Cicardi bolsters Red Devils defense

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- When it comes to defense, it's good to enlist the help of someone like Chaffee senior Jason Cicardi.

Cicardi has demonstrated he possesses the tools of a top-notch cornerback in his two years of high school football. He's fast, smart, intuitive and gets results.

And you won't find the soft-spoken senior on offense.

"We have better guys than me," Cicardi said of the team's receivers. "It gives me a chance to rest for defense anyways."

But there appears to be nothing wrong with Cicardi's hands. He has latched onto a team-high six interceptions, including three in one district game, to help the Red Devils to their first playoff appearance since winning the Class 1 state title in 1983. The Red Devils officially will end their 27-year drought tonight when they face Thayer.

Chaffee's Jason Cicardi returns an interception as St. Vincent receiver Ryan Boxdorfer pursues during their district game last month in Perryville, Mo. Cicardi had three interceptions and scored a touchdown on special teams in Chaffee's 40-10 victory. (Kristin Eberts)

Cicardi is all about defense, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Our junior year he just wanted to play defense," said senior defensive end Andrew Terhune, a longtime friend who helped recruit Cicardi to come out for the team, and later to join the Army. "He just wanted to hit somebody. He said, 'Coach, I'll play if I just play defense.'"

Cicardi played part-time as a junior, often watching his older brother Nathan, a safety, play a leadership role on a young team that went 1-9.

"We knew he was going to be good, but he's played above what everyone thought he was going to," junior linebacker Trevor Cannon said. "His brother was a good D-back, and he had big shoes to fill, but I think he filled them."

He's started every game this season and has been one of the big surprises in Chaffee's 4-6 season. He's fourth on the team with 56 tackles, tops among non-linebackers.

St. Pius' Talon Cook is brought down by Chaffee's Jason Cicardi during the first quarter Friday, Sept. 17, 2010 at Chaffee High School. (Fred Lynch)

"He's real quiet," Cannon said. "He never says anything. He just goes out and does his job and makes sure he gets it done."

He has an unassuming, modest nature that counters his athletic ability. He's cordial and quick with a smile, but not too quick to offer that he played point guard for the Red Devils basketball team last winter, or that he played third base and right field for the baseball team while also running on three state-qualifying relay teams last spring.

"I just ran relays," Cicardi said. "I don't like individual events. It's kind of a team thing."

Football fits perfectly into his team approach, but ironically the limelight seems to find him in a Forrest Gump type of way.

He has a way for finding fumbles -- he's recovered three -- and he's as likely to block a punt as he is make the tackle on the returner.

"He has a pretty good nose for the ball," Chaffee defensive coordinator Jerry Dement said.

His magnetic ability with a football was demonstrated against St. Vincent. Not only did he have his three interceptions against the Indians, but a muffed punt by St. Vincent from its own end zone landed in Cicardi's arms near the goal line for a touchdown.

"That was my best game in any sport that I've ever played," Cicardi said. "It was a fun game, and it got us to the playoffs."

He's had a direct hand in 10 turnovers while drawing the assignment of the other team's top receiver. He's defended a team-high 11 passes as he uses his agility, speed and body control to contain receivers with tight, penalty-free defense.

"He's just got a knack," Chaffee coach Charlie Vickery said. "He sees things well, and he sure seems to be in the right place at the right time. He's been beaten very few times all year."

Cicardi said he's always been comfortable this season, but he's gotten more aggressive as the season has progressed. He now plays closer to the line, giving receivers less room, and is more aware of his teammates' whereabouts on any given play.

"Most of the time we're in a zone, so I just kind of read the quarterback," Cicardi said. "We watch film. I know the plays, so I kind of know what they're going to run."

That anticipation gives the appearance of a sixth sense as the ball often is transferred from the opponent's hands to Cicardi's. It's something Terhune has witnessed on the basketball court.

"In basketball he stole the ball from the point guard I don't know how many times," Terhune said. "If only he could finish his layup. He can't finish his layups."

Terhune's good-natured ribbing of his close friend underlined the theme of Cicardi -- it's defense, not offense, that is his gift.

And true to that theme, Cicardi enlisted in the Army this past summer. He will head off for what he plans to be a career in the military just days after graduating.

Terhune, who plans to enter the Army about a year after he graduates, again played a role in the recruiting process.

"I actually talked him in to going into the military," Terhune said. "I talked to the Army recruiter, and Jason didn't know what he was going to do after high school or how he would pay for college, and I said, 'You should go in the Army with me.' And he said, 'Yeah.' And things came up and he enlisted."

Cicardi, who wants to be a horizontal construction engineer, said he always has wanted to be in the military.

His mother Debbie served a term in the Army, while his father Russell served in the Navy.

Cicardi said deciding to play football his junior year was part of the bigger picture.

"When I get in the military, it's going to be really disciplined, and football helps out a lot," Cicardi said. "Nothing is as disciplined as football. You can't jump offsides, you can't get messed up with the snap count. You have to do everything perfect."

And Cicardi has been close to that as the Red Devils picked up steam this season.

Chaffee lost its first three games of the season, but Cicardi said a 42-0 loss to Hayti in Week 3 was the turning point for the season. The Red Devils trailed just 8-0 at halftime against a team that would end the regular season with a 7-3 mark. Wins followed the next two weeks.

"At the beginning of the season, I wasn't sure if we could [make the playoffs], but after we had half the games under our belt, I knew we could," Cicardi said. "We just had to come out and do it, and we did."