CCHS' offensive line plays well in scrimmage

Central Catholic scored three touchdowns and Covenant Christian, two in first-team action in the schools’ scrimmage at Central Catholic Thursday.
Central Catholic started the scrimmage with two touchdowns by its first-team offense on its first drive and added another in the 12-minute live quarter.
“I thought we dominated the line of scrimmage with our offensive line,” Central Catholic coach Tommy Minton said. “Offensively, I thought we performed real well.”
Led by a big and physical offensive line, the Eagles reached the end zone on the fourth play of the scrimmage via a 3-yard run by quarterback DeDe Gant. The scoring play was set up by a 50-yard run by Davidyione Bias two plays earlier.
The Eagles added another touchdown on its final play of their first series when Gant scored on a 9-yard run.
Covenant Christian scored a touchdown on a 35-yard run by Anthony Ruffin in which he cut to the outside and then down the sideline for the score.
“Anthony Ruffin is a playmaker, and he’s a game breaker anytime he touches the ball. … He had a nice step tonight, but he got some real good blocking from his teammates,” Covenant Christian Academy Coach Randy Boquet said. “They opened up some seams for him, and he really, really made them pay when they didn’t get a hand on him.”
In the live quarter, Central Catholic stopped Covenant Christian on third down and took over, moving down the field for its lone score. The drive was capped by Bias’ 12-yard run. Central Catholic’s Bryce Grizzaffi was tackled in the backfield on the two-point run attempt.
After surrendering one first down on its next drive, Central Catholic took over again and went to its passing game. However, the Eagles misfired on three straight incompletions, turning the ball over to Covenant Christian.
“That last series in a real ball game, we’re not throwing the ball three times, but I wanted to get Taylor (Blanchard) some work,” Minton said. “We didn’t do a 12-play block that we were counting on doing that he was going to be a quarterback in. … We threw the ball to try to give him some work with some of the stuff we want to do with him.”
The Lions made the most of their final opportunity as Ruffin broke a long touchdown run on the scrimmage’s last offensive play.
“We give them another opportunity, and then we let them score,” Minton said. “That’s the down part.”
Covenant Christian’s two-point run was no good.
“Other than the one injury that we had to one of our players, it was exactly what you’d hope for in a scrimmage,” Boquet said. “It was tremendous work, and all the props in the world go to Tommy Minton and his staff and his amazing program. He’s got a well-coached classy, classy program, so you know when you line up against those guys, you’re going to get pushed. You’re going to get tested. It’s going to be a battle, and that’s exactly what it was today.”
Minton said two areas his team needs to improve are on the defensive side.
“We lost the edge a couple times on defense, and we didn’t tackle,” Minton said. “We didn’t tackle well at all.”
In second-team action, Central Catholic scored one touchdown on a Dayshon Pete 1-yard run.
Covenant Christian had one second-team touchdown via a 2-yard run by Trenton Holloway.