CATHOLIC CENTRAL 55, MARION CATHOLIC 7
Give game balls to Kellys after Irish win
Three different Kellys score TDs, but DeWitt knows Irish have to be better next week.
Saturday, September 06, 2008
SPRINGFIELD — The roots of the Kelly family tree cover decades of Catholic Central High School history.
Thirty-one years ago, Leo Kelly (Danny's dad) gave Irish coach Steve DeWitt the game ball after his first victory. On Friday, Sept. 5, after DeWitt's 192nd victory, DeWitt said he planned to give a game ball to Leo.
That's because three of Leo's grandsons — brothers Brendan and Brian Kelly and their cousin Keegan Kelly — scored touchdowns in a 55-7 victory over Marion Catholic at Hallinean Field.
The moment meant more to the Kellys because it came two weeks after Leo injured his knee when he fell out of the stands after Central's 12-7 victory at Shawnee. DeWitt said Leo had to have his knee surgically reconstructed, but Leo hasn't missed either of the two games since.
"The first thing he said when he came out of anesthesia was, 'I'm going to the ballgame,' " DeWitt said.
Leo's grandsons rewarded his determination.
Brendan Kelly, the senior quarterback, threw for 202 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Keegan Kelly caught six balls for 91 yards and one touchdown. Freshman Brian Kelly scored on a 67-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Although Central (2-1) won easily, it wasn't exactly the type of performance it wanted the week before it plays Ohio Heritage Conference foe Mechanicsburg (3-0).
Numerous dropped passes, two lost fumbles and an interception that Marion Catholic (0-3), which has one win in its last 33 games, almost returned for a touchdown muddied the victory.
"I was just disappointed with our performance," DeWitt said. "I really expected it to be a lot better than it was. We had a good week of practice, trying to improve on the things we didn't do last week (in a 28-6 loss to Minster).
"We're awfully young. I guess the toughest part of this is not allowing the youthfulness to be an excuse of any kind at all. We have to mature as fast as possible because right off the bat, we have to deal with the powerhouse of the conference in Mechanicsburg in a week. We've got to be a better ballclub in a week."
DeWitt said he and his coaching staff planned to turn their attention to Mechanicsburg late Friday night.
"We've got play the best football game we can play," DeWitt said.
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