Strong start leads to smooth finish in SHP football win

The night before the Sacred Heart Prep football team put its undefeated record on the line against Aragon, captain Cody Wiebe made sure the Gators wouldn't be satisfied with what they had accomplished so far.

"Hey guys, we're 5-0, but we don't want to be happy at 5-0," he said in words to that effect. "We want to win a championship."

 

"This is better than I projected," second-year head coach Mark Grieb said. "It's a credit to the seniors. This is a strong senior class -- Wiebe, John Willard, Jake Davison, Jack Kirkham. These guys are solid guys and players, and they set the tone for the team."

Relatively speaking, the Gators schedule has not been difficult, but the level increases next Friday at defending PAL Bay champ Half Moon Bay, and the gantlet continues against Menlo-Atherton and Terra Nova in the following weeks.

"With our small enrollment, we don't have a hundred guys from which to pick and choose," Grieb said. "We have to have a number of guys contribute, and we've had that. We've had the full team contribute in some way, whether it's on the field or in practice. That's really where this team has exceeded my expectations -- in terms of their commitment, discipline and dedication to being better."

Against Aragon, a traditionally strong program which fell to 0-6, SHP scored on its first three possessions, all on big plays, on the way to bolting to a 29-0 halftime lead.

On the first score, running back Tevita Moimoi lined up in the Wildcat, handed off to quarterback Raymond Price III, and peeled off on a wheel route. Wide open, Moimoi only needed to look back for the pass from Price to complete a 55-yard scoring play.

After holding Aragon to a three-and-out, Willard broke through the line and rambled 64 yards untouched, with Price running for the two-point conversion when he couldn't find an open receiver.

Soon after holding the Dons scoreless from inside the red zone, Tommy Barnds spun out of the grasps of two defenders before accelerating downfield on a 66-yard scoring run and a 22-0 first-quarter lead.

The Gators rushed for 254 yards, with Barnds running for 98 yards on four carries, and Willard gaining 93 yards on seven. But the catalyst was Price, a sophomore with a strong arm, great touch, good feet, and a threat to pass or run on any down, or make something happen when the play falls apart.

Price completed 8 of 9 passes for 157 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. His best play -- an apparent 51-yard TD run -- didn't even count because of a penalty. He cut against the grain three times to evade defenders with angles.

"Ray's a fantastic talent," said Grieb, a three-time Arena Bowl-winning quarterback for the San Jose SaberCats. "He's learning the game. But he's a talented player, no question."

Price said he began to dedicate himself to quarterback in seventh grade, after playing mostly running back since he was 6. He spent much of the summer in Portland, Oregon, training under quarterback guru John Charles, the former Mountain View High and Foothill College star, who had a record-breaking career at Portland State.

With Charles, Price worked on his footwork, accuracy, and touch. With Grieb, Price can learn a great deal more.

"He's a wonderful coach," Price said. "Being a quarterback and having a real quarterback coach with you is very helpful. My biggest takeaway is reading coverages. At the JV level, you don't really read the coverages as much, just throw to the open man. On varsity, everybody's smart."

As Wiebe said to his teammates, it's time to stop thinking about the Gators' record and start thinking bigger. After Friday's performance, the possibilities seem limitless.

"Coach Grieb is going to teach you every step of the way in all aspects," Price said. "And he knows what it takes to win championships."

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