Dons’ Gavin shakes up Shamrocks
Week 7 is nearly in the books, and there isn’t a clear favorite for Player of the Year honors. Notre Dame senior Ty Gavin is certainly in the running, and Saturday at Triton, the running back/defensive back had the type of performance that wins postseason awards.
Gavin rushed for 240 yards and four touchdowns and snatched two interceptions to lead the Dons to a 41-20 win against arch-rival St. Patrick.
“We all went to the same grade schools,” Gavin said. “We’ve known each other forever, it is just an awesome rivalry. It’s a dogfight every single year. It is always going to be an unbelievable game.”
Gavin had 31 carries in the game, and it was the final one that was the most impressive. The 5-11, 186-pound senior burst through the lines and made a darting cut to the left sideline that destroyed what remained of the Shamrocks’ defense. It was a 40-yard touchdown run.
“He’s a remarkable kid,” Notre Dame coach Mike Hennessey said. “Look at last week, at the end he gets the interception and scores. Tonight he finds the seam and breaks it and takes the game away.”
Sophomore Anthony Sayles was 6-for-10 for 40 yards and one touchdown for Notre Dame (6-1, 4-1 East Suburban Catholic). He had 10 carries for 69 yards.
The third prong in the Dons’ running attack, junior Julian Schurr, had seven carries for 64 yards and a touchdown.
“We wear teams down in the second half,” Gavin said. “That’s been our offense for three years now. They get tired, and we keep going. We have a second gear in us. The offensive line does an unbelievable job.”
St. Patrick quarterback Jack O’Rourke was 15-for-24 for 267 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Eric Wozny Jr. was the leading rusher for the Shamrocks (4-3, 2-3) with 11 carries for 68 yards.
“[O’Rourke] is a very good football player,” Hennessey said. “We knew we were in a dogfight with him because of his ability. He’s able to get the ball deep, and he’s elusive. We did an OK job of containing him, but he was able to break that and throw it a few times.”
Gavin’s interceptions both came at key moments when O’Rourke seemed to be in a rhythm. Gavin has four picks this season.
“I was in great spots for the interceptions with the coverage we were in,” Gavin said. “I just had to catch the ball.”
Despite his incredible high school career, most Division I schools are worried about Gavin’s size. He did pick up his first FCS offer this week from Morehead State.
“Right now, to be honest, I’m not going on visits or anything,” Gavin said. “I’m only focused on trying to win a state championship. Recruiting is always just kind of in the back of your head. I’m going to focus on that after the season.”