Catholic High routs Nolan Catholic in DFW
This weekend, the Catholic High Rockets faced off against Nolan Catholic in the Catholic Bowl at the Dallas Cowboys’ practice facility in Frisco, Texas. The Rockets won handily, 41 – 7.
The Rockets dominated in the trenches on both sides of the ball; they controlled the line of scrimmage on offense and kept constant pressure on Nolan’s quarterback. But the weekend held far more for the Rockets than just a football game. On Friday, players practiced at the Cowboys’ facility, met with members of the Jones family, and participated in a beautiful mass with all six teams in the Catholic Bowl.
Catholic High’s bigs up front controlled the game from start to finish and provided Jackson England with ample time in the pocket. England made the most of this protection, connecting with senior Braxton Burks twice and sneaking in for two scores of his own.
The run game fired on all cylinders as well, with Noel Lewis flying through big holes and past defenders. Lewis found himself in open space multiple times. Of course, big runs start with the offensive line. Even the backup linemen contributed to chunk plays. “I think a lot of confidence can be gained from our performance, but it is also something we need to carry into every week,” said senior starting center Sam Paladino.
On the other hand, Nolan’s quarterback had almost no time to make plays, thanks to the constant pressure of Catholic’s defensive line, who seemingly blasted through the gaps before the quarterback could say “hut.” The front seven recorded multiple sacks, forced fumbles, and tackles for loss. They forced poor decisions and off-kilter throws even when they did not get to the passer.
Coach Cochran believes his non-skill position players are improving because of a return to the basics. “The one thing you can do is work on your fundamentals. If our linemen have too much to think about during the game, their feet come out from under them and they will become confused. If they can continue to be physical and mean, we can succeed in conference play,” said Coach Cochran.
The weekend also connected everyone—players, staff, family—with their faith. The night before the game, Catholic football players, coaches, cheerleaders, and administrators convened for a mass performed by the Bishops of Dallas and Fort Worth. This mass united each school in its core beliefs through a beautiful celebration. “Our boys are in a minority faith in Arkansas. I am glad they were exposed to a big Catholic population,” said Coach Cochran.
The next day, before the Rockets took the field, Father Patrick Friend held mass in the locker room. “Football is a brutal sport. The boys have to get themselves in a mental space to play,” said Father Friend. “It is cool to see sport and spirit intertwined in the context of the mass, which is the height of love, sacrifice, and community.”
The Rockets will carry this momentum into their last non-conference game of the season against North Little Rock this Friday, where they will be home sweet home at War Memorial Stadium for the first time this season. Coach Cochran has called the matchup a “big test,” but we know the Rockets will come prepared.
