This is the Game of the Week in the Huron League and one of the top games in the state in week nine. Lansing Catholic (7-1) is coming off of a 41-6 victory over Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard while SMCC (8-0) defeated rival Monroe Jefferson 49-7. The Cougars won last season’s week nine match up 27-22. The overall series is tied at one a piece.
Lansing Catholic is led by QB Tony Poljan. The senior has thrown for 1,169 yards and 12 TD’s while rushing for 778 yards and 16 TD’s. Poljan’s main target through the air is senior Tony Palmer. The defense is led by senior LB’s Peter Galer and Caaolan Keenan.
SMCC is led on offense by senior RB Justin Carrabino. senior QB Austin Burger has done a great job of running the Falcon offense. Defensively, the Monroe Catholics are giving up just 13 ppg are led by junior LB Justin LaPlante and senior DE Riley Woolford.
This should be a great game. It is a definite advantage for SMCC to be playing at home for many reasons. The Falcons won the last meeting in 2013 at Navarre Field by a score of 49-20. Pick LCC 32 SMCC 26
Michael Howey and Windham were much more than game managers.
-bn
have to get first downs to run the clock.
Blame the coaching, blame the refs, blame the weather
We don't play blame game- the better team won.
Uh oh 4:43pm…we chose almost the exact opposite score – this means we have to fight to the death or something, right?
"Milan is not even close to being better than LCC you do realize they almost lost to a 1 win airport team"
While I don't think Milan is better than LCC, you can't take one game and define a team. Sure, that's an ugly win, but they also played Marshall really tough and beat a good Riverview team, among other good wins.
"If Riverview had better coaching they'd be the best team in the league along with huron."
This is an insane thing to say. You can say that about almost any team anywhere at any level.
Good luck boys and " Let us Prey "!
LCC by 21+ Milan is not even close to being better than LCC you do realize they almost lost to a 1 win airport team , correct? If Riverview had better coaching they'd be the best team in the league along with huron. The only reason this stays close is because smcc runs the clock. LCC 35 smcc 13
Well said Chris. I'll take both of them. They both represent SMCC very well. Windham was a winner and a competitor. He has that Kobe Bryant and Jordan swag.
Great point, Chris – especially about the talent. All the past QBs of SMCC seem to have been cut from the same cloth. None of them are world-beaters, just reliable game-managers.
I disagree Chris. Bryce was a beast at basketball and now he is a shortstop for Old Dominion.
I thought Bryce was a freak athlete
Figure of speech there Mr. Schultz. Some luck was involved in the play. Wherever it came from. QB argument is silly. I agree.
Lots of teams have winners on them. SMCC has had the majority lately.
Silly argument going on about the QB's at SMCC. Burger has done a fantastic job at both positions, so did Windham. I don't think Windham was always the most talented guy on the playing field at any of his three sports, but he was a winner. Give me a few winners on any team and I will show you a very successful team. I think Burger has the same winning qualities that Windham has.
Windham plays D1 baseball…he's talented too not just a winner.
There was no fumble on the play. Just the point of being a QB Windham could've been successful in a passing offense. Not so sure of some other guys. But other teams didn't have a receiver as great as VUICH some of the slants they connected on last year in the state finals was a thing of beauty. Not sure they have or ever will have a combo like that. The mark of a qb or any athlete is when you have to make a play in the heat of the moment in a tough game. And that has yet to be seen. Maybe tonight?
The good Lord chose to watch over one catholic school over another? I don't believe it works that way,
Not to take anything away from any SMCC QB, SMCC's offense is designed to where the QB is not the focus. Even though a QB is an important position, it is a lesser role in a SMCC type offense. 95% of the time the QB hands off. Once in awhile a throw, once in awhile he will run. Basically hand off and master the fakes.
SMCC has many QB's over the years and all have done well, because their offense makes their job simple. They will most likely never win or lose a game because of a play the QB made. The crazy play against JLC was preceded by a fumbled ball that the QB retrieved if I am not mistaken. The good lord was watching on that play.
SMCC is a very methodical team, take time in huddle, walk up to line, snap it right away(that's why they never commit offsides penalties), run the ball 95% of the time. When they don't they just send Carrabino to the open spot in the usually zone secondary and the QB hits him.
Most of the HL doesn't have the coaching and/or the players to handle this. I think LCC is well coached and can do this, plus has a couple very good athletes. If someone will cover Carrabino man to man and have a good line, SMCC could be in trouble. LCC can do this and probably will. Game will be a dogfight. LCC will win out.
LCC 27- SMCC 21
Great comment 9:56. Wish there were more positive people like you
All about coaching last years staff did a great job of preparing Austin. And as scout team Qb last year he got to face the best defense he was going to face this year all the way to the finals.
Both are great kids who give 100% and were/are successful QB's.
In the cc system every quarterback they have had has done well. Austin has done a great job this year. But last year and this year you can pretty much switch qbs with every team in the league and you would have gotten the same result. The system the system the system. Winning separates everything. And by the way without the whole team they are not in the finals. It wasn't the Windham, Lako, and Vuich show
SMCC wins as a team and loses as a team.
He threw a Hail Mary pass under pressure to a 6-4 receiver who to come back for the ball. By the way without Vuich
they are not in the finals last year.
he is listed 6'6" on rivals. 3star headed to MN
SMCC's QB has played wonderfully. Windham did as well.
I bet Burger has just as good as number if not better than Windham had last year. Bryce was a real good player, but Austin has held his own himself this year. He has been a pleasant surprise for sure and has had a great year. He deserves credit
They are both great. But Burger is faster around the corner on bootlegs in my opinion.
Tony Poljan is about 6'7" not 6'5"
Carrabino
Golf shot?
f….o….u….r….F…O….U….R…..four……FOUR……4
9:20. Sorry,I dont get it .Am I missing something? Please explain.
Three scores? You are crazy. LCC will be on defense just like your team was most of the night.
Chris-JV scores???
Smcc to small and slow for LCC.. You will see the big difference in speed and strength in this game…
Compared to Poljan, yeah. But isn't the whole size & speed thing getting old?
No way Smcc wins this one.. Smcc gets beat by 3 scores..
Ok Stosento if SMCC wins by anything near that score I will no longer EVER EVER doubt you.. but I think for now you are a bit crazy.
-bn
Referring to them as the "Monroe Catholics"… classic.
Calpreps.com picks SMCC over LCC, but they pick Portland over SMCC 35-21.
Portland is better than SMCC.
-SMCC Fan
Keep in mind that LCC was the last team to beat SMCC. So obviously they know how too. They haven't lost too many from last year. Portland is extremely good, like SMCC was last year. LCC will win again this year. They are stronger, rougher and bigger. That's what happen when you play big boy football. SMCC being small is not a factor in our league. LCC is for real.
If they stop Carabino, SMCC will be trouble. Have not seen any other weapons.
12:00pm have you seen Portland play this year? They're obviously a good team but to say they're much better than any HL team is a stretch if you haven't watched them play this year.
Portland is a very good team. However, they do not have the horses that SMCC has and they absolutely demolished LCC. SMCC wins by at least two Td's.
Milan Fan
If there is anything I have learned over the years is that you don't pick against SMCC.
-fellow huron league school grad
I believe the thing that hurt SMCC last year against LCC was turnovers. They had a lot of fumbles that killed some good drives. Obviously Polijan is a game-changer on both sides of the ball…he will probably be the best athlete SMCC will face all year, no matter who they face.
LCC is still kind of a question mark – they have only played one team with a winning record (8-0 Portland) and lost 6-28. However that is Portland's closest game of the year at this point, even though it wasn't all that close. LCC has averaged over 42 points in all of their wins while teams have only averaged 5 points against them in those match-ups.
So, like I said, it's hard to determine just how good they are…they decimate .500 or worse teams and got handled pretty easily by a good Portland team. I think SMCC approaches this the same way they did for Huron – try to keep their offense off the field and kill clock. Polijan may still be a weapon on defense, but he's going to Minnesota as a QB, not a LB/S.
SMCC is going to no doubt be looking into what Portland did against LCC to both score points and hold LCC's offensive weapons in check. I chose against SMCC against Milan and they proved me wrong.
SMCC wins 34-13.
Um Portland is an OUTSTANDING team.
I would just look at the Portland game where LCC got absolutely destroyed. I believe they run the T as well. Portland does not have nearly the same players SMCC has and LCC is not the same team as last year. LCC will not be able to stop the run.
SMCC wins by at least two scores.
Milan Fan
A running clock, your kidding right. They came in second in their conference and got blown out in the game they lost. Milan is a better team than LCC.
Poljan is exactly like Rothlisberger. 6'5" and strong. you have to tackle his arm. He can make plays with people all over him.
I agee Poljan is a monster.Smcc has an all around better team though. Monroe wins this one 28–21
Very bad? Really? People said that last year and look what happen with SMCC and Huron.
Lansing will put a running clock on smcc. The HL is bad this year, very bad. LCC is loaded. This could get ugly.
Wow! What a bold prediction.Thanks for the heads up.I was going to go to see what I thought was a good game. I guess I will stay home now.
He was right tho…
Well if saw last years game you saw everyone of our running backs leave the game with knee injuries. This is not a coincidence. After the half we were down by three scores. During the second half they did not have a single first down. This game can be won by SMCC. SMCC's quarter back play is much better this year and the offensive line is very good.. The defense Is stellar. They are used to LCC and there tactics. SMCC wins this game running away. Poljan spends the game on defense in this one.
Hopefully LCC's head coach throws a hissy fit like he did last year and throws his clipboard across the field. Maybe he'll get tossed this time.
I did not see last years game, but I've seen CC play a couple times last year and only when they've played Riverview this year. A couple things I noticed. No way the QB play is better for you this year. The kid from last year was way better. Also, Portland is much better then any HL team.
The Riverview game is the only game that the QB otherwise known as Austin Burger played less than Great. Sorry but your opinion is inaccurate.
So let me get this straight, you are telling me that Burger is better then Windham? I thought I was reading that wrong. That's crazy! So you replace the best QB CC's had with the best QB CC's had? I find it hard to believe that they win last year against JLC with their current QB.
I believe it will be SMCC on top. They'll do the same thing they did to Milan and that's keep Tony off the field for a long time. They do that then they should fly away with the W. Pun intended.
This is the only game you did not pick a Huron team Chris, just wondering why? If SMCC controls the ball like they did against us, they should be in good shape.
Good luck SMCC, hope you guys play well.
#9 Dad
Let us Prey
Poljan plays linebacker and likes to make big hits. The only guy I saw stop Lako in his tracks last year. CC came away from that game pretty banged up. Personally, I don't care about the score. I just want to see everybody come away healthy for the playoffs. The outcome doesn't really affect anything accept an undefeated season.
This could be a very scary game for Smcc. The defense has to be crisp. Best they've played this year. Poljan is one of if not the best player I've ever seen play in person in highschool. On both sides of the ball. Full ride to Minnesota. Their back is nothing short of an exceptional rb/wr as well. If Smcc can get a few stops. Control the clock with a few points they can win. But Combe. Wolford. Laplante and poupard are going to have to pound poljan for 4 quarters. See if they can get him to make a few mistakes. A tough task. But it can be done. BELIEVE BOYS!!!! 4 quarters