You can hear my entire ‘5 Questions’ interview with Lancaster Catholic junior wideout Tyler Purvis, our Week 2 New Era Player of the Week!
One post, two great items!
Above, you can hear my full interview with Tyler Purvis. Below is the story from Tuesday’s New Era about Purvis and his big game against Ephrata.
To listen to the full ‘5 questions’ interview, please click on the ‘play’ button above.
Or you can click here to download the Podcast and listen to it on your favorite mp3 player.
If you know anything about Lancaster Catholic High School athletics, you’re certainly familiar with the name Purvis.
Ryan Purvis was a standout football and basketball player for the Crusaders, who helped Catholic win the state Triple-A hoops title in 2005. He’s now playing tight end for Boston College, and very well might be playing in the NFL a year from now.
Then there was Kyle Purvis, who followed in his big brother’s footsteps on Catholic’s basketball team, and he also played soccer for the Crusaders. He ended up at Pitt, where he’s studying to be a dentist.
Now there’s Tyler Purvis, the third Purvis brother to come through Catholic’s athletic program.
The junior wideout – all 6-3, 190-pounds of him – had a breakout game in the Crusaders’ 44-7 non-league win over Ephrata last Friday, catching 10 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns, and he also tossed a TD pass on a botched field goal attempt.
For his efforts, Purvis is the New Era Player of the Week.
“He’s just a good athlete,” Catholic coach Bruce Harbach said of Purvis, who has 15 catches for 306 yards – a 20.4 yards per catch – in two games this season.
“All the Purvis’ are good athletes,” the coach said. “We knew what kind of receiver he was … he had a great summer and a great camp at West Chester. We all knew about his potential.”
That potential came oozing out against Ephrata, when Purvis and junior quarterback Kyle Smith hooked up 10 times – three for scores, on TD grabs of 18, 28 and 96 yards.
Purvis also threw a 17-yard TD pass to Andrew Millay. Purvis was the holder on a field goal attempt, and when he couldn’t handle a low snap, he got up, scrambled and hit Millay for a score.
Oh by the way, there is one more Purvis on the way. Evan Purvis, a seventh-grader who plays soccer, will be at Catholic in a couple of years – following in the footsteps of all three of his big brothers.
Tyler Purvis, brother No. 3, sat down before practice on Monday and took a stab at the New Era’s 5 Questions:
AFTER DROPPING YOUR OPENER 20-0 TO TRINITY, IT MUST HAVE FELT GOOD TO BOUNCE BACK AGAINST EPHRATA, RIGHT?
“It was big. We didn’t score against Trinity, and that didn’t make Coach very happy. So we wanted to come out and put some points on the board, and we needed to get a win and get some momentum going into the big game against Manheim Central this week. We got back on track and we started doing well. Things are definitely a little happier around here.”
HAVE YOU EVER HAD 10 CATCHES IN A GAME BEFORE?
“That’s a first for me. I had five catches in the first game against Trinity. But 10? I’ve never come close to that. It was pretty exciting. It’s always a cool thing to get the ball, and Smitty got the ball in there. I just ran my routes.”
BE HONEST: WHAT WAS COOLER – 10 CATCHES OR THROWING THE TD PASS?
“I’d say the 10 catches and the three touchdowns. I’ve never come close to 10 catches before, and the 96-yard touchdown was pretty exciting. I was dying, but I got there.”
YOUR BROTHERS RYAN AND KYLE DID SOME NICE THINGS PLAYING FOR CATHOLIC. WHAT’S IT LIKE FOLLOWING IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS?
“I try not to pay too much attention to that stuff. I knew some people would probably know my name … ‘Hey! You’re Ryan Purvis’ brother!’ I’m just trying to make my own name.”
DO YOU HAVE A PREGAME ROUTINE?
“I get my ankles and my wrists taped, and right before I head out to the field, I have to listen to the same two songs on my iPod to get me pumped up: Until I Collapse by M&M and You Don’t Know by 50 Cent. That usually gets me nice and pumped up.”
