On Sunday, September 29, the 80th Annual Boys' Bowl kicked off at 1 p.m. under a blanket of clouds and an overcast sky. The Shamrock faithful were treated to a spectacular flyover by the Patriot Parachute Group, marking the start of a football tradition like no other. Detroit Catholic Central faced off against CHSL rivals De La Salle for their homecoming game in front of a packed house of alumni, students, and supporters.

The celebration was made even more special as the 1998 Catholic Central Football Team was inducted into the Catholic Central Athletic Hall of Fame. Among the honorees were current Head Coach Justin Cessante, who was a player on the 1998 team, and legendary former Head Coach Tom Mach. The duo was celebrated at the Boys' Bowl assembly the Friday before the game.

Adding to the excitement, Athletic Director Aaron Babicz '93 surprised the Shamrocks with special Blessed Mother blue uniforms for the big game. Donning their new light blue jerseys, the Shamrocks took the field after losing the coin toss, with the offense up first.

The first quarter saw both teams locked in a stalemate, with neither able to establish dominance. De La Salle marched to the Shamrock 20-yard line with 6:35 left in the quarter, but the Catholic Central defense held strong, breaking up a fourth-down pass attempt to stop the threat.

Starting at their own 20-yard line, the Shamrock offense got to work, mixing run and pass plays for an 80-yard drive that chewed up five minutes. Senior RB/FS Jaden Pydyn capped off the drive by powering into the end zone, putting Catholic Central up 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Pydyn made another huge impact just minutes into the second quarter. The senior picked off a De La Salle pass and returned it deep into Pilot territory, setting up the Shamrocks at the De La Salle 20-yard line. However, the Shamrock offense was unable to convert the turnover into points.

De La Salle's offense barely had time to regroup before the Shamrock defense forced a fumble on the first play of the ensuing possession. Moments later, Junior WR/C Samson Gash found open space on the outside and dashed for a 30+ yard rushing touchdown, extending the Shamrocks' lead to 14-0 with 9:23 left in the second quarter.

Gash wasn't done yet. With 1:46 left before halftime, he struck again, diving into the end zone for his second touchdown of the night. The Shamrocks entered halftime with a commanding 21-0 lead.

During halftime, the Catholic Central Athletic Hall of Fame members were officially inducted, and the band delivered a lively performance that energized the crowd.

In the third quarter, De La Salle finally broke through, scoring with five minutes left to narrow the gap to 21-7. However, the Pilots' momentum was short-lived as Gash responded almost immediately, taking it to the house for his third touchdown of the night. With 2:38 left in the third quarter, Catholic Central led 28-7.

De La Salle tried to rally late in the game, picking up speed, but the Shamrock defense stifled their efforts. Senior kicker Jake Matigian iced the game with a 35-yard field goal with just two minutes remaining, sealing the victory for Catholic Central. The Shamrocks triumphed 31-14, sending the crowd of alumni and fans home proud.
 

Offensive Players of the Game

Junior WR/C - Samson Gash

• 3 Receptions, 74 Yards Receiving (24.7 YPR)
• 6 Carries, 79 Yards Rushing (13.2 YPC), 3 TDs

Offensive Line

• 209 Yards Rushing (5.6 YPC)
• 73 Passing Yards, 4 Total TDs

 

Defensive Players of the Game

Senior DE - Jack McHugh

• 5 Tackles, 2 Assists, 1 TFL, 1.5 Sacks

Senior Captain RB/FS - Jaden Pydyn

• 5 Tackles, 2 Assists, 1 Interception

 

X Factors

Senior Captain H/LB - Casmer Moir

Senior RB/LB - Lee Kreuger

With the victory, the Shamrocks solidified their place at the top of the CHSL standings and delivered another memorable Boys' Bowl for the record books.