LAWRENCE — With 0:07 left on the clock, and one play and 14 yards between victory and disaster, Central Catholic senior Drew Alsup knew it was his time.
“I knew I had to make a play,” said Alsup. “My boys stepped up in the final minute, so I knew it was my turn to make something happen and be a leader. I had to lock in, focus mentally, control my breathing and make the play.”
With Frankin facing a fourth down from the 14-yard line, Alsup, the defensive back, stepped up with heavy pressure and tipped away a pass to clinch Central Catholic’s season-opening 21-14 victory over on Thursday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Alsup’s play capped a wild final sequence that saw Jomar Berrios and Drew O’Keefe also make key plays in the end zone after Franklin drove 66 yards in just over two minutes.
“There was never a doubt,” said Alsup. “We were supporting each other. We knew that we had guys that could make plays, and were making plays the whole game. The start to last year (0-4 start) was definitely disappointing. It wasn’t the way we wanted to start the season. So we knew coming out and starting 1-0 would be huge, and the boys got it done.”
After Central’s opening drive stalled, Raider Dillon Doucette quickly gave the Raiders the ball back with an interception.
That was when first-year Central Catholic starting quarterback Caden Smith started opening eyes. Four plays after the pick, Smith scrambled to his right and broke free for a 23-yard touchdown.
The Raiders then forced a fumble that was recovered by Berrios — and three plays later Smith took off for a 25-yard touchdown run.
“I was anxious and nervous, but nerves are good,” said Smith, a sophomore. “I turned those nerves into tough runs. It felt so good to break off both touchdown runs. On the first one, I just saw the hole and took off. The o-line caught the blitz, so I took off. On the second one, my tackle Tom Galusha laid a guy out, and my guy Brian Waller-Reitano crushed a guy. It felt awesome to get into the end zone.”
It looked like Central might put the game away in the final seconds of the first half, when Smith hit Alsup for a 35-yard pass the send him sliding into the end zone. But he was called down at the 1-yard line, and Franklin then stopped the following play as time expired.
The Panthers then opened the second half by switching to a double-wing offense, riding it for 12 plays and 71 yards for a score.
Central Catholic responded with a drive that sophomore running back Caden Chase ended with a 9-yard score. The Raiders then intercepted a pass, but it was fumbled, setting up a Franklin score to make it 21-14. The Panthers then forced a stop, resulting in the wild finish.
“It means everything to get this win,” said Smith, who finished with 105 yards on 14 carries and 82 passing yards. “As a sophomore, in my first game out there, I made some mistakes. But it’s about how you bounce back, and it feels so good to get the win.”
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Central Catholic 21, Franklin 14
FIRST QUARTER
CC — Caden Smith 23 run (Drew O’Keefe kick), 3:18
SECOND QUARTER
CC — Smith 25 run (O’Keefe kick), 11:25
THIRD QUARTER
F — Will Tirrell 5 run (Owen Essam kick), 4:09
FOURTH QUARTER
CC — Caden Chase 9 run (O’Keefe kick), 8:39
F — Cole Swinell 22 run (Essam kick), 5:24
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING: Central Catholic — Caden Smith 14-105, Caden Chase 7-44, Jefferson Morales 3-19, Armari Mills 3-(-1); Franklin leader: Will Tirrell 8-53
PASSING: Central Catholic — Smith 7-11-1, 82; Franklin Leader: Justin Bianchetto 7-17-1, 76
RECEIVING: Central Catholic — Drew Alsup 5-56, Brock DiGregorio 1-15, Connor Grella 1-11; Franklin Leaders: Kyle Walsh 4-48, Andrew Fraulo 2-17, Jack Fairweather 1-11