Central football takes on EMass power Everett: Tale of the tape

Jay King, September 14, 2012 11:59 a.m.

Cody Williams and the Central Golden Eagles are confident they'll compete with Everett this season. - (Staff photo by Michael Beswick)

This weekend, the kings of WMass football--Central and Longmeadow--will meet state powers from outside the region.?

On Friday night the Central Golden Eagles host Everett, the state's top-ranked team according to ESPN Boston, at 7 p.m. at Berte Field. Longmeadow continues the top-notch cross-regional matchups Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. at St. John's Shrewsbury.

For the occasions, MassLive.com has collaborated with ESPN Boston to give a "tale of the tape" breakdown of what to expect in both matchups.

The Central-Everett breakdown follows below.

When Central has the ball

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Brendan Hall, ESPN Boston:

Everett was in bend-but-don't-break mode last week against Leominster, giving up the shallow flats but, save for one or two miscommunications, barely giving up the big play. If Central is to gain yardage against this Crimson D, it needs to look at Leominster coach Dave Palazzi's blueprint from last week -- short drop-backs, swing passes, draws and an assortment of screens -- and try to emulate it.

The biggest weakness right now might be linebacker, where they graduated two of their best ever in Vondell Langston and Buck McCarthy, and currently sit without Kenny Calaj (high ankle sprain). But one of the state's sharpest secondaries, led by Washington, Felix and De Souza, should buy the front seven time.

More than any other individual, however, the player to watch on this defense is senior defensive end Jeff Soulouque. Last year, the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder formed a fearsome bookend duo with All-State edge-setter Ralph Jonathas, now at the University of New Haven. He's even taken Jonathas' No. 8 jersey. Now, in the spotlight, Soulouque is proving his worth as an athletic playmaker and one of the state's best five-technique pass rushers. His strip-sack of Leominster quarterback Garrett DelleChiaie last week was downright Chandler Jones-esque.

Jay King, MassLive:

The Golden Eagles are a very different team than the one that lost 42-13 to Everett last season, in ways both beneficial and hurtful to their cause.

Sacoy Malone graduated after rushing for 2,001 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior, and took his talents to the University of Maine. That left an FCS-sized whole in Central?s backfield, which the Golden Eagles are filling with a number of talented rushers. Aaron Owens received the most carries during Central?s Week 1 victory against Springfield rival Putnam, and DaQuon Clemons emerged as a playmaking threat alongside him by rushing for a touchdown. They run behind a line featuring Shawn Lockett and Ismael Figueroa, two of the state?s finest blockers.

The backfield changes aren?t confined to the running back positions. Quarterback Cody Williams was making his first varsity start against Everett last season as a sophomore. Sadly for him, starting against the state?s top team as an inexperienced quarterback is like jumping into a shark tank as a goldfish. But Williams isn?t the same quarterback Everett saw last year. Asked before the season how last year?s experiences should help him, Williams replied, ?It can?t hurt to have 10 wins under your belt.?

Now, after Central?s 21-8 opening win, the junior has 11. Smart, poised, accurate and tremendous at limiting mistakes, Williams has grown significantly since meeting Everett last season.

When Everett has the ball

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Brendan Hall, ESPN Boston:

My co-editor Scott Barboza and I have nicknamed this year's version of the Crimson Tide's offense an "Amoeba Offense", because scouting these guys will be a crap shoot on the week-to-week basis -- all the components seem to blend into one another. In addition to standard trips and double-slot formations you will see in a spread offense, the Tide have also so far used a significant amount of "Wildcat" plays, and in several series reverted back to the Double Wing look that kick-started this historic period of Everett football nearly 15 years ago.?

Last week at Leominster, the Tide were missing their two to quarterbacks and top running back to injury. Wideout/safety/kicker Gilly De Souza took his first ever snaps at quarterback, and calmly tossed a TD strike on his third attempt, an underthrown fade to Jakarrie Washington. Whether Lukas Denis (tendonitis) or De Souza gets the start under center, it's clear the Tide are going in a direction that is more 50/50 run-pass than the last three pass-happy seasons under record-setting quarterback Jonathan DiBiaso.?

Bolstering this movement towards balance up front will be an offensive line that is the state's heaviest, led by Notre Dame-bound left tackle John Montelus, arguably New England's top Class of 2013 prospect. If there was a weakness to the unit, it might be how they play in space, but you can seemingly run behind Montelus all day and barely get touched -- he didn't allow a sack all of 2011, and had a clean sheet last week.

What this really comes down to on offense is Everett's brand of speed. Whereas other teams have players that are simply fast, Everett's skill players are college-level fast -- and there's a difference. Leading the way are arguably the state's two best receivers, Washington and fellow senior Jalen Felix. The two are receiving a plethora of Division 1 FBS interest, ranging from UMass to as far away as Nebraska and Washington State. In Felix, some are reminded of former Everett great and current Boston College sophomore cornerback Manny Asprilla, a gifted perimeter player who is elusive in space and can deliver a harsh crackback shiver. Washington's straightline speed, as displayed once again in the Leominster game, is almost without peer in Masachusetts.

Jay King, MassLive.com:

Head coach Valdamar Brower wasn?t perfectly coent with the way Central defended in Week 1 against Putnam. The Golden Eagles allowed first-year Putnam quarterback KayJuan Bynum to complete 12 of 18 passes for 158 yards, prompting Williams to say after the game, ?Our defense was on the field for fantr too long. We need to change that.?

Still, Central allowed just eight points. DaQuon Clemons registered a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown to put his team ahead midway through the fourth quarter and the Golden Eagles helped to cement their victory by forcing a fumble on the ensuing Putnam possession.

The fourth-quarter stands could best be described as opportunistic, as Central utilized its athleticism to make game-altering plays.

That athleticism?especially on the perimeter, where Owens and Clemons will be tasked with slowing the vaunted Everett speed?helps to give the Golden Eagles confidence as they look to avenge last year?s humbling defeat.

?We?ve seen them now. They?re not just Everett, the name. We?ve actually played against them, so we know they?re just guys like us,? said Brower. ?And hopefully our players, with that experience from last year, our players can know that we can line up and play with them.?

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Source: http://highschoolsports.masslive.com/news/article/-6708506031519223054

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