Don’t poke the bear.
On the eve of his team’s three-way scrimmage with Buhach Colony and Calaveras on Saturday, Central Catholic football coach Roger Canepa fired a warning shot at high school football prognosticators whose rankings have the Sac-Joaquin Section’s all-time winningest coach riled up.
In the latest MaxPreps.com computer ranking, Central Catholic is No. 14 in the Sac-Joaquin Section, three spots behind Valley Oak League rival Manteca (No. 11) and five behind VOL newcomer Patterson (No. 9). The Tigers and Mountain House join the Valley Oak League after the section’s latest realignment.
Patterson won’t receive a warm welcome from the Raiders, who have retooled their offensive and defensive huddle after graduating a star-studded class.
The two kick off the VOL season on Sept. 20 under the palms on the West Side.
“We understand there are people doubting us,” said Canepa, who became the section’s all-time winningest coach with a playoff win over Edison of Stockton last fall. He has won 283 games, one more than friend and former Escalon coach Mark Loureiro.
“It’s like I tell, ‘Don’t poke the bear.’ MaxPreps and CalHiPreps … c’mon. Nothing against Patterson, but c’mon. They haven’t played the dudes we play or Manteca plays. They might be pretty good, but I think the teams that have been in the VOL – Oakdale, Manteca, and us – we like our chances. We’ve been there and play tough preseasons.
“At the end of the day, you’ve got to beat us to win it. Not being cocky, just being real. I’ll always bet on my team.”
Central Catholic may not have the names to light up a downtown marquee, but the Raiders do return a group of fleet skill players, including running backs Joey Alcutt, Carter Meeks, and Wyatt Dragoo, all of whom had 48 or more carries in the Raiders’ romp to a third consecutive VOL crown.
Alcutt, a 6-foot-2 senior, is the team’s bell cow. He carried 138 times for a team-best 1,231 yards and 14 touchdowns. Meeks is only a junior. He averaged nearly 8 yards per carry and showed his big-play potential with two touchdowns on just three carries in a thrilling 39-35 win over Manteca.
“I’ll be honest,” Canepa started, “we might be as fast as we’ve ever been. Ever.”
Will team speed help the Raiders overcome one of Northern California’s toughest opening stretches?
Central Catholic opens with six daunting games in as many weeks: Northern Section No. 1 Pleasant Valley of Chico, Aug. 23; Holy Bowl rival St. Mary’s, Aug. 30; Oregon No. 2 Central Catholic, Sept. 6; Nevada No. 4 Bishop Manogue, Sept. 13; Patterson, Sept. 20; and Manteca, Sept. 27. The Raiders’ bye is Oct. 4.
Canepa knows the schedule will test a team breaking in a new QB – junior Kayden McHenry will likely replace Valley Oak League MVP and four-year starter Tyler Paul Wentworth – and searching for depth on the offensive and defensive lines.
“God bless us,” Canepa quipped.
The key, he says, is to escape Saturday’s scrimmage without injury. Central Catholic will host Buhach Colony and Calaveras; the scrimmage kicks off at 3:30 p.m.
“I want execution and to get out of there without injuries,” Canepa added. “… I want to get in and get out (and) make sure we’re doing what we should be doing, but the key to our season is to stay healthy. We’re right at 35 kids.”
The confidence in Canepa’s voice stems from an offseason of positive signs. His players have practiced hard and often, logged considerable time in the weight room, sparkled under the lights during a recent midnight practice, and they’ve met every demand.
Six games in six weeks? Bring it on.
Road trips to the north state and Oregon? Saddle up.
Picked behind two VOL rivals? Bet.
“We’re checking the right boxes and usually that means something good is going to happen,” Canepa said. “… We got a lot of people thinking what they want to think and I’m good with it.”
