| RedHawks shutout by the Hillmen |
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Mike Menozzi JolietCatholicFootball.com
Coach Sharp spoke to the team gathered around him at mid-field, when a cheer went up from the team. Whatever you said to them, they’re sure happy about it. “I gave them Sunday off” Coach said with a laugh. They deserved it after shutting out Marist 42-0 Friday night at memorial stadium.
Marist came into week 4 hungry for a win, with an offense that has proven they could score points. That offense was successful in large part to one of the better wide receivers in the conference Jeremy Nash. Nash is a 6’3” D1 basketball prospect.
Catholic found out how explosive Nash can be when Nash nearly broke a long reception down the left side for 40 yards. Nash made a terrific fingertip catch, and only a great recovery by Platt saved the TD.
A couple running plays went nowhere, helped by a nice tackle by Bayci denying the corner. On 3rd down, Jeske burst through the line and sacked Marist QB Scott Slubowski.. A fourth down sack by Jeske back to the 40, turned the ball over to Catholic.
McKeon caught a pass to the 21, and Clancy ran to the 3, before Clancy went in for the score. McKeon the hold for Platt and it was 7-0 with 5:46 left in the first.
Nash received the kickoff and was surrounded by Hilltopper defenders and brought down at the 9.
After two runs that netted 4 yards, Joe Stasko nearly took Jeremy Nash out of his shoes he was hit so hard at the 9, Nash was very slow to his feet, and was never a factor the rest of the game. 4th and 6 for Marist and a punt back to Catholic.
Catholic’s second possession started with a pass to Clancy, and finished with a 39 yard run by Benson for a TD. The kick made it 14-0.
Another booming kick by Platt pinned Marist at their 18. Metzger sacked Larocco for a 4 yard loss. Metzger and Hooks then teamed up to sack Slubowski for a 2 yard loss. Cranmer then stuffed Larocco for a 1 yard gain and it was 4th and 15.
A booming punt by Marist, and Catholic took over on their own 35. Billy McKeon ran 65 yards for a TD, but was called back for holding and a dead ball foul on the bench. Marist holds and Catholic punts to Marist’s 24.
Marist went three and out, and shanked the punt, Catholic took over on Marist’s 39. O’Connell sacked McKeon for a 5 yard loss, but Clancy picked up the 1st on a pass from Kiernan to the 25. McKeon ran it to the 15, then to the 1 yard line before scoring from 1 yard out. 21-0 Hillmen with 7:13 left in the half.
After the kickoff, Barney sacked Slubowski for an 8 yard loss to their 32. But the drive stalled for Marist again due to a stifling defense lead by Metzger, Jeske, Cranmer, and Hooks.
With 2:40 left Benson burst thru the middle of the line for an 80 yard run for another TD making the score 28-0. One thing is certain with this team, if McKeon or Benson get and angle on a defender, no one will catch either of these guys from behind.
With 1:42 left in the half Slubowski looked for Nash over the middle on a 3rd and 2, it was the first throw to Nash since he was belted earlier in the game. Nash heard footsteps and didn’t stretch out for this throw and it fell incomplete. Marist was aided by what appeared to be an offensive pass interference that was instead called on Catholic, setting up Marist at the 17 with 49 seconds left in the half.
Metger got another timely sack, Slubowski losing 4 yards, a screen to Larocco was no gain. Slubowski spiked the ball to kill the clock, and a 4th down pass was incomplete turing the ball over to Catholic at the 14 with 4 seconds left.
With 4 seconds left Marist may have felt pretty good about going into the half down 28-0. Except the half wasn’t over yet.
Kiernan dropped a bomb on the stunned Marist defensive backs to McKeon for 86 yards. “We like to run our 2 minute offense, that was our 4 second offense, Coach Sharp said with a laugh. “You gotta play us, we’re going to give you something to think about. It gave John (Kiernan) a chance to show the arm strength he has, and Billy (McKeon) did the rest, he has unbelievable speed and great athleticism.”
How ironic the nights program would feature the longest pass plays in Joliet Catholic history. The Kiernan to McKeon 86 yard TD pass would tie the duo for 3rd place all-time.
The half ended, Catholic was up 35-0 and Marist had gained 28 yards on 25 carries.
The Second Half
Catholic received the kick in the second half and McKeon returned the kick to the 35. McKeon for 8 on first down, Clancy for 12, Benson for 8, Clancy for 8, Benson for 11, McKeon for 5, Clancy finished it with a 6 yard TD run, the kick made it 42-0. For all intents the game was over.
Substituting freely, Mussleman took over at QB, Hrvatin at RB, Jeske at FB. Hrvatin took over at QB, Zurliene and Roolf at RB.
I caught up with Coach Sharp after the game. Defensively Coach, these guys were really ready for Marist tonight. “It all starts with number 43 (Jeske). We have an excellent defensive coaching staff, except for the one big play to start the game, they weren’t able to do anything against us. We were in the right coverage, we didn’t execute that play well, but a great reaction by Platt catching him from behind.”
“We kept the pressure on their QB, it was a great plan by McLaughlin, Dean and Deskin, they communicated it to the kids and they executed it. When you can neutralize those four weapons they have, that’s a heck of a performance by our defense tonight.”
“Chris Jeske plays hard every down, and he raises the level of play by those around him. They play hard or they’ll feel his wrath, and that’s the leadership he brings to this team.”
The hit that Stasko put on Nash seemed to take him out of the game. “We play physical football, it’s the way it should be played, it’s why we lift weights, it’s why we work hard in the off-season. Our fathers played that way, our uncles played that way, our grandfathers played that way, and they’d be very disappointed if we didn’t play that way. It’s the tradition of Joliet Catholic to play hard, hit hard, but to play with class, no trash talking, we help kids up after we knock them down. I’m proud of the way we played tonight.”
“We just need to keep getting better and better, Wednesday the regular season is half over we know what happened against Benet last year. We needed a screen pass late to pull the game out, we’ll be in hostile territory next week at Benet.”
I see your working Jeske into the backfield at fullback, what’s the purpose in that? “We need a third fullback, right now Benson is our number 1, Clancy plays fullback in place of Benson, but he’s on the field with Benson, so we need a third FB. We have a couple juniors that are a ways away, but if we ever get in a bind Jeske gives us a power fullback and he loves to hit people. Benson gives us the breakaway speed at fullback, and Clancy gives us some of both.”
“We need to prepare for and plan for plans “B” and “C”, I learned last year when we lost nearly all our QB’s we need to be prepared just in case.”
“We’re going to have our hands full with Benet next week? “Yea they’ll play us well defensively, they’re very well coached, and run the double wing. They don’t have the size on the defensive line they had last year, but they have excellent linebackers. We’ll look at film and get ready for them, but Benet will need to stop our three-headed monster with Kiernan running the show, that’s the thing about our backs, they catch the ball well, and John is great at reading the defense.”
Offensively and defensively this team gets better each week, they still have room for improvement, but turning what should be close games into blowouts by the half is becoming routine.
As good as the offense was tonight, and they scored on every possession except one until the large scale substitutions began in the 3rd quarter – this was the defense’s game from the start.
Hard hitting, sacks for losses, no running lanes for Larocco, and constant pressure on Slubowski set the tone for the game. Because of his talent, it’s easy to key on a player like Jeske and watch his performance. It’s always time well spent, considering he may be the best MLB ever at JCA. But next game, I’d encourage you to take some time to focus on two guys that are stellar performers on the defensive line now, and improving each week, juniors Nick Metzger, and Dan Cranmer. These two are everywhere the ball is and give no ground on the line of scrimmage. The “game within the game” is often overlooked – don’t miss it.
Congratulations to Coach Sharp who moved into second place all time on the games won list at Joliet Catholic with last weeks win over St.Pat’s. Coach Sharp has a 81-14-1 record at JCA. Only the legend Gordie Gillespie with 283 wins has more than Coach Sharp.
Benet away next week.
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