Fast start for Vikings
Central Catholic shows preseason hype wasn’t exaggerated in blowout
A team loaded with experience and at least a half-dozen future major-college players, Central Catholic football had so much hype in the preseason. Loads of publicity, the No. 1 ranking in WPIAL Class 6A and the No. 2 ranking in the state were put on Central Catholic’s shoulders before the first game. Maybe believe the hype. Seasons certainly aren’t made on opening night, but impressions are. And Central Catholic made quite the impression in its opener Friday night. Sparked by a 300yard passing performance by quarterback Payton Wehner, Central Catholic cruised by host Woodland Hills 43-7 at the Wolvarena on the first night of high school football in Pennsylvania. The mercy rule (running clock) went into effect in the third quarter of this WPIAL nonconference game.
Woodland Hills certainly isn’t thought to be on Central Catholic’s level. North Allegheny is probably the only WPIAL team that can make that claim. But Woodland Hills did make the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals last year, and new coach Brian Tarrant has some promising young players.
The Wolverines did comport themselves well for a while, trailing by only 14-7 after the first quarter, and sophomore quarterback Cam Walter threw for 198 yards in the game. But Central Catholic, also under a first-year coach in Ryan Lehmeier, cruised from the middle of the second quarter on. Central Catholic scored on six of its first eight possessions of the game.
“I think this just shows who we are,” said Central Catholic’s Cole Sullivan, a senior linebacker-receiver and University of Michigan recruit. “Everyone heard the hype. We tried not to pay attention to it. It doesn’t mean a whole lot. But we did just try to prove ourselves this game and show everyone we’re for real.”
Central Catholic was impressive right from the opening kickoff
when Xxavier Thomas sprinted 96 yards for a touchdown. But a penalty brought back the play. No big deal. Central took the ball and moved 89 yards in 12 plays in less than three minutes for a touchdown. Let’s take that back. Central Catholic didn’t move. They sprinted. One play would end and Central Catholic was snapping the ball sometimes seven seconds later.
Tempo. Pace. Speed. That’s the way Lehmeier wants it. It’s the way the offense moved at PineRichland six and seven years ago when Lehmeier was the offensive coordinator under Eric Kasperowicz and Phil Jurkovec was the QB.
Wehner runs the Central Catholic offense with poise and confidence. Last year, he became the first quarterback in Central Catholic history to throw for more than 2,000 yards in the regular season.
He picked up Friday where he left off last season, completing 14 of 16 for 300 yards and a careerhigh five touchdown passes. He helped Central take a 29-7 lead into halftime.
“We wanted to come in confident, but we didn’t want to be cocky,” Wehner said. “We came in, played at a good pace and played our game.”
Wehner and Pete Gonzalez, a Penn State recruit, hooked up for two TDs in the first half. Gonzalez caught a 9-yarder for Central Catholic’s first score and got deep for a 54- yarder to give the Vikings their final touchdown of the first half.
“I made the expression earlier that [Wehner] drives the ship. Well, he drove it tonight,” said Lehmeier, who was presented the game ball by his mother, Trudy, after the game.
Wehner also threw a 68-yard TD pass to Jacob Sassic in the second quarter, and Elijah Faulkner scored on a 5-yard run in the first quarter for Central Catholic’s other first-half score. Sassic finished with four catches for 105 yards.
Wehner threw two more touchdown passes on Central Catholic’s first two possessions of the second half. Vernon Settles turned a short pass into a 46-yard score and Settles also caught a 5yard TD pass.
Woodland Hills found a few holes in the Central Catholic defense early as Scoop Smith took a short pass 62 yards for a score. But led by Sullivan, Central Catholic’s defense didn’t budge much the rest of the night. Woodland Hills had only 98 yards rushing.
Sullivan is one of four seniors who are Power Five conference recruits for Central Catholic. But the Vikings also have a sophomore linebacker (Colson Gatten) with a few Power Five offers. Then freshman Larry Moon, who also has Power Five offers, played much of the game at cornerback.
And just when Central Catholic’s offense let up and rested some first-teamers in the second half, in came 5-foot-10, 190-pound freshman running back Sa’Nir Brooks, who showed off some speed and strength, rushing for 47 yards on 8 carries. Where does the talent end? “We didn’t feel like their talent was the biggest problem, but it was them functioning as a team,” Tarrant said. “They have, like, eight of 11 guys doing their job every play. We had maybe five of 11.”