CCHS routs LCA 50-20

By GEOFF STOUTE
gstoute@daily-review.com
LAFAYETTE — Another dominant rushing performance by Stefano Guarisco coupled with a rebound on defense led the Eagles to an easy 50-20 victory against Lafayette Christian in both team’s District 7-1A opener Thursday.
Guarisco turned in another solid effort, rushing 29 times for 215 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Eagles’ 305-yard rushing attack.
“Offensive line, tremendous job,” Central Catholic coach Tommy Minton said. “We saw a nine-man box just about all night, and they (are) putting a body on a body, and we breaking Stef into the secondary, getting on the second level where he can do what he does. So it was a physical game, and we did a good job.”
The Eagles had 399 yards of total offense.
Defensively, Central Catholic, which was gashed by Ascension Catholic a week ago, rebounded in a big way, limiting Lafayette Christian to 152 yards of total offense and five first downs.
The defense got pressure often on Lafayette Christian freshman quarterback Zachary Clement, sacking him five times. He finished the game with 8 carries for 52 yards and one touchdown, which came via an 81-yard run late in the fourth quarter.
Through the air, he completed 5 of 19 passes for 72 yards with 2 interceptions.
Central Catholic’s Jalen Johnson and Tyler O’Con each recorded picks for the Eagles.
“I thought defense stepped up and did a good job,” Minton said. “After last week, we bounced back and did some good things.”
Central Catholic started with a touchdown on its first series of the game as Guarisco concluded the 64-yard drive with a 51-yard touchdown run in which he ran around before finally finding a lot of open field on the Eagles’ side of the field. He then ran to the end zone for the score.
Guarisco converted the two-point run for an 8-0 Central Catholic lead with 10:02 remaining in the first quarter.
While Lafayette Christian moved into Central Catholic territory on its first drive, the play stalled after three straight incompletions by Clement, the last he threw under pressure and was nearly intercepted.
Lafayette Christian stopped Central Catholic’s next drive when Regan Miller intercepted Blake Byrne at the Lafayette Christian 19.
However, again, the Knights couldn’t capitalize.
Not long after, Guarisco and the Eagles took over, and he scored on a 16-yard run with 11:29 remaining. Central Catholic led 16-0 after Guarisco’s two-point run.
After Johnson intercepted Clement on the Knight’s next possession and Central Catholic took over at the Lafayette Christian 45, the Eagles again moved down the field on a drive capped by a 21-yard run by Sydney Holder with 6:50 remaining. Guarisco’s two-point run failed, and Central Catholic led 22-0.
Holder finished the game with 3 carries for 39 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Lafayette Christian’s next drive again ended quickly as O’Con made a sliding interception on a Miller pass, and the Eagles took over at the Lafayette Christian 32.
Two plays later, Guarisco found a crease in the offensive line and headed to the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown.
Bailey Badeaux’s two-point run was no good for a 28-0 Central Catholic lead with 6:02 remaining in the first half.
Lafayette Christian got on the board on its next drive.
After Miller returned the kickoff to the Central Catholic 42, the Knights used a lengthy drive capped by a Miller 19-yard pass to Bryce Badon for a touchdown with 1:17 remaining in the half.
The drive was kept alive by a 15-yard pass interference penalty on the Eagles on fourth down from the Central Catholic 34.
Badon’s point-after attempt was good, cutting the Eagles lead to 28-7 with 1:17 remaining in the half.
A series of fumbles ensued shortly after as Byrne completed a long pass to Greg Leger into Lafayette Christian territory. Leger fumbled and Lafayette Christian recovered and took over at its own 11-yard line.
However, a play later, Lafayette Christian fumbled, and Central Catholic took over at the Lafayette Christian 5-yard line.
One play later, Guarisco scored from 5 yards out. Guarisco’s two-point run was good, and with 44.1 seconds left, Central Catholic led 36-7.
Lafayette Christian cut its deficit to 37-14 with 7:23 remaining in the third quarter when, after forcing the Eagles to punt on their first possession of the half from the Lafayette Christian 9, Aaron Jackson blocked Charlie Solar’s punt attempt and recovered it in the end zone. Badon’s extra point was good for a 37-14 score.
However, Central Catholic responded with an 8-play, 57-yard drive capped by a Holder 10-yard run. Damarcus Mitchell’s two-point run was good for a 44-14 Central Catholic lead with 3:30 remaining in the third quarter.
Central Catholic added another touchdown in the fourth quarter when Chris Singleton scored from a yard out. Mitchell’s pass attempt failed for a 50-14 Central Catholic lead with 6:48 remaining.
Lafayette Christian added the game’s final score with 2:25 remaining on an 81-yard run. Badon’s kick was no good for the final margin.
While Guarisco led the rushing offense, Byrne completed 4 of 7 passes for 66 yards with an interception to lead the Eagles’ pass game, while Leger was the Eagles leading receiver with 2 catches for 70 yards.
The Eagles totaled 399 yards of total offense and recorded 21 first downs.
With a sizable lead, the Eagles also were able to play backups in the fourth quarter.
Central Catholic will continue District 7-1A action next week when it travels to face district newcomer Centerville in a 7 p.m. contest.

CCHS LCA
First Downs: 21 5
Rushing Yards: 305 61
Passing Yards: 94 91
Total Yards: 399 152
PA-C-HI: 9-5-1 20-6-2
Pen-Yards: 7-60 5-25
Fumbles-Lost: 2-2 6-3

Score by Quarters
CCHS 8 28 8 6
LCA 0 7 7 6

Scoring Summary
First Quarter
CCHS: Stefano Guarisco 51-yard run. (Guarisco run) 10:02.

Second Quarter
CCHS: Guarisco 16-yard run. (Guarisco run) 11:29
CCHS: Sydney Holder 21-yard run. (Pass failed) 6:50
CCHS: Guarisco 20-yard run. (Run failed) 6:02
LCA: Regan Miller 19-yard pass to Bryce Badon. (Badon kick) 1:17
CCHS: Guarisco 5-yard run. (Guarisco run) 44.1

Third Quarter
LCA: Aaron Jackson blocked punt recovery in end zone. (Badon kick) 7:23
CCHS: Holder 10-yard run. (Damarcus Mitchell run) 3:30

Fourth Quarter
CCHS: Chris Singleton 1-yard run. (Pass failed) 6:48
LCA: Zachary Clement 81-yard run. (Kick failed) 2:25

CCHS Individual Stats
Rushing
Stefano Guarisco, 29-215 yds., 4 TDs; Sydney Holder, 3-39 yds., 2 TDs; Damarcus Mitchell, 8-35 yds.; Chris Singleton, 11-21 yds, TD; Blake Byrne, 4- (-5) yds.

Passing
Blake Byrne, 4-7-1, 66 yds; Damarcus Mitchell, 1-2-0, 28 yds.

Receiving
Greg Leger, 2-70 yds; Jalen Johnson, 1-12 yds.; Stefano Guarisco, 1-7 yds; Bailey Badeaux, 1-5 yds.