VS

 

CATHOLIC Irish (9-3)

 at

HIXSON Wildcats (9-3)

November 22, 2013

7 p.m.

Anthony S. Martino Field

TSSAA Playoffs – Quarterfinal Round

View Larger Map and Directions to Hixson High

 

SETTING THE SCENE – Catholic enters the quarterfinal round of the TSAAA playoffs…Irish are making their 21st appearance in the playoffs…eight Catholic opponents made the playoff field, including four number-one seeds…Irish are ranked tenth in the final AP Class 4A poll… Irish have won 99 of their last 131 gamespan Brownhad three touchdowns in last week’s double-overtime win over Signal Mountain Jancek had three passing touchdowns…Jancekhas 1,674 yards passing and 14 touchdowns… Martinez,Brown and Lacey lead Irish rushing attack…leads team in tackles…Hamilton has 14.5 sacks on the season…Catholic has five interception returns for touchdowns this year…Martinez has four picks…Catholic is +12 in turnover margin… 

THE RECORDS – Catholic is 9-3 in 2013, including a 3-1 mark in District 4AA. The Irish won at Signal Mountain last week, 38-37, in two overtimes. Hixson is 9-3 overall this season and finished 5-1 in District 6AA. The Wildcats won at home over Sequoyah last week, 15-12.

ON THE SIDELINE – Steve Matthews is in his first year at the helm of the Irish. He also serves as Catholic’s offensive coordinator. Matthews comes to Catholic from Siegel High School in Murfreesboro, where he served as offensive coordinator from 2010-2012. He was head coach at Moore County in 2008 and 2009 and posted a 10-10 record. He also served as QB/WR coach at Tullahoma, his high school alma mater, from 2004-2007. Matthews played collegiately at Tennessee and Memphis. His record at Catholic is 9-3.  

DISTRICT FOES – Catholic is in Class 4A. The Irish are in District 4AA, which includes (playoff bracket in parentheses): Alcoa (3A), CAK (3A), Kingston (3A), and Scott (4A). 

IN THE PLAYOFFS – Catholic makes its 21st appearance in the TSSAA Playoffs and first since the 2010 season. Prior to that, the Irish had been in the playoffs every season since 1999. The Irish have posted a 22-19 record in the TSSAA Playoffs and won the Class AAA state championship in 2008. 

OPPONENTS IN THE PLAYOFFS – Eight Catholic opponents from this season made the TSSAA playoff field, including four who earned number one seeds. Here’s a look:

Opponent (record)                Class   Quad   Seed    This week

Notre Dame (7-3)                    3A       2          3          at Upperman

Coalfield (7-3)                         1A       1          1          vs. Midway

CAK (4-6)                               3A       1          6          at Alcoa

Tyner (4-6)                              3A       2          5          Season over

Anderson County (9-1)            5A       1          1          vs. West

Scott (7-3)                               4A       1          6          Season over

Webb (8-2)                              DII      E/M     1          at ECS

Alcoa (9-1)                              3A       1          1          vs. CAK

ASSOCIATED PRESS CLASS 4A TOP 10 – Catholic was ranked tenth in the final Associated Press Class 4A Top 10 poll of the season. Fulton is ranked first with 189 overall points and 18 first-place votes. The remainder of the Top 10 includes: 2. Greeneville (1/171); 3. Elizabethton (38); 4. Dyersburg (121); 5. Pearl-Cohn (108); 6. Sullivan South (100); 7. Giles County (73); 8. Carter (50); 9.Trezevant (23); 10. Catholic (16). 

PICK SIX – Catholic’s defense has 20 interceptions this season and five have been returned for touchdowns. Will Martinez had a 33-yard return for six in Catholic’s 22-13 win over Notre Dame. Dominic Souder (27 yds.) and Augie Fortune (32 yds.) scored in Catholic’s 47-7 win at Coalfield. Chase Kuerschen had a 71-yard return for a score in Catholic’s 17-14 win over CAK. Harrison Huber had a 46-yard return for a score in Catholic’s 35-2 win over Scott.

TURNOVER MARGIN – Catholic is plus-12 in turnover margin this season. The Irish have lost 12 fumbles and thrown six interceptions. Opponents have lost ten fumbles and thrown 20 interceptions. 

RACK ’EM UP — Catholic has won 85 of its last 110 regular season games. 

DISTRICT 4AA STANDINGS – Here’s a look at the final 2013 District 4AA standings, including current overall record:

                        DISTRICT                OVERALL

Alcoa               4-0                               11-1

Catholic          3-1                               9-3

CAK               2-2                               6-6

Scott                1-3                               7-4

Kingston         0-4                               0-10

 

Last week’s results

Catholic 38, Signal Mountain 37 (2OT)

Alcoa 61, Pigeon Forge 13

CAK 56, Johnson County 19 

Friday’s games (TSSAA Playoffs – Quarterfinal round)

Catholic @ Hixson

CAK @ Alcoa 

DISTRICT 6AA STANDINGS – Here’s a look at the final 2013 District 6AA standings, including current overall record:

                                    DISTRICT                OVERALL

Hixson                        5-1                               9-3

East Ridge                  4-2                               5-6

Tyner                           4-2                               5-7

Brainerd                      3-3                               3-7

Red Bank                    3-3                               3-7

Chatt. Central             2-4                               5-6

Howard                       0-6                               1-9 

HIXSON RESULTS —  Here’s how Hixson fared this season en route to its 9-3 record: Soddy-Daisy 25, Hixson 7; Hixson 29, South Pittsburg 6; Hixson 48, Tyner 35; Bradley Central 14, Hixson 13; Hixson 51, Howard 20; Hixson 21, Livingston Academy 7; Hixson 19, East Ridge 14; Hixson 23, Red Bank 0; Hixson 20, Chattanooga Central 12; Brainerd 14, Hixson 12; Hixson 19, East Ridge 0; Hixson 15, Sequoyah 12. 

COMMON OPPONENTS – Catholic and Hixson have faced one common opponent this year. Here’s how each fared:

Opponent                   Catholic          Hixson

Tyner Academy          W, 24-6           W, 48-35 

TEAM STATS — Catholic averages 315.1 yards per-game in total offense, including 162.9 yards on the ground and 152.2 yards through the air. Defensively, Catholic allows 277.1 yards per-game, including 196.4 yards on the ground and 80.8 yards through the air. Catholic averages 29.8 points per-game. Opponents average 21.4 points per-game. 

INDIVUDUAL LEADERS  – Here’s a look at Catholic’s statistical leaders in various categories:

Rushing: Elijah Brown (105 att., 690 yds, 11 TD); Logan Lacey (113 att., 569 yds, 6 TD)

Passing: Zac Jancek (113-196-5, 1,674 yds, 14 TD)

Receiving: Will Martinez (32 rec., 435 yds, 4 TD)

Interceptions: Will Martinez (4)

Scoring: Elijah Brown (84 points)

Tackles: David Hamilton (111) 

CENTURY MARK – Catholic has had four individual 100-yard rushing efforts this season. Here’s a look:

Player                         Opponent       Carries-Yards

Amari Rodgers            Kingston         9-105

Elijah Brown               Scott                9-165

Elijah Brown               Webb               23-109

Elijah Brown               Signal Mtn.     21-104 

DOUBLE-DIGIT TACKLES – Here’s a look at Catholic’s double-digit tackle efforts in 2013:

Player                         Opponent        Tackles

Augie Fortune              Signal Mtn.      23

Josh Silvey                  Signal Mtn.      23

Logan Lacey                Signal Mtn.      21

David Hamilton             Signal Mtn.      17

Corey Ostrowski          Signal Mtn.      17

Elijah Brown                Signal Mtn.      14

Dominic Souder           Signal Mtn.      14

Austin Rowan              Signal Mtn.      11

David Hamilton             Tyner               18.5

Erik Perfetto                Webb               18

David Hamilton            Coalfield          13

Josh Silvey                  Tyner               12

Josh Silvey                  Alcoa               12

Dawson Anderson       Anderson Co.  12

Dominic Souder           Anderson Co.  12

Eric White                    CAK                12

Josh Silvey                  Hardin Valley  11.5

Austin Rowan              Anderson Co.  11

David Hamilton           Alcoa               10

Eric White                    Alcoa               10

David Hamilton            Hardin Valley  10

Erik Perfetto                Hardin Valley  10 

BEHIND THE LINE – Catholic has 48.5 tackles-for-loss and 30 sacks this season, David Hamilton leads the Irish in both categories with 12.5 TFL’s and 14.5 sacks. 

ALL-PURPOSE MAN – Will Martinez has 898 all-purpose yards this season. The breakdown includes 435 receiving yards, 156 punt return yards, 288 kickoff return yards, and 19 rushing yards. 

PREPXTRA PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Here is a list of players who have been nominated for PrepXtra Player of the Week this season:

Player                         Off./Def          Opponent       Stats   

Will Martinez              Defense           Notre Dame    33-yd int ret for TD, 3 PBU

Dominic Souder          Defense           Coalfield         27-yd int ret for TD, 2 PBU (winner)

David Hamilton          Defense           CAK               8.5 tackles, 3.5 sacks 

THE LAST GO ‘ROUND – Catholic’s 2013 roster includes 23 seniors. Included are Nick Lentz (QB/DB), Eric White (WR/LB),Elijah Brown (WR/DB),Jerome Rehmann (RB/DB), Harrison Huber (WR/DB),John Mark Broussard (RB/LB), Derek Connolly (WR/DB), Mike Devrnja (WR/DB), Morgan West (TE/DB), Erik Perfetto (RB/LB),Will Martinez (WR/DB), Michael Ernst (RB/LB), Wyatt Price (K), David Hamilton (WR/LB), Nicholas Natour (OL/DL), Joe Willenborg (OL/LB), Dwight Jessie (OL/DL), Evan Nelson (OL/DL), Corey Patton (OL/LB), Sean Nicholson (OL/DL), Matt Carroll (OL/DL), Patrick McFall (OL/DL), and Logan Irwin (OL/DL).

ON THE RADIO – Tonight’s game is being broadcast on WNML, The Sports Animal (99.1-FM). John Wilkerson handles play-by-play, while former Tennessee Vol David Ligon adds commentary. 

UP NEXT – Should Catholic win tonight, it would travel next Friday to face the winner of the Fulton (12-0/1 seed – Quad 1)-Greeneville (12-0/2 seed – Quad 1) contest. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.