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Tuesday, Sep. 01, 2009

WAC Preview: Central Catholic locked and reloaded

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Hilmar High shook the football world to its foundation a year ago, stunning perennial champion Central Catholic to win the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V championship.

Hilmar not only became the first public school to beat Central since 2001, it snapped the private school’s streak of seven consecutive section titles.

Central is loaded this year, with one of the Stanislaus District’s top passers behind the district’s top line, and it will need every bit of that talent if it hopes to win a section title.

Though favored to repeat as Western Athletic Conference champs, the Raiders will find a tough road in the playoffs.

The new format has them in a 16-team bracket that could include Sonora, Placer, Bear River and Colfax — stronger schools that had been playing in a division above Central.

First, however, the Raiders must endure a grueling schedule. They open with state power Cardinal Newman on the road, make their home debut vs. defending Northern Section champ Sutter, then travel to face State Division II runner-up St. Mary’s of Stockton.

The most difficult non-conference schedule any Stanislaus District team has faced? It’s hard to argue otherwise. Of course, the good news for Central is that Dylan Swartz is at quarterback and he’s got a line anchored by 6-foot-3, 275-pound Matthew Galas and 6-3, 285-pound Tyler Lee.

Swartz had 2,057 yards passing and 22 TDs, while tossing eight interceptions in 232 attempts, and he’s got one of the state’s top athletes lining up nest to him in Billy Flamion.

Coach Roger Canepa’s passing attack highlights the best aspects of Swartz’s game, and Flamion will get direct snaps from a “Wildcat” formation.