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Central Catholic embraces challenge against defending state champ

sam king, lafayette journal & courier
·4 min read
Central Catholic Knights Aiden Schaefer (63) and Central Catholic Knights Will Spencer (54) celebrate after making a stop during the IHSAA football sectional championship against the Rochester Zebras, Friday, Nov. 4, 2022, at Rochester High School in Rochester, Ind. Central Catholic won 24-8.
Central Catholic Knights Aiden Schaefer (63) and Central Catholic Knights Will Spencer (54) celebrate after making a stop during the IHSAA football sectional championship against the Rochester Zebras, Friday, Nov. 4, 2022, at Rochester High School in Rochester, Ind. Central Catholic won 24-8.

LAFAYETTE - Wrestling icon Ric Flair famously said, "To be the man, you've got to beat the man."

That was well before the time of Central Catholic's current football players, but the mantra applies this week for the Knights.

CC has long had the allure of being a small school power and commanding instant respect, and sometimes fear, when running through the postseason.

Andrean, though, has done the same.

So when the two meet Friday night for a Class 2A regional championship, it should be a show.

"It is a clash of two private schools that have had a lot of success and it is going to be fun," CC senior linebacker Isaac Buche said. "This is why you play high school football. You want the best matchups. You want the best team and you want to go out and give it your all."

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Andrean, with Mr. Football front runner and Notre Dame recruit Drayk Bowen, is the defending state champion.

The 59ers, like Central Catholic, play above their weight class exactly for games like Friday night.

They lost to Class 5A Merrillville in the season opener, to Class 6A Crown Point a week later and to Class 4A Lowell in the middle of the season. Other than that, Andrean has looked exactly like the juggernaut that many expect to repeat as Class 2A state champion.

"You have to look at it as big time football, but in the grand scheme of things, it's just another week," senior lineman Brady Miller said. "It doesn't matter who is lined up against you, you have to go out there and compete and put your best game out there no matter what."

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Likewise, Central Catholic lost to Class 3A programs Guerin Catholic, West Lafayette and Hamilton Heights.

Those games exposed weaknesses and came with plenty of mistakes that took them out of competitive battles that turned lopsided. Eliminating those mistakes has been crucial to CC's postseason run to this point.

But Friday might require the Knights to play their best game of the season.

"In a matchup like this, you just have to lean heavily on what your identity is. Hopefully through 12 weeks you have an identity," CC coach Brian Nay said. "We feel like defensively, offensively and on special teams that this team has developed its identity and that is what we are going to lean on come Friday night. We need to go up there with a mindset ready to compete, put all your cards on the table and let the result take care of itself."

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.

Central Catholic (9-3) at Andrean (8-3)

  • Time: 7:30 p.m.

  • Sagarin ratings: Central Catholic 66.22, Andrean 74.55

  • Series history: First meeting.

  • About Central Catholic: The Knights average 36.7 points and allow 21 per game. ... Central Catholic defeated Winamac 52-8, Cass 48-27 and Rochester 24-8 to win Class 2A, Sectional 34. ... The Knights have won seven of its last eight games after a 2-2 start. ... CC has won 10 regional championships, with nine of those in Class A, and are playing in the regional for a fourth straight season. ... Statistical leaders - Passing: Bobby Metzger (101-173, 1,224 yards, 18 TD, 9 INT), Ben Mazur (85-148, 1,044 yards, 15 TD, 5 INT). ... Rushing: Baylor Smith (215 car., 1,439 yards, 17 TD). ... Receiving: Evan Dienhart (77 rec., 904 yards, 13 TD), Owen Munn (34 rec., 603 yards, 11 TD), Robert Koch (27 rec., 353 yards, 6 TD). ... Tackles: Aiden Sattler (138), Brinn Robbins (84). ... Sacks: Aiden Schaefer (6), Isaac Buche (3), Albert Schwartz (3). ... Interceptions: Munn (3), Robbins (3), Ray Clayton (3), Nick Page (3). ... Kicking: Thomas Henry (54-56 PAT, 5-6 FG, long of 28).

  • About Andrean: The Fighting 59ers average 31.8 points and allow 14 per game. ... Andrean defeated LaVille 28-6 and Bremen 56-13 to win Class 2A, Sectional 33. ... The 59ers have won eight of their last nine games after an 0-2 start. ... Andrean has won 10 regional championships, with seven of those in Class 3A, and is the defending Class 2A state champion. ... Statistical leaders - Passing: Billy Henry (156-216, 1,648 yards, 20 TD, 3 INT). ... Rushing: Drayk Bowen (157 car., 1,104 yards, 19 TD). ... Receiving: Patrick Clacks III (63 rec., 886 yards, 11 TD). ... Tackles: Bowen (115), Antonio Barnes (78). ... Sacks: Bowen (3), Luke Donsbach (3), Alfonso Salinas (3). ... Interceptions: James Finley (6), Barnes (2). ... Kicking: PJ Cusick (37-44 PAT, 2-3 FG, long of 27).

  • Coach Nay's take: "No apparent weaknesses at all. They're a very proud program playing really good football. They have a handful of elite dudes. We've got our work cut out for us on Friday night."

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Central Catholic embraces challenge against defending state champ