Central Catholic football honors three during ‘Chasing Four’ premiere

Two-time All-District Football Player of the Year Justin Rice examined a fistful of bling, each ring sparkling beneath the lights of the iconic State Theatre.

Next to him, Central Catholic High School teammate Dauson Booker, a sophomore who was called up for the Raiders’ run to the CIF Small-Schools state championship, stroked his jaw, playfully showing off his new hardware.

In a fitting conclusion to a historic football season, Central Catholic celebrated a perfect season with the perfect party.

The Raiders became the first team in school history to go 16-0, annihilating Marin Catholic and San Marino en route to regional and state titles, and joined mighty De La Salle as the only schools in the new bowl era to win four consecutive state bowls.

Like those Spartans, Central Catholic has been immortalized on the silver screen.

Alumnus and Modesto filmmaker Dean Camara premiered “Chasing Four: The Story of the 2015 CC Raiders” on Tuesday to a capacity crowd. Camara, and his producing partner Scott Visser, filmed the Raiders’ season with a two-fold purpose: one, to test new equipment and hone their craft; and to produce highlights for a program that forged him.

As the season grew with intensity and drama, beginning with the Holy Bowl victory at St. Mary’s and spiking with weight-of-the-world showdowns against Oakdale, Camara realized he had much more than a few YouTube uploads.

He had a movie.

On Tuesday, before Central Catholic unveiled its championship rings and took its final bow, Camara and Visser, racked with nerves and pacing, unveiled the “30 for 30”-style documentary to the world.

“He immortalized this team,” athletic director and defensive coordinator Billy Hylla said. “As the years go by, history is distorted, memories fade and legends grow, but he was able to tell this team’s story in a way that will always be remembered.

“There’s nothing we can do to repay that.”

Consider the ring a start.

The Raiders reciprocated the best way they know how – with a gift of their own.

Hylla presented honorary rings to Camara, who played for the “Fighting Few” in an era when the team won about 10 percent of its games; student David Hunt; and Carole Canepa, the mother of head coach Roger Canepa.

Hylla commended Hunt, the son of team doctor Ben “Doc” Hunt, for his unwavering commitment to school and program. Hunt last played football as a freshman but has served as team manager, spiritual leader and, when he’d get a wild hair, coach. Hunt is also the ASB president.

“He’s one of the greatest young men I’ve encountered,” Hylla said.

Carole Canepa is the matriarch of a football family, with children and grandchildren coaching and/or playing at Central Catholic and Sonora high schools. In 2014, her heart was stretched as the Raiders and Wildcats met in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV final.

“She couldn’t watch,” said Hylla, who also credited Carole Canepa with the virtues and principles that frame the Raiders’ football program.

As a student-athlete at Sonora, playing linebacker for Roger Canepa, Hylla was often present to see interaction between mother and son. Carole’s life lessons were manifested in chores that often cut short or stopped a film session at the Canepa household.

“Roger, go get the dogs. Roger, take out the trash,” Hylla recalled. “He had a responsibility. No matter what his agenda was at that moment, she made sure he was accountable. Does that sound familiar?

“We wouldn’t be here without coach Canepa, but we felt it was important to honor the woman who molded him.”

Carole has been her son’s – and by proxy, Central Catholic’s – toughest critic.

“If our performance didn’t meet expectation, she let us hear about it,” Hylla said. “She wanted us to reach greatness.”

On Tuesday, the Central Catholic community climbed that summit – team, student staff, filmmaker and mother.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 2:30 PM with the headline "Central Catholic football honors three during ‘Chasing Four’ premiere."