Central Catholic forgets about 0-2 start with mercy rule win over Woodland Hills

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, September 7, 2024 | 12:59 AM

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The PA announcer at the Wolvarena encouraged fans to travel home safely and never talk about this game again.

Central Catholic left the stadium pleased to have quieted talk about its winless start. Vikings quarterback Jy’Aire Walls passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two more, the defense was dominant and the special teams controlled field position in a 54-14 nonconference win over Woodland Hills on Friday night.

After an 0-2 start to the season, the Vikings took out that frustration on their opponent. The 35-point mercy rule was enacted in the middle of the third quarter.

“They heard all week about the last time Central was 0-2,” Central Catholic coach Ryan Lehmeier said. “The last time they were 0-3. You can tell kids to block out the noise, but in this day and age, it’s hard to do that. They heard a ton of negativity all week, but they put the blinders on and we went to work.”

Central Catholic was 0-2 for the first time since 1997.

The Vikings (1-2) moved 80 yards in nine plays on the opening drive Friday, ending with a 10-yard touchdown run by Walls. But they rarely had to go that far. The offense twice started possessions at Woodland Hills’ 35-yard line, while others began closer, at the 15 and the 5.

They led 15-7 after one quarter, 35-7 at half and 48-14 after three.

Walls completed 12 of 19 passes for 137 yards with a 38-yard touchdown to Bradley Gompers and a 15-yarder to Maceo Watkins. Running back Elijah Faulkner added 147 yards on 25 carries, while Chrys Black (14 yards) and Jayden Alexander (5) added rushing touchdowns.

The Central Catholic special teams scored 18 points.

Billy Lech made field goals from 38 and 39 yards, and Ashton Blatt recovered a fumbled punt snap in the end zone for a touchdown. The Vikings also scored a safety on another botched punt snap, and they kicked four extra points.

“Obviously, it wasn’t our best,” Woodland Hills coach Brian Tarrant said. “It was maybe one of our worst games in program history. But we’ll face it, we’ll accept it and we’ll get better.”

Special teams put Woodland Hills (1-2) in a hole often.

Central Catholic’s Xxavier Thomas returned a kickoff to the Woodland Hills’ 5-yard line, took a punt to the 15 and recovered a pooch kickoff at the 35. Teammate Chrys Black returned a punt to the 35.

“We wanted to put the past weeks behind us and just focus on the now,” Thomas said. “Coming out here tonight, we definitely had a big chip on our shoulders and wanted to walk out with a win.”

The Vikings neutralized one of Woodland Hills’ top threats by keeping ball away from junior receiver Scoop Smith. Every time Lech kicked deep, it resulted in a touchback, and Smith had only one catch.

“We did a great job of kind of bottling up Scoop,” Lehmeier said. “He didn’t break the game open. We did a good job of rallying to him in space. … He’s a hell of a player. I went over and gave him a big hug. I’m glad we don’t have to play him again.”

Woodland Hills lost punter Prince Tarrant to a head injury in the first quarter, which put the team at an early disadvantage. Along with punting, the coach’s son also starts at free safety, is the backup quarterback and holds for kicks. Brian Tarrant said he was being evaluated for a possible concussion.

“We’re not very deep right now,” Tarrant said. “When our starters go down or need a break, we’re not getting quality reps behind them. We’ve just got to keep working. This is my second season. It’s not going to be turned over in the blink of an eye.”

Central Catholic lost Gompers, a Duke recruit who plays linebacker and wide receiver, to a leg injury in the second quarter. Lehmeier called it a soft-tissue injury but was optimistic Gompers would be OK.

Woodland Hills’ two touchdowns stretched the length of the field.

Malik McCloud returned a first-quarter interception 98 yards for a touchdown, cutting Central Catholic’s lead to 8-7. In the third quarter, after Central Catholic had enacted the mercy rule, Woodland Hills running back D.J. Dutrieuille scored a bizarre 100-yard touchdown on a fumble return.

After Woodland Hills quarterback Cam Walter was sacked and fumbled, Central Catholic’s Roman Thompson picked up the loose ball and nearly ran the 15 yards to the end zone. But officials said he dropped the ball just before the goal line, Dutrieuille scooped it up and ran the other way for a touchdown.

Otherwise, Woodland Hills’ offense never scored. The Wolverines starters managed fewer than 40 yards of offense before being replaced in the fourth quarter.

“Our character was tested the last two weeks,” Lehmeier said. “I really like the way our team responded.”

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Central Catholic, Woodland Hills