MOUNTAIN VIEW – Within the midst of St. Francis Excessive’s come-from-behind 35-28 victory over highly effective Central Catholic-Modesto on Friday night time, there was a stretch by which every little thing St. Francis quarterback Matthew Dougherty threw got here down in his receivers’ fingers.
After throwing a 38-yard landing go in stride and down the center to Andrew Adkison for a rating that tied the sport at 21-21, Dougherty ran off the sector and up and down the sidelines, yelling, “It’s too straightforward! it’s too straightforward!”
The time and repetitions that Dougherty has put in with receivers Adkison and Riley Lengthy since enjoying collectively on the freshman and junior varsity groups, and thru the summer season main into the season-opener was clearly evident Friday and important to the Lancers’ huge non-league victory.
Enjoying in his first recreation since he helped St. Francis beat De La Salle final September, Dougherty rallied the Lancers with three second-half landing passes, together with two in a 71-second span the fourth quarter — a 22-yarder to Lengthy tied the sport with 9:59 left and a 24-yarder to Adkison received it with 8:48 left.
And whereas the new-look Lancer protection with solely three returning starters bent quite a bit, however in the end didn't break, making a key cease within the waning minutes.
“We knew it was going to be a bodily recreation,” St. Francis coach Greg Calcagno stated. “That’s why we put them on the schedule. Win or lose, we’re going to be quite a bit higher and much more examined. We discover out much more about ourselves by enjoying a crew like Central Catholic.”
Central Catholic’s Tyler Jacklich blasted by Lancers with landing runs of 80 and 85 yards on the way in which to 281 yards on 21 carries, largely up the intestine. However shortly into the Central Catholic’s closing drive, Jacklich was compelled to the bench with an harm and the Raiders needed to try to win it with out him.
The 11-play drive fizzled on the Lancers’ 13-yard line when Jackson Cahoon’s protection compelled a fourth-down incompletion in the long run zone with three minutes left.
Nonetheless, the drama was not over. St. Francis collected one first down, however consecutive runs for losses, adopted by Central Catholic timeouts compelled the Lancers’ right into a third-and-16 by itself 19 with 2:10 left – an ideal alternative for one closing Central Catholic stab at tying the sport.
Dougherty went deep towards Adkison, as he had all through the sport, towards man protection. There was shoulder-to-shoulder contact and the ball sailed excessive for an incompletion. As a substitute, Central Catholic was known as for go interference, giving St. Francis a primary down and the power to expire the clock.
Dougherty was 5-for-5 within the second half and 10 of 16 for 201 yards general. Going through largely man coverages, his timing with Adkison and Lengthy was excellent. Whether or not the routes have been quick, medium or deep, the connection was uncanny.
“I do know them they usually know me in and out,” Dougherty stated. “After which we obtained all of the seems we needed to see and it was similar to apply. We noticed what we needed and I knew the place to assault them.”
The passes have been in stride on the deep routes, or to the again shoulder on sidelines patterns, or simply excessive sufficient for the receiver to catch on a number of others. Adkison completed with 5 catches for 140 yards and Lengthy had 5 for 61.
One other huge play: Andrew Carrasquillo’s interception deep in St. Francis’ personal territory when Central Catholic appeared poised to take a 21-7 third-quarter lead. Carrasquillo returned the choose 72 yards, establishing a one-play drive to tie it, on Keala Keanaaina’s 10-yard run.
The Lancers’ 1-2 punch of elusive backs Keanaaina and Kamau Julien mixed for 173 yards and enabled the Lancers to maintain the Central Catholic protection sincere.
Cal-Hello Sports activities ranked St. Francis No. 21 within the state and Central Catholic No. 26, so Friday’s matchup may find yourself large for state playoff positioning later within the season. However within the close to future, it doesn’t get any simpler for each groups. Central Catholic will face Serra in two weeks and the nation’s high crew, St. John Bosco, St. Francis will get some main checks in September, dealing with De La Salle in two weeks and WCAL rival Serra on Sept. 23.
“In all honesty, we had some questions coming into this recreation – they’re fairly bodily — and we have been in a position to run the soccer,” Calcagno stated. “We like what we noticed from our crew. We’ve obtained lots of work to do, however we like what we noticed.”
