Transfer QB has West Catholic in state semis

Not many high school transfers become the starting quarterback of their football team after spending just one semester at the new school - let alone lead that new team to the state semifinals. So it's safe to say that West Catholic senior quarterback Jarred Evans is a rarity.

Evans transferred from Holy Cross in Flushing, N.Y., in January, and less than a year later, he finds himself guiding the Burrs through the PIAA Class AA football playoffs.

West Catholic (12-2) plays Lancaster Catholic (13-1) at 1 p.m. today at Coatesville, with the winner earning a ticket to next weekend's state title game.

In a Class AAAA football semifinal today, La Salle (12-1) plays Ridley (13-1) at 1 p.m., at Northeast High School.

Meanwhile, West Catholic is aiming for a return to the state championship game (the Burrs lost to Wilmington, 35-34, last year), with Evans calling signals this time.

"He moved to the area right down the street from West Catholic. He's about six or seven blocks away," West Catholic head coach Brian Fluck said.

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound quarterback has completed 97 of 166 passes for 1,754 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. He has also rushed for 302 yards and seven touchdowns.

When Evans was the quarterback at Holy Cross, he ran a predominantly passing offense. But West Catholic emphasizes the running game, which features junior running back Brandon Hollomon. Hollomon has 1,350 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.

"[Evans] came from a spread offense throwing a lot of check-down routes and stuff like that," Fluck said. "What's good for him is that he adapted into our style of offense.

"I thought he fit in with the kids real well. He's a good player."

Today's West Catholic-Lancaster Catholic matchup reprises last year's Class AA state semifinal, in which the Burrs eliminated the Crusaders, 37-14.

"[Evans] just has to keep doing what he's doing, which is staying poised, running the offense the way it's supposed to be run," Fluck said. "When he has the opportunity to make a play, he does. He has all the confidence in the world in his arm, and he'll throw it when he needs to do it."