt.
But after the play is over, that’s when Peters Township really found its rhythm back. The Indians scored their first points off the season off a 60-yard punt return by Nick McCullough to trim the Big Macs lead to 17-7. Less than a minute later, Stanford commit Mickey Vaccarello picked off Jansma and returned it 14 yards for a touchdown, only trailing by three points heading into halftime.
Peters Township opened its first two drives of the second half with touchdown rushes from Nick Courie (1,2) to gain its first lead of the season. The Big Macs led 28-17 at the end of the third quarter. On a spectacular 30-yard catch and run, McCullough scored once again to open the scoring in the fourth quarter. Coruie would later score his third touchdown on a short run.
Sophomore Ty Jansma started his first game at quarterback for the Big Macs, replacing Mikey Evans who was a three-year starter before graduating this past year. Jansma showed a lot of promise in his first game.
Jansma started the scoring in the first quarter throwing his first career touchdown pass, a 7-yard catch by Talan Sabatucci. On the next drive, Jansma then rushed for his first career touchdown on a 1-yard scramble.
After a fumble by Courie, the Big Macs answered with a 37-yard field goal by Zachary Barzd.
Next week, Peters Township will host its home-opener against McKeesport while Canon-McMillan will stay at home when they host another tough opponent in Upper St. Clair.
