The case for Central Catholic Catholic
THE CASE FOR CENTRAL CATHOLIC
Simply the best: Justin Rice, The Bee’s Player of the Year in 2014, seems to perform his best on the big stage. In eight career playoff games, Rice has rushed for 1,596 yards on 138 carries (11.6 per attempts) and 17 touchdowns, with 200-yard performances in five of the eight games, and 300-yard performances twice. In that same span, he also caught eight passes for 208 yards (26 yards per reception) and a pair of scores. In two games against Oakdale, Rice has carried the ball 35 times for 455 yards (13 per attempt) and five TDs, while catching nine passes for 136 yards (15.1) and a score. He also completed a halfback option for 40 yards. That means, every time Rice touches the ball against Oakdale, the Raiders gain 14 yards, on average. And it’s not just Oakdale. Central Catholic has gained an average of 12.1 yards every time Rice handles the ball from scrimmage in 31 varsity starts. That’s serious production.
More than Rice: The Raiders don’t rely on Rice alone. Running back Jared Rice (no relation), has rushed for 1,052 yards and averages 9.9 yards per carry, and is even more dangerous as a return man. Senior linebackers Kekupa’a Freehauf (6-1, 245) and Austin Escobar (6-1, 220) are a force in the middle, and junior linebacker Luke Navarro (5-10, 190) and Montell Bland (6-1, 220) are tough on the outside. And senior quarterback Hunter Petlanksy (6-3, 225) is a dual threat who will make his 20th playoff start Friday night.
De-fense! De-fense! The Raiders’ defense has given up 121 points this season … about nine points per game. In the playoffs, Central Catholic has given up zero, zero and 14, the latter total to a Placer team that was the second-most-prolific offense in the Sac-Joaquin Section. And the last TD to Placer came on the final play of the game with a running clock.
Hunter must be ready to shoot: In a near-perfect victory over Placer, quarterback Petlansky was shaky. He was 1 of 4 with an interception and a late touchdown. Coach Roger Canepa was adamant that the Raiders didn’t need to pass against the Hillmen, who were helpless against the run. To that point, of Central Catholic’s 494 total yards, only 18 came through the air. Petlansky doesn’t need to throw for 250 yards against the Mustangs, but he needs to be precise and decisive when the moment calls. Running backs Justin and Jared Rice will command the attention of the Oakdale defense, which means Petlansky will have greater opportunity to hurt the Mustangs with his arm and legs.
Expect the unexpected: This is a championship game with unyielding stakes: the loser goes home. With that in mind, Central Catholic’s defense must be ready for the versatility and explosiveness of the Oakdale offense, which is scoring at a record rate for that program. Oakdale has its “Killer Bs” – touchdown maker Brad Aquino, Austin Burke and Bobby DePuy – but the Raiders also must account for quarterback Adam Olsen, tight end Greg Hickman and wide receiver Logan Hall. Oakdale is deceptive with its scheme. So while the Mustangs may show run, run, run, Central Catholic must be wary of Olsen’s arm or coach Trent Merzon’s chicanery. A defense that has been stout through three playoff games must be sound in its game plan and capable to adjust when the wingback suddenly pulls up and launches the football downfield.
Protect the ball: Central Catholic won despite three turnovers last week. Placer did nothing with the extra possessions. Oakdale won’t be so forgiving. With several players going both ways, the Raiders can’t afford to leave their defense on the field with the uptempo Mustangs, who want to run a play every four to five seconds. If Central Catholic can value the football and sustain some drives, and then get a few stops on defense each half, the Raiders will have effectively contained the explosiveness of the Oakdale offense. What they can’t do is feed the beast with fumbles or interceptions. Once Oakdale establishes tempo and momentum, watch out.
This story was originally published December 3, 2015 at 6:16 PM with the headline "The case for Central Catholic Catholic."