RNG Game of the Week: No. 4 Centennial Huskies vs. No. 3 St John Bosco Braves Preview

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG

It does not get much better than the 2017 quarterfinal matchups in California’s Southern Section. On one side of the bracket nationally ranked No. 10 Mission Viejo hits the field against No. 2 Mater Dei and on the other side the No. 4 Centennial Huskies take on the No. 3 St. John Bosco Braves. Either game is “must see” high school football theatre at its finest but who can resist a No. 4 verses No. 3 national showdown?

Both Centennial and St. John Bosco take the field battle tested and ready for this kind of high-profile matchup. The Huskies enter the game 10-1 led by senior five-star quarterback Tanner McKee. Centennial’s lone loss on the season came in Week 2 against No. 1 IMG Academy. The 40-20 final score was not indicative of the game. The Huskies got one series out of McKee before an ankle injury sidelined him for the rest of the game. A few series later, Centennial’s backup quarterback left the game after a head-to-head collision. Still the Huskies fought stride for stride down 26-17 entering the third quarter.

Without crunching the numbers, one can easily argue that St. John Bosco has played the toughest schedule in the country. Beyond slugging it out through a very tough Trinity League schedule that included playing No. 2 Mater Dei, the Braves traveled to St. Thomas Aquinas, hosted Chaminade, and hit the road again to face St. John’s (D.C.), all teams ranked in MaxPreps Top 25 at one point in time during the season. Injuries to starting three-star quarterback Re-al Mitchell (Iowa State commit) and four-star running back Demetrious Flowers (Arizona State) may have set the team back in theory on offense but the Braves have stood up to every challenge posting a 10-2 record against all the heavy-weight challengers.

Centennial

The Huskies’ offense is a well-oiled machine averaging 58 points a game. McKee, playing only in the first half of most games, has thrown for 2,147 yards completing 115-of-184 passes (63 percent) with 16 touchdowns against two picks in stats through 10 games. Not only will McKee make defenses look foolish with his arm, but he can also frustrate the life out of defensive coordinators with his legs. The dual-threat has run for 675 yards off 59 carries with 11 more scores posted.

The running attack out of the spread offense is spearheaded by junior tailbacks Thomas Kinslow and Octavio Cortes. Kinslow has a team-high in yards (925) and rushing touchdowns (19). Cortes has been a workhorse with a team-high 138 carries for 819 yards with 17 rushing scores.

One thing that makes McKee dangerous in the passing attack is his available weapons. Sophomore Gary Bryant is emerging as a can’t miss prospect with 40 receptions for 761 yards and five touchdowns. Chris Venable is second on the team with 28 passes secured for 684 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns. Seniors Nico Ross and Jace Pressley are key contributors with Ross pulling in 21 passes for 342 yards and two scores and Pressley with 14 receptions for 270 yards and three touchdowns.

Key offensive linemen for the Huskies includes Kevin Brown and Solo Vaipulu

The heart and soul of Centennial’s defense is senior linebacker Camron Pitcher. Pitcher has a nose for the ball seemingly in on every play. With a team-high 77 stops, the middle linebacker also has 4.5 sacks, nine tackles for a loss, a pick, and a forced fumble through stats posted in 10 games. Anchoring the line at defensive end is junior Drake Jackson. Jackson is credited with 23 tackles on the season 21 solo, 12 tackles for a loss, six sacks, and 11 quarterback hurries. The secondary is led by two-way star Chris Venable. Venable has 45 total stops, 21 solo, and a team-high five passes picked.

The defense is nasty limiting teams to 18 points a game, and that is with most of the starters on the bench in the second half. Still, the team has pitched three shutouts.

St. John Bosco

The Braves offense is not one to take lightly either. Through all the tough games against top prospects, the offense is averaging 39 points a game. With Re-al Mitchell on the sidelines, super sophomore DJ Uiagalelei has taken off hitting 66 percent of his passes covering 2,460 yards with 26 touchdowns against two interceptions. Although Uiagalelei is a load at 6-4, 240, he too can move the chains with his feet adding 222 yards to his resume with two more scores.

With Demetrious Flowers out with a shoulder injury, Class of 2019 tailback George Holani has stepped up with 981 yards off 136 totes with 10 trips to the end zone. Holani is also an impact player in the passing attack with 19 receptions for 249 yards and five scores.

When the play calls for a pass, Uiagalelei has as a wealth of options running around. Junior receiver Josh Delgado leads the team with 46 receptions for 877 yards and seven touchdowns. Fellow junior, Jake Bailey, is pushing for the team lead in receptions with 43 gaining 691 yards with two scores. Another elite athlete on the outside for the Braves is junior Colby Bowman (Stanford). Bowman is having a breakout season with 28 passes secured for 539 yards and is tied for a team-high seven receiving touchdowns. UCLA wide receiver commit Devon Cooley has put together a strong senior season with 31 receptions for 397 yards and two scores.

Key linemen for the Braves includes junior tight end Jude Wolfe, Marist Talavou, and Kevin Coblentz.

Total stats for the defense has not been released but the defense is locked and loaded across the board. Some of the top talents in the 2018 class in the secondary includes Stephan Blaylock (UCLA), Jaiden Woodbey (Ohio State), and Level Price. In the box, watch out for senior linebacker Kedron Williams and lineman Sal Spina. Key juniors on defense includes corners Chris Steele and Paul Edwards, linebacker Ralen Goforth, ends Sua’ava Poti and Cole Aubrey, and tackle Na’im Rodman.

Game Details

Date: Friday, Nov. 24, 2017

Time: 7:30 p.m. PT

Location: El Camino College

TV Channel: Fox Sports West

Three Keys to the Game

Pass Rush

Which team can get to the opposition’s quarterback, or at least force quicker passes than desired? Pass protection will be key. Both teams have the linebackers to cover the opposition’s quarterback on designed runs or on busted plays. Both quarterbacks can pick a defense apart with their arm in the pocket. Time given will translate to points on the board.

Winning the Turnover Battle

Both squads are opportunistic on defense but both defenses perform better when their offense is putting points on the board and sustaining drives. Any fumble or muffed punt can lead to a quick score and a momentum changing swing. A team that can step in front of a pass or strip the ball for a takeaway gives their offense one more shot to score.

Riding the Big Game Emotion

Both squads are accustomed to the hype and media attention received for any given game, but the stakes are higher in the playoffs. Early miscues can send a team spiraling in the wrong direction, especially in a big game with the season on the line. If one team gets up over the other early, or late, which team will stay within the system and keep fighting?

Final Analysis

Expect each team to feel one another out early with some shots taken downfield to see what works. If a proverbial draw is forced early, dig in for an old fashion gridiron brawl. Neither team will back down and both squads have the quarterback and receivers to come from behind if needed. Explosive plays with highlight reel grabs and hits are coming.

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Photo credit: recruitingnewsguru.com; St. John Bosco defense vs. Mater Dei offense 2017