Prep football: Marin Catholic debuts quarterback in shutout win
Sophomore Caedon Afsharipour, a St. Ignatius prep transfer, missed on his first two passes in his debut at quarterback for the powerful Marin High Catholic football team.
Afsharipour quickly settled down, completing his next seven passes – two for long touchdowns – as the Wildcats waltzed to a 52-0 triumph against visiting Freedom (Oakley) in a season-opener for both schools Saturday in Larkspur.
“After he completed his first pass, he just went out there and played like a veteran,” MC coach Mazi Moayed said. “All the other players have confidence in him and they just treat him like another guy on the team.”
Afsharipour was under a microscope as he attempted to fill the shoes of back-to-back senior starting quarterbacks the last two seasons, who led the Wildcats to a Division 4-AA state title in 2021 and a NorCal Division 2-A runner-up finish last season.
Afsharipour was better than good in his baptismal outing on the varsity circuit. He was outstanding, completing 13-of-20 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns.
“I wasn’t really feeling nervous, maybe a little at first,” Afsharipour said. “We do everything as a team and my teammates have made me feel comfortable ever since I arrived here. My job is to execute and do what coach Mazi tells me to do.”
The Wildcats were already ahead by three touchdowns before Afsharipour joined in the scoring brigade, flipping a screen pass to receiver Greer Arthur, who took it to the house on a 43-yard cross-field jaunt.
“The pass was right on the money,” said Arthur, who led all receivers with three catches for 106 yards. “From there, it was just great blocks downfield. I would not have scored without my boys blocking down field. Charles (Williams) made the final block to put me in the end zone.”
Arthur said he never doubted his young quarterback’s ability.
“We’ve been repping with him all summer,” Arthur said. “I have nothing but faith in that young man and I think the whole team does, too. I was proud of him today.”
While Afsharipour was still getting his feet wet on the first few possessions, electric playmaker Charles Williams was busy drowning any hopes the Falcons harbored for an upset.
On the second play from scrimmage, Williams swept right, followed road-clearing blocks from linemen Dylan Manuilow and Sam Connelly, cut back and dashed 60 yards for a touchdown.
“I always just want to get down field and follow my blockers,” Williams said of his long touchdown run. “I love my blockers. I’m not scoring if not for them.”
Williams, who scored three touchdowns and led all runners with 137 yards on nine carries, scored his second touchdown on MC’s third possession, bulldogging though the middle of the line to score from seven yards out standing up.
The touchdown run was set up on a 45-yard pass behind the defenders from Afsharipour to Arthur.
Williams’ third scoring run might have been his most impressive. He navigated a clogged middle of the line, cut inside and dashed across the field for 42 yards and a touchdown.
Six different MC players scored touchdowns including a snappy 35-yard gallop wide right by Jude Baker.
Afsharipour’s second touchdown pass came when Branden Johnson beat the Freedom safety on a deep route and hauled in a 36-yard strike.
MC’s defense was simply nasty, limiting the Falcons’ empty-backfield passing offense to a total of 69 yards.
The Falcons managed only two plays from scrimmage longer than six yards and were held to four first downs total – and two of those came via penalties.
Marin Catholic 52, Freedom (Oakley) 0
Non-league
Freedom 0 0 0 0 – 0
Marin Catholic 32 14 0 6 – 52
SCORING SUMMARY
MC – Williams 60 run (Arthur run)
MC – Serafin 3 run (run failed)
MC – Williams 7 run (pass failed)
MC – Arthur 43 pass from Afsharipour (pass failed)
MC – Johnson 36 pass from Afsharipour (kick failed)
MC – Williams 32 run (Carroll kick)
MC – Baker 35 run (Carroll kick)
MC – Macaulay 6 run (kick failed)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING–Freedom, #2 2-(minus-15), #4 1-(minus-4), #15 1-0. Totals: 4-(minus-19). MC, Williams 9-137, Serafin 4-11, Afsharipour 3-(minus-11), Geissberger 4-15, Baker 1-35, Spinale 9-22, Macaulay 1-6. Totals: 31-213.
PASSING–Freedom, #2 16-33-4 86, #15 0-1-0 0. Totals: 16-34-4 86. MC, Afsharipour 13-20-0 285, Macaulay 2-2-0 12. Totals: 15-22-0 307.
RECEIVING–Freedom, #19 1-2, #84 1-3, #21 4-36, #9 1-6, #3 7-41, #2 1-(minus-2). Totals: 15-86. MC, Barret 1-10, Macaulay 2-50, Arthur 3-106, Johnson 2-42, Bacich-Dixon 3-36, Storms 1-12, Rogers 1-29, Spinale 1-9, Ochoa 1-3. Totals 15-297.
Records–Freedom 0-1; Marin Catholic 1-0.