Can’t let the weekend go without a quick and dirty recap (and some mid-season analysis):
First thing that stood out was the OL finally played at a violent speed and effort that an old no-neck, no-namer like myself could appreciate. Below have become the starters and they all have had 0 OL varsity snaps prior to this season:
Heralded Soph LT Mitch Street coming along nicely
Steady Teddy Aguilera Senior LG
Next, a couple of unselfish seniors that gave up returning starter spots from their 2023 campaigns to not only start at new positions but also rightfully earn the C as captains:
Former H Back Pat Conneely at C and RG former DL Joe Katalinic who has become the current best and most dominant OLineman on team
Converted TE Senior Charlie Blake at RT. Charlie is the 4th of 5 (Seamus a Soph) Blake’s to follow in their father Greg’s enormous shoes as a St. Rita OLineman
And newly converted OL to TE Soph Greg Zaber (
@Wittymoniker1 probably loves to see old St. Nick’s blood continuing to coarse through St. Rita Football veins)
And last but not least, Junior HBack Joey ‘Tank’ Levy put on a dominating blocking clinic Friday night. Don’t know if he minds the name but, dang it, it fits.
Nothing but plates of pasta and half gallons of whole milk Sunday through Wednesday boys. Keep grinding young men. Old, broken down alumni lineman are loving watching the growth. Time out. I need to wipe a tear from my red, puffy eyes. Dang onions.
Rest of the team/game notes:
JR QB Army (Steven Armbruster) continuing to play poised and fast. Feet are underrated weapon. Trust first read play design. Jones/Davis/Perry got you.
RB Senior Herman continues to move the ball inside/outside, on the ground and with his YAC on passes. Gave way early to talented Soph RB Brandon Johnson (BJohn, pronounced Bijan) to finish 3rd and 4th quarters. Watch former stud RB DJ Stewart’s footwork. Not every play will score, trust your talent, forward full speed with a touch of cut on each length to set up arm tackle angles. Defense gets the advantage when RBs tap at hole. Balance on full speed plow, footwork to allow no square ups, run to green.
WRs: Junior Walter Jones is and is going to be a big star. Mr. Jones wishes he was someone just a little more funky, when everybody loves you, oh son, that’s just about as funky as you can be. Apologies for busting out some Counting Crows lyrics in the middle of a recap. My bad.
Junior WR Lucas Davis, perfect slant route, great catch on ball thrown on back hip in traffic.
Senior WR Tommy Perry unselfish converted QB catching everything thrown to him even over the middle when he got popped.
Soph WR Donovan Evans turning into a major playmaker on jets, bubbles, mids, verts
Didn’t focus on WR run blocking but will this week vs Naz. Recent past St. Rita great WRs Henry Wilson, Kaleb, Do-it-all BJ Hall and Isaiah Bragg all D1 WRs and all laid themselves out for their teammates. I expect nothing less from this talented group.
Defensively, yeah, what a group. DT Junior Izzy ‘Big’ Easley plugging and making plays. Big senior bookends Cormac Lacy and JP Danaher getting that Farrell/Poselli mojo going. Senior Ragsdale wants a spot in rotation with great effort in latter part of game.
LBs, DBs: no comment. Naz week. You want the crown, you take the crown. Coach Racki and the Roadrunners have other plans. They know they put 41 on the board the last time they visited 77th and Western Ave.
Special teams: Solid on windy night. Defensively scored on blocked FG attempt. And added a blocked punt. Also had a roughing in there. That’s no Gouda. Speed, angle, arms and hands, believe it.
Sorry for the long novella. But when I start with OLine play, I get emotional.
If only Notre Dame Don fan and also an aficionado of interior line play,
@eireog , was able to join me and wax nostalgic on lineman talk over a Vito and Nicks. But family first and I pray everyone is well. Mass time. See you all digitally at NFL kickoff.