CIF Bowl Division I preview: Bellarmine versus Oceanside

CIF DIVISION I BOWL: Bellarmine Prep (San Jose) 11-1-1 vs. Oceanside 13-0, 8 p.m. Friday

Live TV: Comcast SportsNet California and Comcast SportsNet Plus.

GameTracker: Click GAMETRACKER to follow each of the state championship bowl games.

Live radio/webcast: KBCSports.com will webcast all games and KFRC 1550 AM broadcast De La Salle-Crenshaw tilt. Stadium ticket sales: $15 adult, $8 each for students, seniors and children.

Parking: $10 per vehicle. 

Nike Football Coaches Clinic with Pete Caroll: Saturday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Home Depot Center (Agassi Pavilion), no registration fee, free Nike shirt and ticket to the games. Coaches only.

California High School Cheer and Dance Championships: Saturday at Home Depot Center Tennis Stadium, $15 adult admission ($8 student, senior, children) includes entrance to football games.

Other games: Small Schooll, Modesto Christian (14-0) vs. Parker-San Diego (11-2), 4 p.m., Friday; Division III, Marin Catholic-Kentfield (13-1) vs. Serra-Gardena (14-0), noon Saturday; Division II, Rocklin (14-0) vs. Servite-Anaheim (13-1), 4 p.m. Saturday; Open Division, De La Salle-Concord (12-2) vs. Crenshaw-Los Angeles (14-0), 8 p.m. Saturday.

FACTS AND STATS
MaxPreps Rankings: Bellarmine: Nationally, No. 70; State, No. 13. Oceanside: Nationally, No. 83; State, No. 15.

Notable Alums: Bellarmine: Pat Burrell (MLB, Phillies/Devil Rays), Pablo Morales (Olympic swimming gold medalist), Dan Pastorini (NFL QB). Oceanside: Willie Buchanon (NFL DB), Junior Seau (NFL LB), Joe Salave’a (NFL), Terry Vaughn (CFL’s all-time leading receiver), Chris Chambliss (MLB).

Leading Rusher: Bellarmine: Kyle Olugbode (239-1,749-23). Oceanside: Jerry Whittaker (8 games) (36-360-4).

Leading Passer: Bellarmine: Mike McGovern (48-89-800-2). Oceanside: Quentis Clark (8 games) (98-167-1,652-15).

Leading Receiver: Bellarmine: Kristoffer Olugbode (13-340-1). Oceanside: Whittaker (8 games) (35-572-5).

Points per (allowed) game: Bellarmine 32.7 (17.3), Oceanside 37.9 (7.5).

CARSON, Calif. - Two teams on the outside looking in a year ago face off for all the state’s Division I bragging rights.

Bellarmine Prep of San Jose and Oceanside each won section crowns last year and both were passed over in the rigorous selection process, making Sunday’s announcement and entrance into the 2009 game all the sweeter.

“Absolutely ecstatic,” Bellarmine coach Mike Janda said. “This was something nowhere near our radar when we started this season, but this is a very special group and they’ve reached the pinnacle game. I couldn’t be happier or prouder of our boys.”

Bellarmine had probably its most talented and even successful teams in 2008 when it won the Central Coast Section’s Open Division and sent five players to Division I programs, including the San Francisco Chronicle’s Metro Player of the Year Usua Amanam, who went to Stanford.

When that lot moved on, it was supposed to be something of a rebuilding year. Instead, the Bells responded with a remarkable season led by Amanam’s replacement Kyle Olugbode (1,749 yards rushing, 23 touchdowns), first-year starting quarterback Mike McGovern and Olugbode’s younger brother Kristoffer.

“Nobody expected anything from us,” Kyle Olugbode said. “Everyone doubted us except us.”

McGovern told Dennis Knight at the San Jose Mercury News: “Everyone is really fired up. Last year we were in the same room and our hearts dropped when we found out we hadn’t been chosen. … This was the exact opposite.”

Oceanside, owners of the state’s longest unbeaten stream at 39 games, had one blemish on last year’s record, a 33-33 tie with Ramona. That was enough to sway the committee away from the Pirates last year.

This season, John Carroll’s team knew it needed to be perfect, which they were thanks to a balanced offense and absolutely stifling defense that has allowed just 97 points all season (7.5 per game).

Carroll has built an absolute juggernaut in the North County with six consecutive SDS titles and a 2007 state championship team.

The Pirates defeated Novato that year 28-14 and there are five players from that team returning to the Home Depot Center, including Oregon State bound lineman Thomas Molesi, a two-way starter.

Other returners are Jake Fely, Rene Siluano, leading rusher and receiver Jerry Whittaker and King Holder.
Whittaker has committed to Arizona, while Fely, Siluano and Holder have committed to San Diego State.

“Our experience will help,” Molesi told the North County Times.

It will help Carroll as well. He said he had his team too tight to play in 2007 and the team was down at halftime before rallying in the second half.

“We were too stressed,” Carroll told John Maffei of the North County Times. “I felt we never celebrated our San Diego Section championships. … We’re going to change some things. At the end of every practice this week, we’ll celebrate our championship with pizza, subs, soda, something. … One thing we won’t change though. We’ll still prepare to win this game.”

BELLARMINE OFFENSE/OCEANSIDE DEFENSE
This could be simply a battle of wills. The Bells make no bones, they like to smash the ball down field, while Oceanside’s front seven is strong and beefy and talented.

Bellarmine runs a double wing and tight formations but McGovern keys everything was his superb ball-handling. He likes to throw more than run, proven by his 991 yards rushing (165 carries, including sacks) and 18 touchdowns. He’s also passed for 800 but in only 89 attempts (6.8 per game).

Kyle Olugbode is a huge Division I talent, perhaps as a cornerback, but he has the speed to get around the edge. His younger brother Kristoffer is also a game-breaker and has carried 65 times for 461 yards (7.1 average) and nine TDs.

Both have been sprung by the West Catholic Athletic League Offensive Lineman of the Year Tim O’Hara (6-2, 225).
This is a defense, quite frankly, the Bells simply haven’t seen.

Noseguard Kenny Galea’i, another San Diego State recruit, and Molesi clog up the line and linebacker Fely cleans up on ball carriers as do defensive backs Siluano, Holder and Whitaker.

“They are extremely active and talented on defense,” Janda said. “We have our hands full.”

OCEANSIDE OFFENSE/BELLARMINE DEFENSE
Carroll’s team have traditionally been extremely balanced and this is no exception. Quintis Clark (5-10, 180) has done a superb job coming in to replace graduated Jordan Wynn, who started much of the year as a true freshman at Utah.

Clark has thrown for well over 2,000 yards to go along with a slew of tailbacks, led by Whitaker and Siluano.
The Pirates have managed at least four touchdowns in every game but two, including a landmark 14-7 win Sept. 25 against famed Long Beach Poly.

Whittaker (5-10, 170) is an absolutely superb athlete, averaging 10 yards per carry and 16.3 yards per catch.

Bellarmine counters with a strong, sound and fast unit led by first team all-leaguers Tyler Robitaille (linebacker), O’Hara, Miko Ruiz (DT), Joe Gigantino (linebacker) and the Olugbode brothers. Kristoffer is a linebacker.

“It's a great thing for our school and our players,” Janda said. “Last year's team set the stage for this year."

EXTRA POINTS
Oceanside has allowed teams to score in double digits only three times all season. … Gigantino and another all-leaguer, tackle Connor Lambert (6-0, 215) are only sophomores. … Bellarmine has a knack for winning the close games, having prevailed by scores of 23-21, 27-21, 18-11, 20-10 and 27-22. … Other than the Poly game and a 17-9 win over El Camino, the Pirates next closest game is 16 points. … Though Kyle Olugbode can probably play at the Division I level anywhere, he is leaning to attending an Ivy League school.