CCHS holds off Opelousas Catholic for 32-20 win

Central Catholic started Friday’s game with a dominate play on special teams and sealed it with a defensive stand as the squad held off Opelousas Catholic in the fourth quarter for a 32-20 victory.
Central Catholic’s first highlight came on the game’s first play as Stefano Guarisco fielded the opening kickoff and returned it 84 yards for a score just 15 seconds into the game.
While the Eagles lead grew to as much as 18-7 at the half, Opelousas Catholic didn’t go away and cut its deficit to as little as 18-13 with 11:56 remaining in the ball game and again to 26-20 with 7:50 remaining in the fourth quarter.
However, Central Catholic made two big fourth-down stops, with a touchdown on offense sandwiched in between, to preserve the win.
Central Catholic coach Tommy Minton said he thought his team carried the momentum from last week’s dominant second half over to this week’s game.
He said he was glad to see his team be physical, something that concerned him coming into the game.
“Our guys stepped up to the plate,” he said. “We told them all week they’re going to get hit in the mouth and if they don’t step up and hit back, it’s going to be a long night.”
Meanwhile, offensively, Guarisco was dominate again with 36 carries for 147 yards and two scores rushing, two receptions for 67 yards and another score through the air and had the kickoff return.
“He’s a hell of a football player, and I’m going to tell you something: We blocked some people up front,” Minton said. “He had eight, nine people in the box, and the offensive line for two weeks in a row has done a great job, and he just runs very hard.”
While Guarisco was dominant, the Eagles got contributions from others.
On one of Guarisco’s touchdown drives, he was set up by a nice reception by Damarcus Mitchell from quarterback Blake Byrne, while Mitchell, who saw time at quarterback for the Eagles, connected with Guarisco downfield for probably half the yardage of a play Guarisco turned into a 67-yard score.
After Guarisco’s kickoff return and ensuing two-point conversion for an 8-0 Central Catholic lead with 11:45 remaining in the first quarter, Opelousas Catholic took over and drove to the Central Catholic 33.
However, consecutive fumbles, including one in which the team lost 15 yards on a high snap over quarterback David Labbe’s head, put Opelousas Catholic in a fourth-and-25 situation. Labbe’s fourth-down pass was incomplete.
While Opelousas Catholic stopped Central Catholic on its first offensive drive, things got worse for the Vikings on offense.
After Nick Mouret reeled off a 13-yard run on first down, the Vikings lost 14 yards on the next play due to a bad snap and Labbe being sacked after recovering.
Labbe was dropped for another four-yard loss on second down.
Labbe’s third-down pass was incomplete, and on fourth-and-28, the snap for the punt went out of the end zone for a safety and a 10-0 Central Catholic lead with 5:52 remaining in the opening quarter.
After Sam Jarrell intercepted Byrne in the end zone later in the first quarter, Opelousas Catholic needed just two plays to score as Labbe kept on second down and raced 80 yards for a touchdown. Devin Bijeaux’s extra point was good, and Central Catholic’s lead was cut to just 10-7 with 4:06 remaining in the opening quarter.
The teams exchanged possessions for the remainder of the first quarter and into the second quarter.
Central Catholic’s final drive of the second quarter, though, ended in a touchdown.
From its own 33, the Eagles moved 67 yards for the score, which was capped by a Guarisco 1-yard run.
While Guarisco had the final play and several plays during the drive, others also stepped up as on the second play of the drive, Byrne connected with Jalen Johnson for a 12-yard pass for a first down, and later, Bailey Badeaux caught a nine-yard pass for another first down.
Just prior to the touchdown, while facing a fourth and 16 at the Opelousas 26, Byrne threw to Mitchell towards the end zone, and Mitchell came back and made an excellent adjustment on the play to reel in the catch at the 1-yard line.
One play later, Guarisco scored a touchdown, while Mitchell converted the two-point conversion for an 18-7 Central Catholic lead with 28 seconds left in the first half.
The teams exchanged possessions in the third quarter, but Opelousas Catholic put a drive together on its last possession of the period.
Using its ground game — and several Central Catholic penalties — the Vikings moved the ball down the field.
On the first play of the first quarter, Labbe connected with Aaron Miller for a six-yard touchdown reception. Labbe’s two-point run was good to cut the Central Catholic advantage to 18-13 with 11:56 remaining in the fourth.
Central Catholic responded on its next possession as the squad, facing a third-and-17 situation, reached the end zone when Mitchell, at quarterback, connected with Guarisco downfield on a play that the standout turned into a 67-yard touchdown reception. Guarisco converted the two-point conversion for a 26-13 Central Catholic advantage with 10:22 remaining.
Opelousas Catholic countered on its next drive when, on fourth down with 12 yards to go for a first down, Labbe again connected with a wide open Miller on a pass he turned into a 46-yard touchdown reception. Bijeaux’s extra point was good, and Central Catholic led now just 26-20 with 7:50 remaining.
After stopping the Eagles on their next possession, Opelousas Catholic threatened, but Central Catholic held off a rally, stopping the Vikings on a fourth-down-and-15 situation one-yard short on a trick play — a completion from Nick Darby to Jacobi Richard with 3:27 remaining.
Central Catholic responded on offense with a touchdown with 51 seconds remaining on a Guarisco 9-yard run, while the squad stopped Opelousas Catholic two yards short of a first down on its next possession at the Central Catholic 40 to seal the win.
Central Catholic will return to action Thursday when it hosts Ascension Catholic in a 7 p.m. contest.

CCHS OC
First Downs 13 13
Rushing Yards 154 159
Passing Yards 125 105
Total Yards 279 264
PA-C-HI 19-7-2 22-6-0
Penalty-yds. 11-136 13-95
Fumbles-lost 1-1 6-0

Central Catholic individual stats
Passing
Damarcus Mitchell, 2-6-1, 73 yards, TD; Blake Byrne, 5-13-1, 52 yds.

Receiving
Stefano Guarisco, 2-67, TD; Damarcus Mitchell, 1-25; Jalen Johnson, 1-12; Bailey Badeaux, 1-9; Greg Leger, 1-6; Tyler O’con, 1-6

Rushing
Stefano Guarisco, 36-147, 2 TDs; Damarcus Mitchell, 2-4; Sydney Holder, 1-4; Blake Byrne, 2-(-1)

Score by quarter
CCHS 10 8 0 14 = 32
OC 7 0 0 13 = 20

Scoring Summary
First Quarter
CCHS: Stefano Guarisco 84-yard kickoff return. (Guarisco run) 11:45

CCHS: Safety 5:52

OC: David Labbe 80-yard run. (Devin Bijeaux kick) 4:06

Second Quarter
CCHS: Guarisco 1-yard run. (Damarcus Mitchell run) 0:28

Fourth Quarter
OC: Labbe 6-yard pass to Aaron Miller (Labbe run) 11:56

CCHS: Mitchell 67-yard pass to Guarisco. (Guarisco run) 10:22

OC: Labbe 46-yard pass to Miller. (Bijeaux kick) 7:50

CCHS: Guarisco 9-yard run. (Run fail) 0:51