Heading into the 2014 season Newark Catholic faced many questions and after one game some of those questions seemed to be answered somewhat.

On Friday night at Ohio Dominican University the Green Wave used a small but aggressive defensive line, who I will now refer to as the Mighty Mites to pressured talented quarterback Steve Irwin from Portsmouth West all game long .The might motes also clogged up all areas of the field not allowing anything to be gained on the ground either.

 

The night started off poorly for the Senators when Dalton Billeter muffed the opening kickoff but he was able to recover the ball on his own 32.

The Newark Catholic defense led by the Mighty Mites would hold the Senators to three plays and five yard on that opening drive and that would set the tone for the Newark Catholic defense for the rest of the game.

 

With 10:36 showing on the first quarter clock wide receiver turned running quarterback Jack Wollenburg broke to his right and used some nice blocking by his team mates to pick up 36-yards.

 

Wollenburg would cap of a 7 play 74 yard drive with a 3 yard scoring run and the point after by Heath McCarthy gave the Green Wave a, 7-0 lead with 7:35 left in the quarter.

 

On the ensuing kickoff Drake Nance a 5-11 185 pound sophomore lit up Nick Frasure on the 33 yard line.

The Newark Catholic defense got a big play from Wes Jurden, who stripped the ball from the Senators runner and then recovered it himself. Jurden should have a big year on the defensive side of the field as he seems to have a knack for making good plays.

 

The Newark Catholic offense who showed little life after the score earlier in the game would suffer a sack of Wollenburg by Wesley Bailey and Levi Pack that forced a Newark Catholic punt on the next play.

 

Nick(The Foot) Cavinee, who was tried at QB last season is now the punter for Newark Catholic and the young man seems to have a skill at this. On the punt following the sack he boomed a big punt that went all the way to the West 3 yard line. Cavinee is one of those players a person wants to succeed because he appears to be a kid who does what ever is ask of him and appears to give it is all even when he might be asked to the near impossible.

 

 

With only 1:07 left in the fast moving quarter Frasure, Brandon Meadows and Trevar Welch combined to get Wollenburg for a three yard loss. It looked like West had figured out the wide receiver turned running quarterback, was going to run the ball a lot and more times then not they were not fooled by any twist the Newark Catholic play caller brought with it.

 

With 9:06 left in the half West showed a heartbeat off life with their offense picking up 11 yards on a Welch run.

The Newark Catholic defense ended that rather quickly getting the offense the ball back a short time later.

 

The Green Wave putt he ball on the ground at the 8:03 mark of the 2nd quarter but Luke Ceneviva not only recovered it, he managed to gain nine yards on the play. This would be one of the bigger gains for the offense on the night.

 

Wollenburg would scramble for 3 yards picking up a first down, with 7:37 left in the half.

 

Braedon Oliver would lay the pads to Jurden holding the talented junior to a three yard gain.

 

2:06 showed on the clock when Ceneviva picked up six yard to the West five yard line.

With :19 left on the clock it appeared the Green Wave was going to score again, but Wollenburg was stopped at the one.

 

Blake (MAIN EVENT) Baker to the 2nd half kickoff all the way out to the 45 yard line setting the offense with great field position.

 

Ceneviva would be held short of the first down marker but West was flagged for face masking, giving the Green Wave a gift first down.

 

The Newark Catholic offense would give West a gift of their own just 1:59 later when they fumbled the ball away. Making the recovery for the Senators was Welch.

 

With 8:16 left Derek Bielecki had blanket coverage on his man and just missed getting a pick.

 

Nate McNabb, a member of the Mighty Mites had good pressure on Irwin causing him to throw a very bad pass to a receiver that Baker was all over. The clock showed 7:22 when this play took place.

 

West would get to Wollenburg twice within a 1:09 span. The first time

Josh Davis made the play resulting in a two yard loss. The 2nd play came from Pack, who sacked Wollenburg for a two yard loss.

 

Irwin would throw his first pick of the night on a horrible pass with 3:23 left in the third quarter.

 

The quarter had only :37 left when Newark Catholic faced third and five. West acted like they new Wollenburg would again be the ball carrier, this led to a no gain on the play and forced another punt by the Green Wave.

 

With 9:52 left in the highly contested game Wollenburg broke lose for a 49 yard gain and it would have gone for more if not for a nice tackle by, Irwin.

 

On third and 7 the Green Wave again with a run by Wollenburg and again West stuffed it when, Welch an Davis stopped the play for only a three yard gain. After the play there was 8:00 left in the game.

 

Facing fourth and a long three Newark Catholic elected to go for it and again. This time it was a run up the gut by Cole Buchanan and again West knew what was coming and like before they easily shut it down forcing the Green Wave to give the ball up on downs.

 

 

The Foot playing as a member of the Mighty Mites batted down a Irwin pass with 3:08 left in the contest.

 

1:58 left in the game and West faced a third and twenty. The play was a screen pass that fooled nobody on the Green Wave defense resulting in no gain.

 

Ceneviva had tight coverage on his man with 1:40 left in the game and he was able to pick off the Irwin pass at the Green Wave four yard line.

 

The West defense who played a very solid game held the Green Wave offense once again and forced a punt by the Foot. The punt was from deep in the end zone and covered what looked to be a little over 50 yards.

 

The Senators had :27 left to try and tie this one up.

 

With just :1 left in the game Luke Ceneviva.the Newark Catholic Fan player of the game picked off another pass securing the Green Wave win.

 

UNOFFICIAL STATS

 

NEWARK CATHOLIC

65 PLAYS

237 YARDS

PASSING 1-2

 

PORTSMOUTH WEST

40 PLAYS

105 YARDS

PASSING 9-22 3 Picks

Congrats to you and your team!

 

I was in the army with a guy from Newark. Ever heard of Craig Santee???

Nope I do not.