Catholic High comes up big when needed to defeat John Curtis in Division I final

NEW ORLEANS – Which means more? Tradition or motivation.

Fourth seeded Catholic High had the answer as they defeated second seeded John Curtis 20-14 for the LHSAA Division I Select State championship Saturday afternoon at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Prep Classic.

It was the second Division I title in the past three seasons for the Bears, with their last title coming in the 2015 season.

And, there were doubters as Catholic High began the season with a new coach in Gabe Fertita, who took over for long time coach Dale Weiner. But, once the game began, they set about to make a statement.

“I said it all week about how much respect I have for John Curtis and how historically great they have been,” Fertitia said. “When you come into a program like Catholic and win a championship in the first season, it’s a tremendous feather in the cap of coach (Dale) Weiner and what shape the program was in.”

The statement of what the Bears could do was made in part the week before in the Division I Select semifinal when they went to north Louisiana to upset another storied program in top seeded Evangel, 14-6.

It was a contest that consisted of offense, defense and special teams, and not necessarily in that order, with Catholic having the primary difference makers at each turn.

After trading the ball on turnovers, there was an apparent muffed punt by Catholic that rolled into the end zone in which the Patriots dove on for an apparent touchdown. Instead, the ball went to the Bears at their 20 as it was ruled a touchdown. Four plays later, quarterback Cameron Dartez hit Austan Hood for a 65-yard touchdown with four minutes remaining for a 7-0 lead.

Catholic had opportunities to added to the lead, but Preston Stafford missed on field goal attempts of 53 and 31 yards. That didn’t phase Stafford or the coaching staff as he’d redeem himself in the second half.

John Curtis went into the locker room at the half, behind 7-0 and the coaching staff made adjustments which paid immediate dividends. The defense got a stop on the Bears’ first possession, then faced long field position as a result of a 55-yard Bear punt.

Collin Guggenheim, who played much of the game with an injured throwing hand, engineered a nine-play, 85-yard drive, finishing it off with a 19-yard run to tie the game at 7-7.

Special teams gave the Bears another boost late in the third quarter when Patrick Mensa returned a Patriot punt 57 yards, down to the two. It took Beau Griffon one play as he blasted his way up the middle for a two-yard touchdown, putting the team back in front, 14-7.

“It’s hard for me to zero in on one play to say that was the difference,” John Curtis coach J.T. Curtis said. “I think we created field position for them by not playing well.”

The Patriots fought back, turning to defense when Cade Beloso picked off Dartez, and this time, they converted the turnover into points when Darryan Washington scored on a 15-yard run to tie the game at 14-14.

Patient and methodical, the Bears didn’t flinch. Instead, they chipped away a few yards at a time, driving 64 yards, ending with a 20-yard field goal by Stafford, taking a 17-14 lead with 2:33 left in the game. Stafford would strike again, this time from 43 yards out with 50 seconds left on the clock.

John Curtis had one last shot, but Mensah slammed it shut when he intercepted Guggenheim with 35 seconds left. From there, the Bears ran out the clock for their second championship in three years.

Individual Statistics

No. 4 Catholic High

Rushing: Cameron Dartez, 13-33; Parker Smith, 9-29; Beau Griffon, 4-26, TD; Beau Morgan, 1-2

Receiving: Austan Hood, 5-90, TD; Forrest Roy, 6-40; Brandon Hubicz, 2-28; Beau Griffon, 3-18; Greg Martin, 2-17; Kael Howard, 2-11; Vernon Langley, 1-5; Beau Morgan, 1- (-3)

Passing: Cameron Dartez, 22-31-1-206, TD

No. 2 John Curtis

Rushing: Collin Guggenheim, 19-131; Darryan Washington, 9-43, TD; Ernest Jones, 8-35, TD; Malik Wells, 5-20; Corey Wren, 2-8; Donell Jones, 1-6

Receiving: Tyronne Legette, 3-49; Corey Wren, 1-14

Passing: Collin Guggenheim, 4-10-2-63, TD

Team Statistics

No. 4 Catholic High

Rushing – 81

Receiving – 206

Total – 287

No. 2 John Curtis

Rushing – 225

Passing – 63

Total – 288

Scoring Summary

No. 2 John Curtis     0     0     7     7     – 14

No. 4 Catholic-B.R.  0     7     7     6     – 20

First quarter

CH – (3:22) Austan Hood 65-yard pass from Cameron Dartez (Preston Stafford kick)

Second quarter

None

Third quarter

JC – (6:52) Collin Guggenheim 19-yard run (Brock Wunstell kick)

CH – (0:55) Beau Griffon 2-yard run (Preston Stafford pick)

Fourth quarter

JC – (8:27) Darryan Washington 15-yard run (Brock Wunstell kick)

CH – (2:33) Preston Stafford 20-yard field goal

CH – (1:16) Preston Stafford 46-yard field goal