Power and precision: Central Catholic football’s toll

Le Grand High School football coach Raul Alvarez traveled more than an hour to watch Central Catholic work out.

He stood on the sideline at David Patton Field on Wednesday afternoon, marveling at the size of the line, the precision with which they practiced and ... their hospitality?

At one point, defensive coordinator and offensive line coach Billy Hylla waved Alvarez over, encouraging his guest to take an even closer look.

It’s no mystery or secret how Central Catholic has arrived at this moment. The Raiders have reached the 16th game of the season, a weekend reserved only for the best of the best.

Central Catholic (15-0) will clash with Southern California champion San Marino (15-0) in the CIF Open Division Small School State Bowl on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento.

The Raiders’ journey to their fourth consecutive state bowl and fifth overall can be tracked by plodding footprints – not air miles.

In an age of spread offenses, Central Catholic adheres to an old-school methodology: the power I. The Raiders have rushed for 4,981 yards, the fourth-best total in the state. The run has accounted for 75 percent of the total offense.

Coach Roger Canepa said the Raiders are patient in their approach, like a boxer setting up a late-round knockout.

“It all starts with the attitude of the kids and making adjustments. They might stuff us, but you keep going until you bust one,” Canepa said. “We’re not perfect every play; it’s that we’re leaning on people every play.

“It’s like a fight. It might not be the first jab or the 10th jab. It might be the 30th jab that gets you. It’s all a toll, you with me?”

Central Catholic has produced a 2,000-yard running back in each of the last four seasons. In 2012, Ray Lomas, now at San Jose State, rushed for 2,084 yards and 34 touchdowns as one-half of a vaunted two-headed attack dubbed the “Ray and Rey Show.” Rey Vega tallied 1,524 yards and 28 touchdowns in 10 games after transferring from Grace Davis.

One year later, University of Chicago sophomore Matt Ringer rushed for a then-school record 2,348 yards and 33 touchdowns, leading the Raiders back to the state bowl. However, he was injured in the Northern California Division IV bowl and missed the final game.

Last fall, Justin Rice turned heads with 2,146 yards and 30 touchdowns, a breakout season only made possible by an ankle sprain. Rice became the full-time starter in Week 4 after Montell Bland was injured.

This season, Rice has shattered all of those marks with 2,482 yards and counting.

Following his record-setting 325-yard, five-touchdown performance in last week’s NorCal bowl, Rice shared the glory with his offensive linemen. He dedicated each yard and every touchdown to the wall of blockers in front of him. By his estimation, he hasn’t been touched once by a defensive lineman all season.

That kind of body-on-body blocking has been paramount to maintaining the Raiders’ dynasty. With an offense predicated on the run, Central Catholic has won 19 Sac-Joaquin Section titles and can tie De La Salle’s mark of four consecutive state bowl victories from 2009-12 with a win Saturday.

“We probably trap and use angles better than a lot of people,but we tell our guys, if we put bodies on bodies, with the backs we have, we have a chance,” Canepa said. “It’s when you miss a block that bad things happen.”

Those blocking assignments fall to center Ryan Dami (6 feet, 195 pounds), the vocal leader along the line; all-Valley Oak League first-team tackles Javier Canela (6-3, 245) and Brandon Williamson (6-1, 235); and guards Austin Escobar (6-1, 220) and Austin Cook (6-0, 245).

The linemen have the requisite size and strength of a title contender, but Alvarez says there is more to that group.

“Central’s line, as we all know, is big, strong and athletic,” he said. “Along with all of that, they’re precise. Their precise blocking was most impressive. ... Not a weak offensive lineman in the bunch.”

Running the ball is a team concept, Canepa says, and blocking can’t fall solely on the shoulders of the giants up front.

Each player is expected to carry out his assignment, including the quarterback and wide receivers. Oftentimes, that’s the difference between a short gain or a long touchdown.

“The fullback position is key. That guy has to be the unsung hero. He might get one carry, but he’ll block every play,” Canepa said. “It’s nice to have two athletic fullbacks like (Kekupa’a Freehauf) and Montell.

“Even the quarterback blocks. Our wide receivers, we tell them, if you can’t block, you won’t catch a ball. First things first.”

This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Power and precision: Central Catholic football’s toll."