| Ruettiger, Sheppard spark JCA to blowout |
 |
By Mike Fitzgerald special to the herald news
It's hard to believe that Joliet Catholic Academy's offense could play a better game than it did Friday in routing Marist 55-0.
The Hilltoppers (3-1, 2-0) had the RedHawks (1-3, 0-2) down 27-0 at halftime of the East Suburban Catholic Conference matchup. JCA reached 41-0 midway through the third quarter, necessitating a running clock, and then the Hilltopper reserves punched in two fourth-quarter scores to finish it off.
"Our goal is to put up 50 or more points a game," said Brandon Geiss, a senior fullback who scored four touchdowns on runs of 7, 3, 50 and 16 yards. "We're working toward that goal every week so hopefully it gets better. Either they are going to stop our running game, and we're going to pass all over them or we set up plays to help other plays open up. You can't really ask for a better offense."
Or a quarterback to run it.
Senior John Ruettiger continued his fine play by completing 7-of-11 passes for 156 yards and a TD. He did it all in the first half. His 27-yard toss to running back Tyler Hudetz opened the scoring for JCA. Ruettiger's throw hit Hudetz in stride down the left sideline with 4:33 to play in the first quarter.
He threw three more passes to Hudetz, two of them on JCA's last possession of the second quarter. Those throws helped set up Hudetz to score on a 20-yard run via a counter play with 10 seconds left in the half.
Ruettiger connected three times with his tight end, Sean Sheppard, a 6-foot-3 senior. Those throws, all tight spirals, were for 20, 35 and 34 yards, respectively. The last two throws were back-to-back completions that covered 69 yards and eventually led to Geiss scoring from 3 yards out.
"I think the defense, shutting down the spread offense of Marist, who has two great backs was a key," JCA coach Dan Sharp said. "That was huge because we were a little slow starting offensively, so the defense really gave us momentum early. And then I thought our passing game, when they were giving us 10 men on the front, John Ruettiger just read the routes so well, and our kids ran the routes well.
"Johnny and Sean are almost like brothers. They've been throwing together since they were little guys at St. Pat's grade school," Sharp said of the quarterback-tight end combo. "You can just see that their timing is just so good together. Sheppard has great hands, and he really showed he can be a Mike Ditka-type runner after he catches the ball, breaking tackles, running over guys -- you know that's the kind of Hilltopper football we like when we have a tight end who can run and catch and have that power."
Geiss finished with 133 yards rushing. Hudetz finished with 81 yards rushing and three TDs. Dave Janicki also added a late score for JCA.
Nick Clancy, Josh Mander, Josh Greenback and Kyle Kleeman spearheaded the JCA defensive effort against the RedHawks' spread offense. They helped hold Marist to 86 yards rushing and 11 first downs.
"Marist runs the spread offense very well," Sharp said. "So the fact we were able to shut them down with some key injuries to our defense (his son Dan out with a knee injury and Greenback who left late in the game) was huge. We had great pursuit, and our guys read their keys very well."
|
eMail
JolietCatholicFootball
"Any man's finest hour - his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear - is
that moment he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted
on the field of battle . . . victorious."
Vince Lombardi
Our Lady of Victory . . .
Pray for Us!
Contents of this site may not be used without prior written permission.
|
|
|
