Modesto’s Central Catholic cracks Cal-Hi Sports Top 25 for first time
For the first time in the prestigious history of Central Catholic High School’s football program, the Raiders are ranked in the Cal-Hi Sports Top 25 statewide poll.
Central Catholic enters this week’s rankings at No. 25.
“It’s good for the team and the kids, and the school and the community,” said coach Roger Canepa, who will lead the Raiders (15-0) into their fourth consecutive state championship game Saturday against San Marino (15-0) at 4 p.m. at Sacramento State. “It’s just a ranking, a number, but we’ll take it.”
Central Catholic is no stranger to the Cal-Hi Sports polls, mind you. The Raiders have been ranked near the top of the state’s Division III poll all season, and in years past have finished at the top of the D-IV and D-V polls.
But the Top 25 is hallowed ground, usually reserved for the state’s large-school powerhouses such as De La Salle of Concord and Centennial of Corona, the fourth- and fifth-ranked teams in the nation by USA Today. The two meet Saturday in the Open Division Large School title game.
“As the season has unfolded, with one game to go, this might be the best team they’ve ever had,” said Cal-Hi Sports editor Mark Tennis, who’s been covering sports in the state for more than 30 years. “Ranking them in the 25th spot is just another notch in the belt for them. And they deserve it for all they’ve done the last few years.”
If Central Catholic goes on to complete an undefeated season with a fourth consecutive state title, not to mention a Sac-Joaquin Section title that required navigating a Division III playoff field with three other undefeated teams and a 9-1 Oakdale squad that was the defending champ, then the arguments surely will commence.
“I won’t even go there,” said Canepa, who won a school-record 15 games during the 2013 season. “I’m not touching that one.”
For now, the greatest-of-all-time talk will be placed on hold.
But the 2001 and 2007 teams, widely considered two of the Raiders’ best ever, should get busy preparing their cases. CalPreps.com, which has correctly picked 2,920 winners out of a possible 3,508 games this season (83.2 percent), is picking Central Catholic to win by two touchdowns.
Joe Cortez: 209-578-2380, @ModBeePreps
CIF State Bowl Games
OPEN DIVISION-SMALL SCHOOL
Central Catholic (15-0) vs. San Marino (15-0), 4 p.m. Saturday, at Sacramento State
DIVISION IV-A
Sierra (9-5) at Chowchilla (12-2), 6 p.m. Saturday at Chowchilla High School
Cal-Hi Sports Rankings
Overall Top 25
(Last week’s rankings in parentheses)
1. De La Salle-Concord 12-1 (1)
2. Centennial-Corona 14-0 (2)
3. St. John Bosco-Bellflower 13-1 (3)
4. Mission Viejo 15-0 (5)
5. Mater Dei-Santa Ana 10-3 (6)
6. Bellarmine-San Jose 13-1 (8)
7. Folsom 14-1 (4)
8. Serra-Gardena 9-3 (10)
9. Helix-La Mesa 11-2 (7)
10. Clayton Valley-Concord 13-1 (11)
11. Elk Grove 13-1 (9)
12. Narbonne-Harbor City 13-2 (12)
13. Bishop Amat-La Puente 10-3 (13)
14. Foothill-Pleasanton 12-1 (14)
15. Long Beach Poly 8-2 (15)
16. Antioch 11-1 (16)
17. Oaks Christian-Westlake Village 11-1 (17)
18. Camarillo 15-0 (18)
19. Loyola-Los Angeles 9-3 (23)
20. Lutheran-Orange 6-6 (Not ranked)
21. Vista Murrieta-Murrieta 12-2 (21)
22. Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills 10-3 (NR)
23. St. Augustine-San Diego 10-3 (24)
24. Del Oro-Loomis 9-6 (NR)
25. Central Catholic 15-0 (NR)
Cal-Hi comments: “In all years of the section titles, mythical state titles and the last three CIF Division IV state titles, we think the only time the Raiders were close to being in the State Top 25 was prior to when they played St. Bonaventure in the 2007 D3 state bowl game. They lost that game 35-21 and finished No. 33. This could be the best team ever from Central Catholic, however, so it’s time to see how the Raiders do in an elevated rankings position. They pounded Marin Catholic of Kentfield 49-14 in Saturday’s CIF Small Schools Open Division NorCal final behind 35 carries for 325 yards and five TDs from Fresno State-bound RB Justin Rice. The best win of the season, though, probably is the one against SJS D1 semifinalist St. Mary’s of Stockton (36-22). Two wins against league rival Oakdale also have displayed passing balance to go with Rice plus defensive strength. The Raiders will go for a 16-0 season in the CIF Small Schools Open Division championship against 15-0 San Marino.
CIF State Bowl Games
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the 2015 CIF State Football Championship Bowl Games are available at participating schools, online at www.cifstate.org (Sacramento State games only) and day of the event at the site.
For games at Sacramento State, tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for high school students (with a valid ASB card), seniors (65 and over) and children. All tickets are for general-admission seating and are valid for all games on a single day.
For games at host sites, tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for high school students (with a valid ASB card), seniors (65 and over) and children.
Television
Open Division, Open Division Small School, I-AA and I-A will air live on Comcast SportsNet California, and the Division II-AA game will air live on Comcast SportsNet Plus.
This story was originally published December 15, 2015 at 6:18 PM with the headline "Modesto’s Central Catholic cracks Cal-Hi Sports Top 25 for first time."