By Stephen Spiewak
MaxPreps.com
Elder (Cincinnati, Ohio) vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) – Saturday, Aug. 30, 11 a.m., Paul Brown Stadium - Cincinnati
Elder
2007 Summary: 7-4, lost to St. Xavier in first round of Division I playoffs
Head Coach: Doug Ramsey
Herbie History: Elder hasn’t backed away from taking on tough competition at the event. In 2006, they lost in a shootout to De La Salle 56-38. Last season, they took on nationally-ranked Independence, N.C., and upset the Charlotte school in overtime, ending the Patriots’ 109-game winning streak.
Program Prestige: Hailing from Cincinnati’s vaunted Greater Catholic League, the Elder Panthers have a proud track record of success. In addition to a slew of alumni who have gone on to play professionally, the Panthers captured state titles in both 2002 and 2003. Their win against Independence in last year’s game was one for the ages.
Who to Watch: In last year’s win against Independence, Kyle Rudolph had a huge game, catching big pass after big pass. This time around, Elder will look to Josh Jones to come up with some big grabs. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Cincinnati recruit will be the Panthers’ most dangerous weapon.
Key to Victory: Ramsey thinks Aquinas could possibly be the most impressive team that Elder will have faced at the event. Much like last year, they enter as prohibitive underdogs. The Panthers will be well-coached, make very few mistakes and have the entire crowd rooting for them. If Elder can hang with the talented Raiders until the fourth quarter, don’t be surprised to see the Panthers shock the country again.
St. Thomas Aquinas
2007 Summary: 15-1, Class 5A state champion
Head Coach: George Smith
Herbie History: First appearance.
Program Prestige: A powerhouse in Florida’s 5A class for the better part of two decades, Aquinas has played for the state title each of the last four seasons. A number of former Raiders, most notably Michael Irvin, have enjoyed NFL careers.
Who to Watch: The first name that jumps out is Duron Carter, an Ohio State recruit who is the son of former Buckeye Cris Carter. He’s a threat at wide receiver, alongside senior Dwayne Difton. Senior quarterback Ryan Becker threw for over 1,700 yards last season, and should be able to get the ball into the hands of his team’s playmakers.
Key to Victory: The talent and the coaching is all there for Aquinas. The main obstacle for the Raiders could be the hostile, unfamiliar playing environment. If they come out sloppy, let the Elder faithful get in their heads, or fail to get into any sort of rhythm offensively, Elder will be waiting to capitalize.
Middletown (Springfield, Ohio) vs. Warren Central (Indianapolis, Ind.) – 2 p.m.
Middletown
2007 Summary: 4-6
Head Coach: Jason Krause
Herbie History: First appearance.
Program Prestige: Middletown is the alma mater of a football giant. Cris Carter played for the Middies in the early 1980s. He was a star two-way player, and still holds the school’s record for interceptions in a single season, with 10 picks in 1983.
Who to Watch: DeeJay Hunter will make an impact on offense, but defense is where he will really leave his mark. The 6-2 senior will play some wide receiver for Middletown, but is best suited for the secondary, where he uses his blazing speed to cover a tremendous amount of ground. He’ll head to Knoxville next fall to play for the University of Tennessee
Key to Victory: With Krause taking over the reigns at head coach, the challenge will be how quickly this very talented team can adjust to a new offensive scheme. Quarterback Caleb Watkins and running back Antonio Banks will be a solid one-two punch on offense. Assuming Hunter and friends do a solid job on the defensive side, it will be up to the duo of Watkins and Banks to put enough points on the board.
Warren Central
2007 Summary: 8-4, lost in Class 5A Section 5 finals to Hamilton Southeastern
Head Coach: John Hart
Herbie History: First appearance.
Program Prestige: State titles and Warren Central almost go hand in hand, at least recently. Prior to last season, when the Warriors were eliminated from the 5A playoffs by Hamilton Southeastern, Warren Central had won four consecutive state championships.
Who to Watch: First-year coach John Hart inherits a running back duo that other teams in the state are envious of. Both George Cheesebourough and Eric Williams are capable senior rushers who will be playing on Saturdays next fall. Also look out for the gargantuan, 6-9 Ed Hazelett, who will play both ways on the line.
Key to Victory: Hart likes to run the spread, but will focus his offense around the ground game. Middletown will try to make Warren Central win through the air, where Hunter lurks. If the Warriors can execute a balanced attack, they can leave Cincinnati with a victory.
Colerain (Cincinnati, Ohio) vs. McKeesport (McKeesport, Pa.) – 5 p.m.
Colerain
2007 Summary: 12-1, lost to St. Xavier in Division I, Region IV final
Head Coach: Tom Bolden
Herbie History: Colerain is the only team to participate in every year of the Herbstreit Series and own a perfect 3-0 record. In 2005, the Cardinals beat Tyler Lee (Texas). In 2006, they shutout Cardinal O’Hara (Pa.). Last season, they knocked off Alabama power Hoover in a thriller
Program Prestige: The pride of the Greater Miami Conference, Colerain has been Ohio’s top public school program in recent years. In 2004, Colerain captured the Division I state title in convincing fashion, trouncing McKinley in the finals, 50-10. That squad is widely regarded as one of the top teams ever in the Buckeye State.
Who to Watch: Much like its recent cross town rival, St. Xavier, Colerain loses a boatload of talent, and will have to restock at many key positions. One returning player from last year’s team is Tyon Dixon, who will only be a junior this year. He will lead a young group of linebackers that could flourish under Bolden’s tutelage.
Key to Victory: Given the Cardinals’ success in this event, and the amount of faith that Colerain players and fans put into the coaching system, it’s hard to imagine Colerain entering this game and season in rebuilding mode. Asking if Colerain will string together a stout defense and a solid option attack is like asking if the team colors will be red and white. If several players from a highly-touted crop of young talent step up on the big stage, Colerain will keep its Herbstreit record spotless.
McKeesport
2007 Summary: 10-2, lost to eventual champion Central Catholic in the third round of the AAAA playoffs
Head Coach: George Smith
Herbie History: First appearance
Program Prestige: The Tigers are always in the thick of things in the AAAA title hunt. They won the state title in both 1994 and 2005, and were nationally acclaimed in both seasons. Smith has been at the school for 27 seasons, and has coached several players now playing on Sundays, including former New York Giant and current football analyst Brandon Short.
Who to Watch: One of the main cogs in last year’s flex-bone attack returns in fullback Nico Price. With Marvase Byrd and James Eckels lost to graduation, more responsibility will be placed on Price’s shoulders, and the senior appears ready to handle the load.
Key to Victory: McKeesport is a more experienced team than Colerain, and will have to leverage that to their advantage. It may sound cliché, but if the Tigers can win the turnover battle against a less seasoned Cardinal squad, they may become the first team to beat Colerain in the event.
St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio) vs. Prattville (Prattville, Ala.) – 8 p.m.
St. Xavier
2007 Summary: 15-0, Division I State Champion
Head Coach: Steve Specht
Herbstreit History: In 2006, St. Xavier lost in overtime to a powerful Lakeland, Fla., squad boasting a talent-rich roster that included six recruits who committed to Urban Meyer and the University of Florida. In 2007, the Bombers welcomed the challenge of Bob McGregor’s DeMatha (Md.) Stags and star wide receiver Kenny Tate. St. Xavier controlled the game from start to finish, held Tate in check, and won easily, 28-7.
Program Prestige: St. Xavier is perched atop the Ohio football throne, having won two of the last three Division I state titles. Steve Specht, who will assist legendary St. Ignatius coach Chuck Kyle when Team USA participates in the Federation of American Football Junior World Championship next summer, is widely considered one of the best coaches around.
Who to Watch: Having graduated an overwhelming number of starters, St. Xavier will feature a number of new faces. Defensive end Patrick Muldoon and linebacker Luke Kuechly should provide senior leadership, as well as helping to solidify the Bombers 3-3-5 defense.
Key to Victory: First and foremost, the Bombers need to be healthy. Quarterback Luke Massa and offensive lineman Matt James, both star juniors, have struggled with injuries this summer. Both will have to perform at a high level against a Prattville team whose defense is its calling card.
Prattville
2007 Summary: 15-0, Class 6A state champion
Head Coach: Jamie DuBose
Herbstreit History: First appearance
Program Prestige: While Hoover may be the more high-profile program in Alabama after MTV’s “Two-a-Days,” Prattville has surpassed the Bucs as the state’s top program. The Lions have won back-to-back state titles, and 30-straight games in the state’s largest classification. Last year’s defense, which allowed only eight points per game, may have been the best in the country.
Who to Watch: Defensive end Alex Page, linebacker La’Angelo Albright, and safety Zach Brownell are all playmakers in the Lions’ vaunted defense. Like St. Xavier, Prattville graduated a lot from last year’s team, but Jamie DuBose will still have a lot of talent to work with.
Key to Victory: Prattville’s offense is the question that needs to be answered. Can Casey Weston and Justin Albert, key cogs to last year’s attack, be replaced? Running back Jerodis Williams, who earned his stripes in last year’s state final, is a great starting point. It will also be a baptism by fire for DuBose. Taking over for the highly successful Bill Clark, the Bombers will be his first opponent. The Lions have been working hard all summer, so adjusting to a new coach should not be a major issue.
