Having moved up for the New Jersey Non-Public Group III to Group IV, St. Joseph Regional faces off against Don Bosco Prep in the state championship for the first time. The two rivals have faced off in highly competitive games, but have never faced off in the playoffs until now.
St. Joseph Regional has won three of the last four Group III state titles. The Green Knights hold an 8-3 record, earning the 34th rank in the DigitalSports National Football Rankings and 2nd in the Garden State. St. Joseph took down St. Peter’s Prep, ranked 5th in New Jersey, to advance to the finals.
Right behind them, Don Bosco Prep sits in 35th in the country and 3rd in the state. The Ironmen have not been in the state final since they last won the title in 2011. In the semis, Bosco outlasted Bergen Catholic, the top ranked team in the state, in a 27-21 victory.
The two New Jersey heavyweights went head-to-head in the season opener. After a very defensive match, the Green Knights walked away with a 17-7 victory. Sophomore Nick Patti completed 9-of-12 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown. John Thomas Giles-Harris scored the Green Knights other touchdown with a 69-yard interception return.
Bosco has some weapons as well, particularly Brandon Simon, the Iowa-committed defensive end that recorded two sacks two weeks ago against Bergen.
The anticipation going into this final is palpable. Will St. Joseph Regional win the state championship in its first year in the competitive Non-Public Group IV or will Don Bosco Prep claim its first title in four years? Find out tonight. Kickoff is at 8:00pm.
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