I hear what your saying, and I agree to some extent. DO is a GREAT football team, no doubt, and Great football teams always find a way. They played a very very good CC team. But like I said in my prior post, after CC's QB got ejected it just seemed like they started falling apart. You can't do that in big games like this. Both teams were hitting hard but CC seemed to be handeling them offensively pretty well. With over a minute left the ball got stripped and picked up by a DO player and ran it back for a TD. That's why I stated they got real lucky. If it weren't for that, CC would have been the Champs right now. But again, that's what GREAT teams do, they find a way. So I give credit to DO. Good luck to them!
SJS D2 Championship - Central Catholic vs Del Oro
- Thread starter smashmouthrick
- Start date
I hear what your saying, and I agree to some extent. DO is a GREAT football team, no doubt, and Great football teams always find a way. They played a very very good CC team. But like I said in my prior post, after CC's QB got ejected it just seemed like they started falling apart. You can't do that in big games like this. Both teams were hitting hard but CC seemed to be handeling them offensively pretty well. With over a minute left the ball got stripped and picked up by a DO player and ran it back for a TD. That's why I stated they got real lucky. If it weren't for that, CC would have been the Champs right now. But again, that's what GREAT teams do, they find a way. So I give credit to DO. Good luck to them!
Oh my @ThunderRam that knocked the needle off my personal resonance gauge! Everything you said including the team from Foxboro.
No issue with most of what you've replied. Also, I'll also acknowledge that I only saw a few minutes of the CC-DO game in total. While I was attending the RL-CR game, I checked in via stream a couple of times then left at half and saw the last couple minutes including the play in question.
But here's where I disagree with you. While the strip fumble certainly was the play that quickly swung the game, it was no sure thing that CC was going to win w/o it occurring. Considering DO's penchant for comebacks in big games, I still think they had a realistic chance to pull it off w/o that huge defensive play.
The fumble occurred on 3rd and 20 from CC's 36 with 2:03 remaining. DO still had 2 timeouts. If CC's #2 was just tackled by DO's #3 at the 36 or 37, DO likely gets a TO called with around 1:55 remaining while forcing CC to punt. Who knows how the subsequent punt turns out (maybe it is blocked or returned for a TD?), but odds are the Golden Eagles start somewhere around their own 35 with around 1:45 and 1 timeout in their pocket. Case in point, on the previous possession CC punted from their own 40 to DO's 36.
That's more than enough time from that field position to muster a game winning drive. After all, DO scored a TD on their prior possession going 64 yards drive in only 1 min 50 sec w/o having to use any timeouts.
FWIW, DO's #3 made a very heady play. He quickly recognized the sweep, sprinted up unblocked and went right for the ball rather than the tackle. That was a skill play. The luck was the bounce of the ball right to #5 who was able to run it in. But if DO simply recovered it around the CC 40, they still would have had a high percentage opportunity to win. I don't think you can assume CC stops them especially considering the previous possession.
Lastly, I'll just say that as someone that disliked DO for many years as a rival, I just grew to appreciate what they do. For decades their kids have been well-coached from youth all the way up to Varsity. The play #3 made to strip the ball was something that just came naturally, you could tell. He recognized the situation and knew what to try to do. That football IQ comes from years of coaching within that program.
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I would only add the only truly lucky part of that play was the way the ball bounced, because if it had not gone where it did, #5 might not have picked up the ball and for those that have seen that kid play would know he is an athlete and would be hard to catch and bring down. #3 is a big game and big-play player and showed it a minute later with the pic that basically iced the game. As you say TR, he stripped that ball with the skill and focus of someone who has practiced it and knew it was what was needed. I've seen him go for the strip many times this season.
I was not nearly as positive about the final outcome as Rick was, and felt pretty fortunate afterward, but after reviewing the film, you're spot on.
You saw more than I did 'live'! Bravo!
I was losing my head with worry.
and had to watch it again.......Totally agree. I touched on it in my last reply.
But w/o the lucky bounce, DO was going to take over either at around the CC 40 (if they only recover and not advance) or likely around their own 35 judging from the last time CC punted from around the same field position.
Considering DO's penchant for late game heroics in games like this and what they did on their last offensive possession, I still would have liked their chances.
One last thing I'd like to call out to @playsomeball is that leading up the game I said I felt that Central was the better all-around team. However, I also said that each time I count DO out or think they're done -- they pull out performances and clutch plays just like they did in this game. I've seen it happen too many times to ignore.
I think the game kinda played out as I thought. CC controlled the game for most of 3.5 quarters. Then DO Magic took over. Would things have played out differently had Durossette not been ejected? IDK. Maybe, maybe not.
You saw more than I did 'live'! Bravo!
I was losing my head with worry.
I should also clarify that I have gone back and watched the game on demand. So I have seen it in it's entirely. I just wasn't there to see it live and in person and barely saw much as it actually happened. I usually try to watch as many games as I can via demand. It's impossible to know much about all these teams w/o doing so. However, with the games staggered on FRI and SAT and multiple games at one site, I was able to get out to 3 games this past weekend.
Absolutely. Re-watching the play several times, you could see the early recognition and intent to tackle the ball. The execution was textbook. If I was still coaching, that play would go into my visual teaching playbook.
I heard @smashmouthrick was telling all those around him that DO was going to pull it out well before it played out. He's seen that movie too many times too.
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Totally agree. I touched on it in my last reply.
But w/o the lucky bounce, DO was going to take over either at around the CC 40 (if they only recover and not advance) or likely around their own 35 judging from the last time CC punted from around the same field position.
Considering DO's penchant for late game heroics in games like this and what they did on their last offensive possession, I still would have liked their chances.
One last thing I'd like to call out to @playsomeball is that leading up the game I said I felt that Central was the better all-around team. However, I also said that each time I count DO out or think they're done -- they pull out performances and clutch plays just like they did in this game. I've seen it happen too many times to ignore.
I think the game kinda played out as I thought. CC controlled the game for most of 3.5 quarters. Then DO Magic took over. Would things have played out differently had Durossette not been ejected? IDK. Maybe, maybe not.
I should also clarify that I have gone back and watched the game on demand. So I have seen it in it's entirely. I just wasn't there to see it live and in person and barely saw much as it actually happened. I usually try to watch as many games as I can via demand. It's impossible to know much about all these teams w/o doing so. However, with the games staggered on FRI and SAT and multiple games at one site, I was able to get out to 3 games this past weekend.
Absolutely. Re-watching the play several times, you could see the early recognition and intent to tackle the ball. The execution was textbook. If I was still coaching, that play would go into my visual teaching playbook.
I heard @smashmouthrick was telling all those around him that DO was going to pull it out well before it played out. He's seen that movie too many times too.
You guys pretty much said it all. I know the D.O. senior leaders going back to Mitey Mites football. These guys have seen the D.O. comebacks years past as youngsters, the program from youth ball to varsity is galvanized to NEVER ever give up in a game. The boys have seen, and been coached to remember '09 down 35-3 to Folsom at the half in SJS Semi, down 19-0 to Elk Grove in '13 SJS Champ game, 7 min left in 4th qtr, in a monsoon at Sac St. It's a brotherhood that believes if they stay the course, they can and will find a way to win. This year's junior program, Frosh & JV boys called up will never forget this new chapter. It will foster future D.O. comebacks, whether it's a frosh game on a Thursday, or a big CIF game. And #3, Dante's been making plays like on Saturday since he was 10yrs old, has great football IQ and athleticism, not to mention one of the nicest kids on campus.
Good stuff @DelOroFB_Dad !
Couple of other games I’d add from a comeback POV is the 2005 Section championship game vs Rocklin where DO was down 15 to zip at the half and came back and won it on last minute FG. Other game was 2009 playoff game at St Marys where DO was a heavy underdog and were behind at the half but put up 23 points in 2nd half and holding off St Marys come back attack with DO winning the game by one point. There are other games that I can site but clearly the “never give up mentality” is built into the programs DNA
That St Mary’s Team is one of the best they have produced. Gets forgotten because of early playoff exit
I had forgotten about those 2, and I was at both games, oh boy. The OL along with Danny Hart and Nick Huppe were great. '09 the win v Folsom and the loss v a great Rocklin team had me overlooking the St. Mary's win down there.
That ‘09 SM team with the QB McDade who passed for 2400+yards and their RB Howze were some of the best athletes in the SJS that year. I remember driving to that game in the rain to Stockton thinking DO has no chance so I’m just going to support the team and call it a season. Left a happy camper. With Rocklin beating DO the following week and Rocklin almost beating a good Servite team with a backup QB for state champ game tells you just how good that Rocklin team was. Don’t think Rocklin has had a better team than that ‘09 team.
The widespread expectation that season was that St. Mary's and Grant Union would meet in the Final. While Del Oro wasn't a total shock due to history and reputation, most never saw Rocklin or Folsom entering the conversation at all.
I won't go so far as to say that I knew Rocklin would do as well as they did, but I did tell my son after the 2008 season ended that Rocklin would be really, really good. I was coaching in their youth program at the time and saw what was brewing even though they suffered through an injury riddled 4-6 season. When they reached the Semifinal against Grant Union, I was hopeful but not realistically expecting them to win.
Anyway, in hindsight, I believe St. Mary's was as capable as any of winning section then State that year. I've said it probably a 1000 times now. Any one of Rocklin, Del Oro, Folsom, Grant Union and St. Mary's could have won the whole thing. They just all ended up in a meat grinder bracket. The deepest and best playoff bracket I've ever seen in the SJS.
And we can add one more game, 2018 NorCal D2 RBG
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