CC SHOWS TOUGHNESS AND RESOLVE AS SHAMROCKS RALLY TO SQUEAK PAST PILOTS IN CATHOLIC LEAGUE THRILLER

 

Back in 2009 it was a big-play defense and a powerful rushing game on offense that took Novi Detroit Catholic Central to a state championship on the gridiron.

This season, the Shamrocks are a perfect 5-0 and doing more of the same.

Exhibit A; Saturday evening's slug-it-out 14-10 come-from-behind win on the road over previously undefeated Warren De La Salle.

Catholic Central roared back from an early 10-0 deficit to grab the victory. Alex Kozlowski's 16-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter was the game-winner. Kozlowski is part of a crowded group of Shamrocks running backs that compliment each other nicely, shifting gears between sly and elusive and smashmouth in nature.  

Star junior fullback, Wyatt Shallman, a menacing force in between tackles, led the Shamrocks ground attack with 16 carries for 65 yards, including a momentum-swinging 2-yard trip into the end zone in the closing seconds before halftime.

The team's go-ahead score by Kozlowski was set-up by a controversial interception by senior cornerback Dave Racey, on a play De La Salle felt should have ended with an interference call rather than a turnover.

Racey came through in the clutch once again in the game's final moments, deflecting a pass near the Catholic Central goal line on fourth down to sew up things up. Senior quarterback Kyle Cooper and the Warriors' offense converted a pair of critical fourth down plays late in the game, opening the door for Kozlowski's score. Earlier in the week, Cooper, a two-sport standout at the school, verbally committed to play basketball in college at Hillsdale.

De La Salle junior quarterback Shane Morris, already committed to the University of Michigan, looked sharp operating the Pilots offense and connected on 14-of-25 pass attempts for 140 yards. Against Birmingham Brother Rice last week, he scored the game-tying touchdown in overtime of an emotional 21-20 Pilots' triumph.

Pilots' placekicker Andrew Palazzolo, who booted the game-winning extra point in Week 4, added a first-half field goal on Saturday that put De La Salle (4-1) in front 10-0 early in the second quarter.

Head coach Tom Mach and the Shamrocks will look to stay perfect in Week 6 when they host University of Detroit-Jesuit, victims of a 42-7 smashing at the hands of Brother Rice on Saturday afternoon.

Niko Palazeti, the star workhorse running back of the '09 state title team, is currently playing his college ball up in East Lansing with Michigan State. Palazeti's co-captain on the '09 squad, all-state linebacker Mike Kinville, is currently playing at Central Michigan.