>Golden Eagles counting on 'D'
Tuesday, November 28, 2000
           By RUSS HELD 

           SPRINGFIELD      By admission of its own
           players and head coach, Central High School
           hasn't rolled out the high school version of the
           Doomsday Defense or Iron Curtain. The
           Eagles' defense has, however, quietly paved
           the way to a shot at a Super Bowl title. 

           "We bend a lot, but we don't break," Central
           head coach Dan McLaughlin said. "But the last
           three games have been different (25 total
           points). It took a half-a-year or more to find
           the defense that fits our kids, and it doesn't
           resemble what we started with." 

           Central puts that transformed unit to the test
           Saturday when it meets Fitchburg in the
           Division I Super Bowl. Central (10-1) plays
           Fitchburg (11-0), a central Massachusetts
           power, at Worcester State College at 3:15 p.m.

           "People may look at our offense, because it is
           so dynamic and because we can strike so fast,"
           senior defensive end Kyle Suttles said of a
           five-man front defensive formation. "I don't
           think our defense is overlooked, our offense is
           just so much stronger." 

           Central will have to stop a basic, but powerful
           offense that has averaged 34 points. 

           "They have a real good offensive line, and
           there aren't a lot of secrets to them,"
           McLaughlin said. "What you see is what you
get . . . but then you have to deal with that." 

           Senior running back Frank McDonald (1,482
           yards) is among the best in central
           Massachusetts, and fullback Norman Coles
           and quarterback Jason Twomley each have
           close to 800 yards. 

           "They come right at you," McLaughlin said.
           "And they'll have to deal with our quickness,
           too." 

           Central's defense is solid from front to back,
           with tackles John Papadoulias and Kym
           Sturdivant anchoring the middle. Kaseme
           Griffin, Brendan Kavanagh and Suttles rotate
           at defensive end. 

           "The line has worked so well together, the
           chemistry we have is so important,"
           Papadoulias said. 

           Suttles is the key to a unit that has posted two
           shutouts, and has held rivals to two
           touchdowns or less five other times. 

           "Kyle has savvy, instincts . . . I'm not sure
           when I've had a defensive player like him,"
           McLaughlin said. "He's a natural at defensive
           end, absolutely natural. That goes back to the
           amount of football he has played over the
           years." 

           "I just go out there to have fun," Suttles said.
           "I work hard to control my area, but I'm out
           there to play football." 

           Garvin Headley and Craig Washington start at
           linebacker, with plenty of help awaiting in the
           secondary. 

           "Washington is as good a linebacker as we
           have in the league," McLaughlin said. 

           Don Jones will move from cornerback to
           strong safety, and Mike McCarthy plays free
           safety. Brandon Watson and a combination of
           Jordan Jones, Warren Barnett, Edwin Crichlow
           and Talon Elmore are top cornerbacks. 

           "We had to move Jones to a spot where he can
           hit more," McLaughlin said. "We need him
           more involved because of the way he hits
           people." 

           Jones said the reputation of the defense can't
           be undermined after helping the team to it
           current 10-game winning streak. 

           "We still had to have a pretty good defense to
           go undefeated through a league like the AA,"
           Jones said. "That says something." 

           The offense has averaged 37.6 points, more
           than enough to take pressure off a defense. 

           "It might be better than I think," McLaughlin
           said. "I thought we stunk at Westfield, then I
           looked back and saw we only gave up 13
           points and none in the second half. But I
           measure it more by first downs allowed, and
           some teams have moved the ball up the field
           on us. And a major key to winning game is
           field position."            

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