Bulldogs open with emphatic road win

Opening up the 2014 season on an optimistic note, the CHS football team dominated the clock, tempo, and kept the crowd noise to a minimum en route to a 24-14 road win over Bishop Feehan Friday night.

QB Brian Hagan (Mike Barucci photo)

The margin of victory could have been significantly greater had the Bulldogs not fumbled on the Bishop Feehan half-yard line or dropped another sure touchdown pass.

Canton allowed a 97-yard kickoff return early in the game, and Bishop Feehan’s only other touchdown came on a 75-yard drive that began late in the third quarter and climaxed with a two-yard touchdown at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

For the most part, however, the Bulldogs were dominant on both sides of the ball. The defense limited Bishop Feehan to three possessions in the first half while the offense ate up lots of clock, including six minutes in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs scored first on a 12-yard touchdown pass from versatile senior quarterback Brian Hagan to Michael Harris. Then, after Bishop Feehan came back to tie it on the long kickoff return, Canton surged ahead with 16 unanswered points to make it 24-7 at the end of the third quarter.

Hagan finished with 82 rushing yards and also hit on two touchdown passes, including a 41-yard bomb to senior Derrick Harris. Jahron Reynolds also gained 49 yards on the ground, and Kevin Wing powered inside for 23 yards, including a three-yard touchdown run. Sophomore kicker Thomas Monagle hit a 26-yard field goal through the uprights.

On defense, senior James Bourikas finished with a team-high six tackles, while Jake Ragusa, playing defense and special teams, finished with four tackles. Anthony Ross also had two sparkling punt returns, and the secondary did not allow any long or deep passes.

Head coach Dave Bohane summed up the win with two phrases — “middle school” and “weight room.”

“Five years of understanding our system and understanding what the coaches want,” said Bohane, referring to the revival of the middle school football program and the impact it has had on the program. “The second is the effort put into the weight room and conditioning. It showed throughout the game.”

Not all was perfect as Bohane said the special teams play was poor and tackling needs to improve. “But for a first game, on the road, we have a lot to be pleased about,” he said. “We have a good group of tough kids who want to keep learning.”

Most impressive was the offensive line, which included senior Dylan Winchell at center, sophomore Brian Smith, junior Nick MacGregor, senior Wavol Prentice, Bourikas, and junior Mac Brown. The line allowed the Bulldog offense to dominate tempo with long drives and opened big holes for the running backs.

Prior to the opening game, Bohane announced the preseason weightlifting award winners as well as the team captains. Prentice won the squat award (600 lbs.) and the hang clean award, lifting 350 pounds and bench pressing 315 pounds.

Hagan won the shuttle run in 4.394 seconds, while Sterlin Garvin had the fastest 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds. Macgregor earned the Mike Uliano Award for working the hardest in the offseason.

This year’s team is led by five captains, four of whom were picked by the players: Hagan, Brown, Ross, and Winchell. The fifth captain is Derrick Harris, who was chosen by Bohane in memory of the late Billy Cravens.

Assistant coaches are Jeff Eckler, John O’Brien, Steve Slavin, Dick Goggin, Robert Dicalagero, and Bill Devine. Freshmen coaches are Tyler Matt and Ralph Finis.

Canton now prepares to play Bedford tomorrow night on the road beginning at 6:30 p.m.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Sep 11 2014. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.