Looking back now, as he prepares for the final regular season game of his high school football career, Gonzaga tailback Tyree Randolph better understands the emotions that bubbled over three years ago when the Eagles' season ended with back-to-back losses to St. John's. For those seniors, it spoiled their final campaign together and the memory of that awful feeling has left Randolph conflicted about this week.
No. 5 Gonzaga will face No. 4 St. John's Saturday at Paint Branch High School in the first of two straight games between these longtime District rivals. Regardless of Saturday's result, both the Eagles and Cadets are slated to play again in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference semifinals this month.
Their rivalry dates back to at least 1928, and only four previous times have they played one another in the postseason. So the most intriguing story line this week surrounds how much each team puts into what amounts to a prelude.
“Playing the same team back-to-back, this week we really want to focus and really execute on the fundamentals, our basic offense, not giving them too much, not give them too little,” Randolph said. “We’re not going to necessarily use what we have to in game one. We’re going to run the ball, open it up with pass, but we’re not going to give them everything.”
Playing the same team two weeks in a row is not a comfortable situation, St. John’s Coach Joe Casamento admitted Thursday. It’s also the predicament No. 1 DeMatha and No. 18 Good Counsel must deal with since both play Friday night and will face one another again in the other WCAC semifinal.
St. John’s (7-2) should be well-rested after a bye two weeks ago and routine wins over McNamara, St. Mary’s Ryken and Carroll last month. But Casamento doesn’t think his team is playing at the same level it was back in September, when it climbed the national polls with several impressive out-of-area victories.
“I’m hoping this week can help us get it back. I think we’re okay, but we’re not what I want. I haven’t been happy the past three weeks,” Casamento said. “We don’t have our timing or our sustained focus like we had before. Hopefully we get it back in the next two days or we’re in trouble.”
Saturday's game should be a bruising affair befitting two WCAC teams loaded with talent in the trenches. St. John's has a multi-faceted offense featuring quarterback Kasim Hill, tailback Jochaim Bangda, wide receiver Kwincy Hall and a towering offensive line full of 300-pounders. Its imposing defensive front has girth on the inside and speed rushers on the edge.
Randolph leads the run-heavy offense at Gonzaga (7-2), with an assist from Maryland offensive lineman recruit Johnny Jordan. They will present a challenge for St. John's, particularly if Eagles quarterback Sam Brown can loosen up the defense with his arm. Gonzaga's defense, meanwhile, has given up just two touchdowns the past two games, including a definitive 31-7 win over Good Counsel.
But as soon as Saturday’s test ends, another question will quickly arise: Who adjusts best?
“We’ve got to go in there and do what we do and hopefully play well enough and be confident in what we’re doing that we’re all right and not try to have to throw everything that we’ve got,” Casamento said. “It’s hard because two weeks, it doesn’t matter how it goes. Two weeks in a row, it’s hard to be successful.”
