Here's what I will say on the topic of Catholic... nobody cares until they win in football. Cross country, tennis, golf, swimming, volleyball, soccer, lacrosse... nobody cares. It was the same in South Carolina with Bishop England. I think they had won like 20 state volleyball titles in a row and nobody cared until they won in football. It's why you hear very little about Bishop McGuiness or Cardinal Gibbons now. Sure, a squeak here and there but not so much.
Is there a different set of rules...sure...to an extent but so what. Fewer discipline problems probably and families that are involved enough to shell out the coin to send kids to a Private (Parochial if you prefer) school. Line up and play the game.
Let me be clear. I am no supporter of Catholic. I'm not one of their fans. I have been to a game of theirs. I have walked on their field & sideline & among their players. Nepsy calls them the NASA interns. They look like the soccer team, the golf team, the ROTC and the debate club. I'm not saying they don't have some big boys or good athletes either but..
I'll say this...they won't scare anybody getting off the bus. When they walk into your stadium in street clothes, 9 out of 10 of you will think your team is gonna whip their a** and then the game starts. Most of you would think these kids wouldn't make your team much less be able to contribute or start. You'd hope one was a good punter.
They don't typically win because they out athlete teams. They win because they out execute. If this was Florida, which is the wild Wild West of HS recruiting and kids transfer in droves every year, these players wouldn't get called.
I spoke to one of their starting DBs this year at a game. He had an interception, about a dozen tackles and a scoop & score. He was a baller. He was also "yes, sir", "no, sir" & "pleasure to meet you, sir" He was probably 5'8" & 150 lbs in his cleats and with his pads on. If he showed up at tryouts at Havelock, Dudley, Crest, Rocky Mount, AC Reynolds, Reidsville, Shelby or Mallard Creek. He'd be lucky to get a shot at the scout team based on appearance alone.
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