Central Catholic’s 6A title made possible by the big guys up front: ‘I love every one of my linemen’
The Big Guys.
They battled. They fought.
They opened holes. They made tackles.
They celebrated a championship.
In other words — they came up BIG.
The big guys on the Central Catholic football team — the offensive linemen, defensive linemen and linebackers — seemed to pull their weight — and then some — as they helped the Rams power their way to a 49-21 win over Tualatin in the Class 6A state championship game last week at Hillsboro Stadium.
“This means a lot,” Central Catholic junior offensive lineman/linebacker Zach Davis said during the Rams’ postgame celebration. “We’ve worked all season for this — countless hours. We worked as hard as we could, all summer, all fall, and this is the final product.”
The final product was Central Catholic’s second Class 6A state title in the past three years, with the big guys helping lead the way for the Rams.
That literally was the case on the offensive side of the ball for Central Catholic in the 2023 state title contest.
The Rams’ group of offensive linemen, led by 6-foot-1, 270-pound senior captain Matix Carpenter, helped the lead the way for the offensive attack, which came away with a state title game record of 639 yards of total offense.
“All of us were running our (butts) off, one play at a time,” Carpenter said of the offensive linemen. “The line got it done. If the skills (skill position players) aren’t going to win the game, we are.”
The Central Catholic offensive linemen in the championship game — a group that included Carpenter, senior Israel Palacios (6-0, 250), junior Evan Brenner (6-3, 220), junior John McGregor (6-1, 245) and junior Zac Stascausky (6-7, 265), among others — helped the Rams rush for 290 yards on 28 carries.
Central Catholic senior quarterback Cru Newman, who threw 24 passes, wasn’t sacked a single time in the contest.
And likely no one appreciates the play of the Central Catholic offensive linemen more than Newman.
“They did great,” the quarterback said. “They always perform in games. I never worry about them. I’m super proud of them, and they did great.”
Carpenter agreed.
“I love every one of my linemen,” Carpenter said with a tone of pride in his voice. “I think I played every position. I played some at tackle, guard and center. I had a hell of a time. It was a tremendous honor.”
On the defensive side, the Central Catholic linemen and linebackers — a group that includes Davis, senior Jeremiah Katsuta, junior Tyler Newberry, junior Kainoa Hayes, Carpenter, senior Dexter Foster, junior Phoenix-Orion DiCosmo, junior Adrian Ramirez, sophomore Donnie Vercher and Stascausky, among others — helped limit Tualatin to 324 yards of total offense, including 97 yards on 29 carries.
“D-line was doing their job,” Davis said. “They did their thing. That let us run free.”
Carpenter was in on eight total tackles, leading the team in that category. Newberry and DiCosmo were in on six tackles apiece.
Hayes was in on five tackles and added a sack for an 11-yard loss. Foster caused all sorts of havoc, being in on three tackles, breaking up two passes and having a quarterback hit. He caught a touchdown pass on offense.
Davis was in on two tackles and broke up a pass. Stascausky had a quarterback hit.
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