STOCKTON-- The Central Catholic High football team took their rarely used Passing game out of the closet to sieze control over Modesto Christian and win their 6th straight San Joaquin section Div.5 Championship in a bruising 31-7 win at University of Pacifics Stagg Memorial Stadium.
About 3000 fans saw a hard hitting contest that showed that the Modesto Christian Crusaders football program has certainly come a long way from last years hideous 84-6 humiliation by Central in the section final. This was closer than the score. M.C.matched the Raiders hit for hit untill it became obvious as to the outcome and a little discouragement seemed to set in.
The Crusaders undefeated run(12-0) was brought to a halt by Centrals big play passing attack. Raiders QB Ruben Ramos threw for 195 yards and 3 touchdowns, as Modesto Christan concentrated on stopping the Raiders running game and Luis Bland. Bland was held to 97 yards but Bryce Bailey ran for 83 yards on just 6 carries, scored 2 touchdowns. one on a 61 yard shovel pass .
After two possesions for each team Central got good field position on it\'s own 49 yard line after M.C. shanked a punt out of bounds. On 3rd and 18 from M.C.s 19 yard line Ramos rolled right with M.C.s Zach Sudfeld chasing him down from his backside, and threw a perfect pass to tight end Alex Young who got behind M.S.s defensive backs.
M.C. bounced right back with a drive featuring QB Jesse White completing several quick out patterns then hitting Sudfeld from 6 yards out tying the score at 7 in what would be the Crusaders only points of the day.
The Raiders scored again two poseesions later after a 6 play 94 yard drive, capped by a three yard touchdown dive by Bryce Bailey with 1
:59 remaining in the half. giving them a 14-7 lead.A 45 yard Ramos to Chase Deadder pass was the big play of the drive.
M.C. QB White went to the well once to often on the quick out patterns when Centrals Deadder lulled White into another out pattern and stepped in front of the receiver for a perfectly timed interception. 3 plays latter Deadder made a spectacular one-handed catch from ramos for a 31 yard touchdown and a 21-7 halftime lead. Instead of being down just 14-7 and recieving the second half kickoff M.C. was down 21-7. Huge momentum swing to the Raiders.
Ramos continued hitting big passes in the second half. The niftiest a shovel pass that Bailey took 61 yards for a score and a 28-7 lead.
Central Catholic\'s defense finally wore M.C. down.The defense finished off a great day stopping M.C.s last gasp with a goal line stand then finishing the scoring with a Matt Burkett 43-yard field goal. M.C. QB White was jawing at anyone from the Central defense but couldn\'t finish the game after he was sandwiched beteen 2 Central tacklers at the goal line and left with broken ribs. One only hopes he learned his lesson by next years game with the chance of these 2 teams meeting in this stadium very good.
