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If St. Francis wants a new result in its “Holy War” rivalry with West Coast Athletic League nemesis Bellarmine, it must rely on an old strength: defense.
With six defensive starters returning from last season’s Northern Region championship team, the Lancers (4-0, 1-0) didn’t figure to give up many yards or points in 2016.
“We’ve always hung our hat on the defensive end,” St. Francis coach Greg Calcagno said.
Under defensive coordinator Matt Scharrenberg’s 3-4 alignment, the Lancers are superb at reading keys and swarming to the ball.
Fourteen players have recorded at least 10 tackles this season, led by 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker Dominic Graziani (24) and defensive backs Bennett Williams and Patrick Calcagno — Greg’s son — 21 each.
The secondary has knocked away 16 passes, five by Williams, who also has three interceptions.
Sophomore Maurice Wilmer returned a pick-six 82 yards.
The 11 straight wins are a series record and Bellarmine has opened a 42-27 series lead.
Last year’s 28-26 Bellarmine victory marked the seventh time during the streak that the game had been decided by a touchdown or less.
St. Francis will rely on senior running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio (339 yards, three TDs), who last week decommitted from Washington State.
Habibi-Likio is off to a much slower start than a year ago when he rushed for 1,438 yards and scored 17 times, “but he’s running even better,” Calcagno said.
Matchup of two of the top all-around players on the Peninsula, HMB RB-DB Chase Hofmann (716 rushing yards, nine TDs) and Menlo’s Charlie Ferguson (730, 14).
Mitty senior RB/LB Zondre Faraj-Washington (5-10, 187) leads the Monarchs in rushing (319 yards) and tackles (41).
Last year’s 45-19 Riordan victory broke a four-game Gil Haskell Trophy Game winning streak by St. Ignatius, which won those four by a combined 167-42.
In a new offering featured on SFGate.com, The Chronicle will be live streaming several high school football games each week.
More...
With six defensive starters returning from last season’s Northern Region championship team, the Lancers (4-0, 1-0) didn’t figure to give up many yards or points in 2016.
“We’ve always hung our hat on the defensive end,” St. Francis coach Greg Calcagno said.
Under defensive coordinator Matt Scharrenberg’s 3-4 alignment, the Lancers are superb at reading keys and swarming to the ball.
Fourteen players have recorded at least 10 tackles this season, led by 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker Dominic Graziani (24) and defensive backs Bennett Williams and Patrick Calcagno — Greg’s son — 21 each.
The secondary has knocked away 16 passes, five by Williams, who also has three interceptions.
Sophomore Maurice Wilmer returned a pick-six 82 yards.
The 11 straight wins are a series record and Bellarmine has opened a 42-27 series lead.
Last year’s 28-26 Bellarmine victory marked the seventh time during the streak that the game had been decided by a touchdown or less.
St. Francis will rely on senior running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio (339 yards, three TDs), who last week decommitted from Washington State.
Habibi-Likio is off to a much slower start than a year ago when he rushed for 1,438 yards and scored 17 times, “but he’s running even better,” Calcagno said.
Matchup of two of the top all-around players on the Peninsula, HMB RB-DB Chase Hofmann (716 rushing yards, nine TDs) and Menlo’s Charlie Ferguson (730, 14).
Mitty senior RB/LB Zondre Faraj-Washington (5-10, 187) leads the Monarchs in rushing (319 yards) and tackles (41).
Last year’s 45-19 Riordan victory broke a four-game Gil Haskell Trophy Game winning streak by St. Ignatius, which won those four by a combined 167-42.
In a new offering featured on SFGate.com, The Chronicle will be live streaming several high school football games each week.
More...