Three-ring circus: Central Catholic again receives title hardware

Even before Central Catholic football players received their CIF Division IV state championship rings during Thursday’s ceremony in the school’s gymnasium, there was talk about winning a fourth title.

From the Raiders’ head coach, no less.

Roger Canepa, who guided Central Catholic to a third consecutive state championship last fall, is a well digger by trade. He’s missing the pinky finger on his right hand, a reminder of a long-ago well-digging accident. But, as he sees it, the injury has a silver lining.

“One more ring and my right hand is full,” Canepa told his players. “I can move on to the other hand then.”

Canepa was joined on the dais by athletic director Billy Hylla, Stanislaus County Supervisor Terry Withrow, a 1978 Central Catholic graduate, and Matt Gallas, a 2010 grad who was an offensive lineman at the University of Nevada and recently participated in a mini-camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

After each took a turn addressing the crowd of about 100 supporters, the players lined up, were introduced to the crowd, then handed a small box that contained their new hardware.

Justin Rice, the 2014 Stanislaus District Player of the Year, received his first ring. His brother, senior Jared Rice, garnered his third.

Linebacker Kekupa’a Freehauf received his second ring. He wants an opportunity to join the Raiders’ three-ring circus.

“Being defending state champs, we have a huge red target on our back,” said Freehauf, a 6-foot-1, 250-pound middle linebacker who will also see time at fullback.

Not only does Central Catholic get everybody’s “A” game, thanks to that bull’s-eye they wear, the Raiders no longer will get to face Division IV opponents in the postseason.

Thanks to the Sac-Joaquin Section’s “continued success” rule, which forces an automatic promotion to the next highest division for any team that three-peats as champ, the Raiders will participate in the Division III playoffs.

Last year, the D-III field included eventual champ Oakdale, Sierra and 2013 champ Manteca – all teams that the Raiders played in the Valley Oak League. Central Catholic beat Manteca in overtime, suffered a narrow defeat to Sierra and was stomped by Oakdale.

But Freehauf sees the rugged VOL as a plus, not a negative.

“I think playing those teams will get us ready for the playoffs,” said Freehauf, who admits that Central Catholic’s smaller roster size was a detriment in the VOL, where opponents have fewer two-way starters than the Raiders. “Playing two ways, that breaks you down. But I think it also makes you a better player, too.”

Good enough to win a fourth consecutive state title?

“That’s the team’s goal,” Freehauf said.

This story was originally published May 21, 2015 at 7:19 PM with the headline "Three-ring circus: Central Catholic again receives title hardware."