Central Catholic looks to set consistent temperature after blowout win in sectional opener

Central Catholic football coach Brian Nay is looking for his team to execute better on both sides of the ball.

Even after a 42-14 win to open the IHSAA postseason's first round of the sectional over Winamac, he desires more effort and drive from his program in the coming weeks.

"We're not scoreboard watchers," Nay said. "We talk about setting a thermostat. When you set the temperature, the temperature stays there. When you're a thermometer, you're up and down. We don't want to measure the temperature, we want to set the temperature and stay there.

"We want to be thermostats, not thermometers."

While Nay remained focused on better performances, it was difficult to see what kind of players exist in Central Catholic's program.

Central Catholic junior Ray Clayton Jr. opened more eyes to his potential as a possible Power 5 football player.

Clayton stands at a lanky but strong 6-foot-5 and possesses quality hands, but more impressively, he was unfazed by the double teams being thrown and the occasional jersey pull in an attempt to slow his movement. The two-way wide receiver and linebacker dismissed any and all attempts by Winamac to knock him off balance.

Clayton caught six passes for 170 yards and a touchdowns to lead the Knights.

Central Catholic (7-3) will host Rochester (7-2) in the sectional semifinals next Friday at 7 p.m.

"(Clayton) is a presence," coach Brian Nay said. "You can't coach a player to be 6-foot-5 and to have the skills he has. I think Ray can do what he puts his mind to."

The lead was never in doubt for the Knights, who scored using 14 plays on the opening drive and led 28-0 at halftime. Junior quarterback Bobby Metzger threw for 345 yards and five touchdowns.

Junior Hudson Gutwein, the 6-foot receiver, caught four touchdown passes, including an 80-yard score with 1:13 in the second quarter. Gutwein finished with 156 receiving yards.

Metzger looked comfortable in the pocket and Central Catholic played seemed unbothered by Winamac's man pressure.

"Offensive line just gave us time all night," Gutwein said. "We just did what the coaches taught us."

Junior defensive lineman Will Spencer had two sacks and forced a fumble that was recovered by senior Ben Bunton in the second quarter.

It was a complete victory for an offense that looked comfortable throwing downfield and a defense that cut through the layers of the offensive line with ease.

"Our defensive line this year has been very dominant," Spencer said. "We just work hard every play. Working hard from the other side just hitting the run first and then pressuring the pass after."

The defensive play of the game might have from Central Catholic's first team came from 5-foot-6 kicker and midfielder Thomas Henry.

Nay called Henry "someone who majors in soccer and minors in football," and stopped Winamac from scoring on a potential touchdown kickoff return. Henry wrapped his body around the ball carrier in a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu style-looking arrangement to bring his man down.

It was the second straight week Henry stopped a touchdown after recording a tackle on a kickoff last week against Western.

"I'm not the biggest guy so I just try to get in the way a little bit," Henry said. "I just try to stay in front, hold on and they usually go down. It's not the greatest day though when the kicker has to make the tackle and we got to work on that."

Ethan Hanson started working for the Journal & Courier in West Lafayette, Indiana after four years at the Record Searchlight in Redding, CA.- Follow him on Twitter at @EthanAHanson and ethan_a_hanson on Instagram.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Central Catholic beats Winamac in IHSAA Class 2A sectional first round