SCARBOROUGH – Mike Cyr of Scarborough is a coach’s dream.
Polite, respectful and coachable, Cyr, a senior two-way end, shifts into his football mentality once the whistle blows.
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First-year head coach Lance Johnson said Cyr is appreciative of everything that comes his way.
Johnson had an idea of Cyr’s talent last season when Portland played Scarborough in a preseason game.
“I noticed that he was very aggressive at defensive end,” said Johnson, then an assistant coach with the Bulldogs.
After he became the Red Storm’s coach, Johnson learned more.
“Mike is one of the nicest kids you’ll meet,” said Johnson. “He’s very polite and respectful, but a real competitor.”
studying Scarborough’s game films in the offseason, Johnson saw tons of potential in the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Johnson, who also plays tight end. Through six games, Johnson’s opinion has only strengthened.
Early in the season, Johnson suggested to Cyr he might want to think about playing Division I-AA football in college.
“His response was ‘Geez, Coach, do you really think I could play there?’ Johnson said.
“I’ve seen a lot of players in this league get scholarships and play in college. Mike is as good as any of them. He has size, speed and is very coachable.
“He would be a great addition to a college program just by his character alone. He would never embarrass a football program.”
Another sign of Cyr’s politeness, Johnson said, is that whenever a coach gives him advice in practice, he’s quick to use it while offering a thank you.
After Cyr caught two touchdown passes and had an interception with a 48-yard return in a 33-0 win over Gorham two weeks ago, Johnson called him a Division I prospect.
“I would love to play football in college,” said Cyr, an honor roll student.
“I’m looking at some Division I-AA schools like Holy Cross and Maine. I think my parents would like me go to a Division III school like Trinity.”
“We try and make him a big part of our game plan and get him downfield,” said Johnson. “You can always hear the opposing coach yelling out to his defense on third down, ‘Watch out for the tight end, watch out for the tight end.’
“We use him a lot like Thornton Academy uses Dimitri Skinsacos. We set him in motion and pitch to him on our jet sweep.”
Cyr is averaging close to 19 yards a catch. Of his nine receptions, four are for touchdowns. He has carried the ball 10 times for 58 yards and has made 33 solo tackles while combining on 14 others for a team-high 47.
At 5-1, the Red Storm are looking at a playoff berth. They will be favored in their final two games against Marshwood and Kennebunk. Scarborough was 1-7 a year ago.
“We’ve had a big turnaround and have a chance to reverse our record,” said Cyr.
“I think the biggest difference is our attitude. We had the biggest turnout for offseason workouts than we ever had. We go into games expecting to win.”
Staff Writer Tom Chard can be reached at 791-6419 or at: tchard@pressherald.com
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