2007 News
11/2/07 - Central falls again to Piqua, 21-9, in first round of D-II State Playoffs. (ToledoBlade.com)
10/26/07 - CCHS defeats Waite 27-6 to claim 3rd straight CL Title. (ToledoBlade.com)
10/24/07 - CCHS Freshmen top SJJ 14-13 to win the Freshmen City League Championship. Go Irish!
10/19/07 - CCHS win 24-23 in OT against Whitmer (ToledoBlade.com)
10/12/07 - CCHS takes home Irish Knight for 4th straight year (ToledoBlade.com)
10/5/07 - CCHS defeats Rogers 37-22 (ToledoBlade.com)
9/28/07 - Central wins big in Home Opener at Gallagher vs. Start (ToledoBlade.com)
9/21/07 - CCHS defeats Clay 30-7 (ToledoBlade.com)
9/14/07 - CCHS falls to St. Johns, 7-15 (ToledoBlade.com)
9/7/07 - CCHS tops AW 35-12 (ToledoBlade.com)
9/1/07 - Sanzenbacher Scores First TD of Season for Buckeyes (ToledoBlade.com)
8/31/07 - Irish Fall 31-7 to Hillard Darby (ToledoBlade.com)
8/25/07 - Rogers 3 TDs Pace Irish Win (ToledoBlade.com)
Sanzenbacher likely starter for Buckeyes (ToledoBlade.com)
Robinson Eager to get Started (Panthers.com)
Football Preview '07
In case you’ve been out of town for the past several years, things have been going quite well for the Fighting Irish football fortunes.
The 2005 Division II State Championship was followed with nine straight wins last fall. In the process a Toledo City League record 22-game winning streak was set. The Irish ended 2006 ranked fourth in the state before falling in the playoffs to the eventual state champion Piqua Indians.
Seven seniors last fall made first or second team All City, including player of the year Dave Sanzenbacher and all were hearty contributors to the 2005 State Champions as juniors so there are some holes to fill. Yet for eighth year coach Greg Dempsey the optimism remains high.
“We have the talent to be a successful team. We need the returning starters (six on defense; five on offense) to improve from last year and our new guys to step up and show how talented they are,” Dempsey said.
The returning lettermen are certainly the anchors for the defense. The line is established by All Ohio senior Josh Dixon (6-1, 250) and a healthy Eric Herman (6-4, 270). The linebackers are a definite strength, bolstered by the return of All League senior Greg Hammond (5-11, 205) and athletic junior Brad Rogers (5-9, 215). They surround middle linebacker David Pickerel (6-0, 215), another junior who was a TCL wrestling titleholder last season.
The competition is strong alongside Dixon and Herman on the line of Dempsey’s 4-3 defense. The candidates include seniors Dane Whitacre (6-3, 265) and Jared Fitzpatrick (5-9, 220); juniors Doug Williams (6-2, 250) and Pete Wesolowski (6-0, 190); and sophomore Jamaal Tarrent (6-1, 265).
The battle for backups to the sterling linebacker unit is just as fierce. A pair of seniors, Curt Jewell (6-1, 180) and Mike Molnar (5-9, 170) are being pushed by sophomore Jake Henderson (5-9, 205).
Junior Eric Bates (6-1, 170) will get the nod at one cornerback. Nate Hobbs (5-11, 175, 10); Vyshawn Arnold (5-10, 185, 12); and Cedric Bouyer (5-9, 165, 12) vie for the other position.
Senior strong safety Donte Johnson (6-1, 185) is one of the deep back while Zach Boyle (5-9, 165, 12) and Mike Krieg (5-11, 165, 12) will see action at the other.
The Irish offense is a multiple pro set, once again sporting many different looks but very few different plays. It all boils down to where the match up advantages might be and then how well we can convert those advantages to scoring plays.
Dixon, Herman, and Whitacre nail down guard, center and tackle positions probably better than any team in the area. Fitzpatrick and Williams have taken the early lead for the other guard and tackle spots. All line play is improved because Luke Holzhauer (6-1, 225, 12) can swing at any offensive line position.
Tyler Kleeberger (5-11, 180, 12) started every game last year and threw for over 1500 yards (107 for 173, 9 TD, 7 Int.). He has proven leadership capabilities.
Last year’s top four receivers -- Dane Sanzenbacher (61), Ray Calhoun (21), and James Dutched (16), Chris Dominiak (8) – all graduated so Kleeberger will be eyeing an array of new candidates. Donte Johnson caught three balls a year ago but that is the extent of the returning experience. Senior Peter Linder (6-4, 180) will battle sophomore Matt Cochell (5-7, 155) at split end. When three receivers are called for, back up quarterback Nate Hobbs will get the nod along with Mike Krieg. Pete Wesolowski and Curt Jewell will share tight end duties.
Dempsey sees the Irish offense as having good big play capabilities but needs to be able to drive the football as well. A trio of tailbacks will carry that load: junior Brad Rogers and seniors Vyshawn Arnold and Cedric Bouyer.
Special teams have become a major part of the recent CCHS success story. Sanzenbacher ran back three punts in his career and returned at 19.7 yards per carry. Hobbs and Ryan Ceglio (5-7, 160, 12) handles the punt return duties while Hobbs, Bouyer, and Arnold return kickoffs.
The place kicking has also been stellar in the recent run. Adding his name to the lore of Dan Amato, Brady Wagner, and Ryan Kaminski will be sophomore Kyle Burkhardt (5-11, 150). Junior Cody Carr and freshman Mike Zenk will be long snappers.
Dane Sanzenbacher’s CCHS Career
Dane Sanzenbacher is a freshman at Ohio State University, getting reps as a receiver for the Buckeyes.
His illustrious career included seven reception records:
Single Season Receptions: 71 (2005)
Career Receptions: 151
Reception yards, game: 232 vs. Hilliard Darby (2006)
Reception yards, season: 1,424 (2005)
Reception yards, career: 2,808
Single Season TD Receptions: 13 (2005)
Career TD Receptions: 24
Other Sanzenbacher Notes
First Team All Ohio, 2005 & 2006
Toledo Blade Player of the Year, 2006
First Team All City Offense & Defense, 2005 & 2006
NW District First Team, 2005 & 2006
Grange Insurance MVP, State Championship, 2005
MEET THE COACH
Greg Dempsey
Head Coach
Defensive Coordinator
Years At CCHS: 8th
Experience: Assistant at Start High School; assistant at Central Catholic
Education: CCHS ’90; University of Toledo
Family: Wife, Katie; Daughter, Lauren, 2; Son, Ryan, 5 months
Record at CCHS: 61-21
MEET THE NEWEST ASSISTANTS
Andre Hampton
Wide Receivers/ Defensive Line
Years At CCHS: 1st
Experience: Assistant, Ohio Northern; Assistant, Defiance College
Education: Ohio State (played as preferred walk-on); BS,Ohio Northern; Masters from Defiance
Nate Ruple
Running Backs/Defensive Backs
Years At CCHS: 1st
Experience: Assistant, Delta High
Education: Delta H.S.;
MEET THE NEW COORDINATOR
Dan Fought
Offensive Coordinator
Years At CCHS: 2nd
Experience: Head Coach, Whitmer; Head Coach, Benjamin Logan; Assistant, Fremont Ross
Education: Gibsonburg H.S.; University of Findlay
WHO DOES WHAT ON THE IRISH COACHING STAFF
Offense
Coordinator: Dan Fought
Wide Receivers: Andre Hampton
Line: Tom Santoro
Running Backs: Nate Ruple
Quarterbacks: Ben Harman
Defense
Coordinator: Greg Dempsey
Line: Hampton, Santoro
Linebackers: Dempsey
Backs: Harman, Ruple
Special Teams
Mike Padgett, Santoro, Ruple
Freshmen Staff
Head Coach: Mike Boyle
Off. Coordinator/QB: Paul Patterson
Wide Receivers: Tony Katafiasz
Backs: Greg Owens
Line: Ty Foust, Luke Harman, Chris Robinson, Ryan Brown
COACHING STAFF RECOGNIZES SPECIAL MEMBER
Mona McGhee, Greg OwensCoordinators, STARS Program