Preview: Upstart No. 14 Archbishop Rummel to travel 1,300 miles to face perennial power Don Bosco Prep

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Archbishop Rummel (Metairie, La.) football coach Jay Roth has never stepped foot in New Jersey, and at least a dozen of his 55 players have never traveled in an airplane.

Needless to say, the Raiders (3-0), who before this year hadn't traveled outside Louisiana in 44 years and before last season had never been nationally ranked, are in for an adventure of a lifetime come Saturday.

That's when they play at perennial national power Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.).

"To travel halfway across the country to play a program of that prestige, now that's exciting," said Roth, whose team is No. 14 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national rankings, presented by the Army National Guard.

The Ironmen, befitting of their nickname — strong, physical and no-nonsense — have claimed two MaxPreps mythical national championships (2009 and 2011) and have gone 115-16 since 2004 under head coach Greg Toal. From 2006 through 2011, they went 70-1.

As challenging as the 1,300-mile trip and all its logistics are — the team flies out Friday — Roth recognizes Don Bosco Prep (2-1) is his team's biggest obstacle.

Even though the Ironmen aren't nationally ranked, "they definitely have our attention," Roth said. "Their offensive line averages about 6-foot-3 and 270 (pounds). Very, very physical."

They showed that physicality the last two weeks in wins over out-of-state powers St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia), 55-21, and Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 31-14.

Why bother?

Bosco running back Malik Bakker scored a total of five touchdowns in the two games, Maryland-bound cornerback Tyrone Hill returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown and Tommy Courtney added a 90-yard kickoff return for a score.

"You can see by every step they take and every technical move they are so well coached," Roth said.

That said, Roth has never met or talked to Toal. The game was set up by a third party and is the MaxPreps Game of the Week.

"I thought about calling (Toal) this week, but thought why should I bother him," Roth said. "I'll look forward to shaking his hand on the field."

Roth, who quarterbacked Rummel to its first undefeated season in 1980, has been the Raiders' head coach since 1995. They won back-to-back 5A state titles starting in 2012 and last season were unbeaten until a 28-14 semifinal loss to eventual champion Jesuit (New Orleans).

The Raiders (3-0) are loaded with standouts: third-year starting quarterback Chase Fourcade, a Nicholls State commit, running back Israel Tucker, cornerback Kristian Fulton and defensive tackle Briston Guidry.

Fulton (6-0, 177) is ranked the fourth-best cornerback in the country by 247Sports, which says LSU, Arkansas and Texas A&M are his top suitors.

Fourcade threw three touchdown passes last week in a 27-16 nationally-televised game against Wayne County (Miss.) and Tucker put the game away late with a 20-yard touchdown run.

"(Wayne County) stuffed us pretty good but we found a way to get it done," Roth said. "I'm very happy where we're at."

And where they are headed.

No business trip

The game is part of the Centennial Classic and a week-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Don Bosco Prep and the 75th anniversary of St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), brother schools run by the order of the Salesians.

St. John Bosco, ranked sixth nationally, will play St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) in the second game of the doubleheader.

Roth plans to actually bus the team to West Point for sightseeing purposes on Saturday, the day of the game.

"It will be a tight schedule," Roth said. "But we want this trip to be more than just about football."

Roth said more than 600 Rummel fans will make the long trek and former Raiders' quarterback Daris Wilson, who later played at Bucknell, will be there with his family. Wilson lives in New Jersey.

"This is important to our program, our alumni and our community," Roth said. "It's neat to be a part of the national scene. Who knows if it will every come again? So let's enjoy it while we can."