This year, they’re up to 21 players — and off to a 2-0 start for the third time in four seasons.
The Irish host Clark County rival Northeastern at 7 p.m. Friday at Hallinean Field in Springfield. They beat Bradford 37-6 in Week 1 and beat Troy Christian 37-0 last week.
“I’m very thrilled,” Dimitroff said,”and I’m not saying this in an arrogant way, but I’m not surprised. We were very, very young last year and we were playing mainly a bunch of sophomores. This year, they’ve grown up a little bit as juniors and they’re playing really well.”
The Irish are averaging 300 yards per game on offense. They are giving up 90 yards per game on defense and held Troy Christian to minus-20 yards in last week’s victory. The Irish have also blocked three punts in their two victories.
“We’ve been successful in all three of those three areas,” Dimitroff said.
Juniors Berkley Little, Brayden Strother and Brody Adams have led the way in the backfield for Catholic Central.
Little has rushed for 176 yards and three TDs on 10 carries in two games. In Week 1, Little ran for 162 yards and three TDs, kicked a 37-yard field goal and had a 40-yard interception return.
“He had a career night there in one night,” Dimitroff said.
Strother, who saw time at QB as a freshman, is back with the program after spending last season at Albemarle High School in Charlottesville, Va. He’s rushed for 119 yards and three TDs and thrown for 155 yards and a TD.
Junior Brody Adams has rushed for 82 yards and a TD. He’s playing running back for the first time this season after playing most of last year at tight end. Adams, a D-VII first team All-Ohio selection last season, leads the Irish defense with 18 total tackles and one tackle for loss.
“He’s living up to his billing,” Dimitroff said. “He’s got great size and he’s got a great work ethic.”
Senior Matt Nye leads the Ohio Heritage Conference with six sacks.
Catholic Central will host Northeastern on Friday night. The Jets are 1-1 this season. They beat the Irish 41-8 last season.
“I think the kids have that mindset that they’re going to compete and that’s the expectation,” Dimitroff said.
The key, Dimitroff said, will be stopping the Jets running game.
“Defensively, I’ve been really impressed with their ability to run to the football,” he said of Northeastern. “They’ll hit you. They’re physical on both sides of the ball. One of the key things for us is can we meet their physicality on both sides of the line of scrimmage.”
Dimitroff is in his 49th year of coaching and third year as head coach. He’s in his third stint with the program after serving as an assistant from 1976 to 1982 and 1988 to 1991.
“I absolutely love it, so why not keep going, especially at your alma mater,” Dimitroff said.
PREP FOOTBALL
WEEK 3 SCHEDULE
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Trotwood-Madison at Springfield
Northeastern at Catholic Central
Tecumseh at Shawnee
Kenton Ridge at Mifflin
Southeastern at Triad
Mechanicsburg at Greenon
Fairbanks at Cedarville
Greeneview at West Liberty-Salem
Graham at Brookville
Bethel at Urbana
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