‘We’re excited’: Raiders make final preparations for game with one of nation’s best teams
The Central Catholic football team spent the week preparing for the biggest game in Stanislaus District history.
On Thursday, the Raiders will drive to Southern California to play state and national top 5 St. John Bosco High School. Kickoff is Friday, Sept. 23, at 7 p.m.
Plans for the game came together in the spring after Windsor dropped the Raiders from its schedule. They were originally looking for a home game but couldn’t find a team willing to play until Braves coach Jason Negro, who coached with Roger Canepa at the 2015 Under Armour All-American Game and has family in Tuolumne County, reached out to schedule a game.
Canepa was the linebackers coach for team Highlight and Negro was the running backs coach for team Armour in a game that featured Kyler Murray, Roquan Smith, Josh Rosen, Minkah Fitzpatrick and other current NFL players.
“This is a process,” Canepa said. “We’re asking, ‘Are these games going to help us win the league championship or the section title?’ All these travels where we go on away trips are, so we’ve been there and played hostile environments … we’ve just got to do what we do and go play.”
When the two agreed to match up, there were no nerves from Central Catholic. Canepa made sure to check with the team before giving the final OK, and after their meeting, they let the St. John Bosco side know they’d be making the trip.
You can see it in the way Canepa talks about the game, he’s excited. This one’s big.
“If you’re gonna be that guy that always says you’ll play people, you have to actually be that guy,” Canepa said. “So I was like, ‘OK, let’s see if we can make it work.’”
Now, it’s go time.
Central Catholic (1-3) has had a bye week to recover from a nonleague schedule that included Merced, Saint Francis, St. Mary’s-Stockton and Serra-San Mateo. The Raiders have not been healthy since the start of their season opener, but three-star defensive back Brooklyn Cheek will be back, along with Jaelen Nichols and Tyler Jacklich, who have had time to nurse nagging injuries during the week off.
“We’re excited,” said Jacklich, a senior two-way running back and defensive back. “Coach Canepa is always pushing all of our players to always be tough. A lot of times, games come down to which team is tough. Both teams have talent, both teams have players that the other team’s gonna have trouble stopping. But in a sense, it comes down to who’s gonna fight longer.”
Bosco (4-0) has beaten the No. 1 teams in Oregon and Hawaii, allowing just seven points total. Allen, the fifth ranked team in Texas, has scored the most points on the Braves this season, in the season opener. St. John Bosco won, 52-14. In their four games, the Braves are allowing an average of just seven points.
“This game is just preparing us for those moments where we face adversity later on,” said senior tight end and defensive end Mario Savala III. “It just teaches us how to deal with it as a team and come together.”
With players returning from injury and the addition of a few sophomores who will make the trip, Central Catholic will suit up a season- high 35 players Friday. Chances are most of them will get to experience playing against multiple NCAA Division I prospects in front of yet another sellout crowd for the Braves of around 6,000 people.
Canepa was proud of how his team bounced back from a disappointing Holy Bowl loss where all the players will admit they didn’t show up. They took a 16-14 lead in the second quarter before a second-half Padres rally.
Friday will be the Raiders’ final tuneup before Valley Oak League play starts Sept. 30 at home against East Union.
“You can say that you play maybe the No. 1 team in the state or maybe the top 10 team in the state, but when you’re playing one of the best football teams in the whole United States, that’s big.” Canepa said.
This story was originally published September 20, 2022 at 5:16 PM.
