Seven consecutive seasons of ten wins or more. Four straight title game appearances. Two section championships in the last six seasons. These are the numbers for a program with established success such as Marin Catholic, which seeks its third section title in the last seven years, facing Cardinal Newman in the Division IV championship game on Saturday night, at Rancho Cotate High School.
The Wildcats bring an 11-game winning streak into tomorrow night’s contest, having bounced back nicely from a season-opening 20-0 loss to Cosumnes Oaks, a game in which quarterback Darius-James Peterson played with an injured hamstring. Peterson was healthy a few weeks later, and the 2014 Prep2Prep NCS Junior of the Year has elevated his squad once again, returning to the stage where they came so close last season, losing to Campolindo in the Division III section championship, 27-21. Peterson was recently named the 2015 Most Valuable Player of the Marin County Athletic League.
Marin Catholic did not make it back to the title game without a battle in the semifinals, however. The Wildcats trailed 13-0 early in the game against Moreau Catholic before scoring 24 straight points. They then held on late against the Mariners for the 31-27 victory.
“The (Moreau) game was a lot of fun,” said Marin Catholic coach Mazi Moayed. “(Moreau Catholic running back) Jullen Ison was quite a challenge, so that definitely helps us for this week, and the great run game that Cardinal Newman has. We also made some errors last week, and played a little sloppy at times, so that helped us to refocus for this game.”
The Wildcats have also battled their share of injuries throughout the year, including season-ending injuries to projected starters Roman Jacques and Max Mani, starting inside linebacker sophomore Leo Le Merle, and sophomore Nathan Gernhard. Top offensive lineman Clayton Demski, who has offers from Air Force, Cornell, and Idaho, also missed time with a leg fracture, though he is back and healthy.
“The next man in has been a big theme for us,” Moayed said. “Guys have stepped in, changed positions as necessary, and basically done what it takes to succeed.”
That being said, Marin Catholic has also relied on some veteran leadership to not only steamroll most of its regular season competition, but also to prepare for this moment on the big stage. Senior Nick Gernhard had a standout game on both sides of the ball last week, and Jake Laudenslager was named a first-team all-league linebacker, but has been playing on both sides of the ball again in the playoffs. The Wildcats will need big games from both veterans in order to slow down Cardinal Newman’s effective zone-read run game with dual threat quarterback Jordon Brookshire and running back Michael Ortola. Gernhard not only ran the ball well last week, but also earned Moayed’s praise for his effectiveness picking up blitzes in the offensive backfield.
“This is familiar territory for our seniors, and even some of our juniors,” Moayed said. “They know that it comes down to keeping things simple and executing.”
Another somewhat unheralded player for Marin Catholic who could play a big role tomorrow night would be junior cornerback Hunter Juarez. Juarez has been defending the opposing team’s top receivers in most games, and that will mean a match-up with explosive Cardinal receiver Damian Wallace, in a player rivalry that could extend another year for both standout underclassmen. Senior Zack Margulis is another all-league defensive back who could be tasked with helping against Wallace.
The last time these two teams met was the 2012 Division III semifinals, with the Wildcats prevailing in a classic 42-37 shootout, on their way to the section championship a week later. We could see more of the same tomorrow night, between what appears to be two evenly matched teams. And this time, it’s for all the marbles, and a trip back to the CIF bowl game series.
