Fort Worth, TX - Two catholic high schools with traditionally strong football programs are set to battle Saturday night in Frisco in the inaugural Catholic Bowl. The Vikings take on Little Rock Catholic from Arkansas in the night cap of the two game event with kickoff slated for 7 pm. The opening game of the Catholic Bowl features Houston St. Thomas vs John Paul II kicking off at 2 pm, Saturday afternoon.
Both games will be played at The Star in Frisco, home to the Dallas Cowboys. The opportunity to play on the big stage, in a world class venue is one head football coach David Beaudin believes brings more than just football.
“Obviously the game is a major part of the weekend and we want to win the game, but this event means more to all of us at Nolan Catholic,” Beaudin stated. “To have the opportunity to showcase our institution and show others what we all at Nolan Catholic stand for, is an honor we hold in the highest degree. Faith, family and football all play a huge role in how we develop and mentor our players.”
The Vikings (0-1) will face a formidable opponent in the Rockets. Coming off a season opening loss to Jonesboro HS, the Rockets will be looking to bounce back in week two. A young team, with over 40 sophomores on their varsity roster, they are led offensively by quarterback Preston Scott and running back, Dominic Keeton. Scott is mobile enough to make plays outside of the pocket and Keeton has the ability to break a long game changing run.
Staying true to their defensive keys and maintaining their discipline will be a challenge for the Vikings defense.
Beaudin added this in regards to the Rockets.
“They are well coached, disciplined, and consistent. Offensively they execute at a high level and defensively they will throw a lot of looks at us. They present another great challenge for us Saturday night.”
Coming off a 45-29 season opening loss to Argyle last Saturday night in the Tom Landry Classic, the Vikings are seeking the first win of the 2021 season. Argyle jumped on the Vikings early and built a lead too big to overcome. While the loss is not acceptable, Beaudin and his staff can build on the positives they did see as they continue to help a young, inexperienced team grow.
“For us, it is a lot of operation. We need to be disciplined and focus on our keys and assignments, “ Beaudin said. “I think the positive thing is when you turn on the film; we are one assignment, one technique, or one fundamental away on just about every play. If we can clean things up, we have the makings of a solid football team. We just need to lock-in and continue to get 1% better every day.”
Tickets for this Saturday's game can be found under the Fan Zone tab.
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