The Div. 1 Super Bowl has the makings of a battle between two heavyweights.
The premier sport of the weekend pits the 2 faces of Massachusetts highschool soccer over the past half decade as defending Div. 1 champion Springfield Central faces off in opposition to perennial contender St. John’s Prep within the Super Bowl on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Gillette Stadium.
In 2018 and 2019, Springfield Central took house the Div. 3 Super Bowl earlier than capturing the Div. 1 crown in 2021. St. John’s Prep gained consecutive Div. 1 titles in 2018 and 2019.
“When you are winning Div. 3 championships like we were there’s always that competitive thing in the air about how you want to be the D1 champion,” Springfield Central coach Bill Watson mentioned. “No disrespect to teams that win other division titles, but we look at the Div. 1 champion as being, ‘the champion’ of Massachusetts. St. John’s Prep has been that program. They’re the team sitting where you want to sit.”
For St. John’s Prep the sport represents acquainted territory. The Eagles have steadily improved on the 12 months and enter the sport winners of six straight. Leading the cost is senior operating again Carson Browne who has rushed for a number of scores in 4 consecutive video games. University of Georgia-bound Joenel Aguero can alter the sport in all three phases whereas Jesse Ofurie and Stephon Patrick are very good athletes on each side of the ball. Sophomore quarterback Deacon Robillard stepped in week seven and has carried out admirably.
Defensively the Eagles are anchored by Aguero, Ofurie, Patrick, linebackers John Droggitis and Justin Tucker, and defensive finish Mason McSweeney.
“We always try to keep building as the year has gone on and now we are in a spot where we can eagerly await this game,” St. John’s Prep coach Brian St. Pierre mentioned. “We will certainly talk about Springfield in practice and what they’re trying to do, but at the end of the day our kids know it’s about us.”
The No. 4 Golden Eagles, in the meantime, have been nothing wanting dominant in opposition to in-state competitors. Nebraska sure quarterback William Watson goes for his third Super Bowl and has over 2,000 passing yards to go along with 17 touchdowns together with 21 dashing scores. Mattias Barbour has 5 receiving touchdowns whereas Watson additionally recurrently turns to Kevin Jackson. Out of the backfield, Tariq Thomas and Conellius Patrick every have over 680 dashing yards and have mixed for twenty-four scores.
“They’re tremendously athletic and their defensive line is ferocious, but the big thing is the quarterback (Watson) is dynamic,” St. Pierre mentioned. “He is a total game-changer in the aspect of when you think you have him dead to rights he finds a way to make a play.”
Up entrance the Golden Eagles are anchored by Bryce Warrick and Boston College-bound Josiah Griffin whereas Jack Casey and Meshach Stevenson maintain it down at linebacker. Kymari Latney is a do-it-all very good athlete.
“Our defense has been phenomenal this year,” Watson mentioned. “They have done a great job at getting to the football. They have performed beyond expectations.”
DIV. 1 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, December 3, 12:30 p.m. at Gillette
St. John’s Prep vs, Springfield Central
ST. JOHN’S PREP EAGLES
Head coach: Brian St. Pierre
ST. JOHN’S PREP 49, Marshfield 14
CENTRAL CATHOLIC 17, St. John’s Prep 7
St. John’s Prep 38, HAVERHILL 0
ST. JOHN’S PREP 40, LaSalle (RI) 6
ST. JOHN’S PREP 50, Malden Catholic 0
CATHOLIC MEMORIAL 28, St. John’s Prep 17
ST. JOHN’S PREP 41, BC High 20
St. John’s Prep 48, ST. JOHN’S (S) 12
ST. JOHN’S PREP 46, Attleboro 7
St. John’s Prep 48, ANDOVER 14
St. John’s Prep 28, Central Catholic 7
ST. JOHN’S PREP 27, Xaverian 14
HOME TEAM IN CAPS
SPRINGFIELD CENTRAL GOLDEN EAGLES (10-1)
Head coach: William Watson
Springfield Central 38, CENTRAL CATHOLIC 0
SPRINGFIELD CENTRAL 56, BC High 12
St. John’s (DC) 41, SPRINGFIELD CENTRAL 24
SPRINGFIELD CENTRAL 59, Longmeadow 0
Springfield Central 52, WESTFIELD 0
SPRINGFIELD CENTRAL 68, Chicopee Comp. 6
Springfield Central 64, HOLYOKE 0
Springfield Central 46, MINNECHAUG 3
SPRINGFIELD CENTRAL 60, Shrewsbury 14
SPRINGFIELD CENTRAL 56, Xaverian 22
Springfield Central 54, Methuen 14
HOME TEAM IN CAPS
SUPER BOWL HISTORY
Springfield Central is competing in its thirteenth Super Bowl and have an general report of 9-3. The Golden Eagles have gained three straight Super Bowl (2018-2020), together with final 12 months’s 22-15 win over Central Catholic. In that sport, Willam Watson threw for 187 yards and a landing, whereas dashing for a second rating. Teammate Tariq Thomas rushed for 167 yards and a landing.
St. John’s Prep is competing in its tenth Super Bowl and have an general report of 5-4. The Eagles are again within the massive dance for the primary time since defeating Catholic Memorial in back-to-back Super Bowls (2018-2019). The Eagles defended their title in 2019 with a 21-14 as Matt Crowley threw for 145 yards and a landing, whereas James Guy added 90 dashing yards and two scores.
Source: www.bostonherald.com