The Covenant Christian (Colleyville, TX) varsity football team will face John Paul II (New Braunfels, TX) in a neutral-site playoff game on Friday, November 15, at 5:30 p.m. This matchup is part of the “TAPPS 2024 High School Football Playoff – TAPPS Division III” tournament.

Here’s what you need to know:

What: Texas High School Football Playoffs
Who: Covenant Christian vs John Paul II
When: Friday, November 15, 2024
Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
Bracket: TAPPS 2024 High School Football Playoff – TAPPS Division III
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Game preview: Covenant Christian vs John Paul I

As the season progresses, the football teams of John Paul II and Covenant Christian stand out in their respective divisions, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a breakdown of their rankings, records, and statistical comparisons.

Overall Records

• John Paul II: With an overall record of 1-9, John Paul II has faced a challenging season, particularly in district play, where they hold a 1-4 record. Their overall win percentage stands at .100, with a district win percentage of .200.
• Covenant Christian: A significantly stronger record of 6-4, with a 3-1 performance in district play, highlights their competitive edge. Their win percentage is .600, and they maintain an impressive .750 district win percentage.

Scoring & Offensive Comparison

• John Paul II: The team has struggled to put points on the board, averaging just 8.0 points per game. Their scoring by quarter reveals a slow start, with 1.0 point in both the first and second quarters, improving slightly in the second half to 1.9 points in the third and 3.0 points in the fourth.
• Covenant Christian: With a robust offensive showing, Covenant Christian averages 28.9 points per game. Their highest-scoring quarters are the second and third, at 9.7 and 8.0 points, respectively, demonstrating their consistency in the middle of the game. Their offense tends to wind down slightly in the fourth quarter, averaging 4.0 points.

Team Stat Comparison

• Rushing Yards: John Paul II averages 90.6 rushing yards per game, while Covenant Christian excels with 195.1 rushing yards per game.
• Passing & Receiving Yards: Covenant Christian also dominates in passing, averaging 193.7 receiving yards per game and 195.1 passing yards per game, compared to John Paul II’s 194.5 passing yards and 72.4 receiving yards.
• Total Yards: Covenant Christian averages 285.7 total yards per game, far surpassing John Paul II’s 197.7 total yards per game.

Key Players

• John Paul II: Key offensive players include Correll Buckhalter Jr., who leads the team with 77.4 rushing yards per game and 10.5 points per game, and Jason Fleming, who averages 194.5 passing yards per game.
• Covenant Christian: Aaron Turner leads the team in receiving with 72.4 yards per game, while Tim Castello is a standout on defense with 0.8 sacks per game. The offensive core is led by quarterback Jason Fleming, who contributes significantly with 194.5 total yards per game.

Defensive Comparison

• Tackles Per Game: John Paul II’s defense averages 54.0 tackles per game, with Stone Kruse leading the team with 8.1 tackles per game. This shows a stronger defensive presence compared to Covenant Christian, which averages 54.0 tackles overall.
• Sacks Per Game: Both teams show limited sack production, with John Paul II registering 1.8 sacks per game and Covenant Christian just 0.2 sacks per game.

Home vs. Away Performance

• John Paul II: Struggles at home with a 0-5 record, while their away performance is slightly better at 1-4.
• Covenant Christian: Holds a 3-1 record at home, with a strong away performance of 3-1 as well.

Head-to-Head and Common Opponents

• There is no previous head-to-head match between the two teams, and they have no common opponents in their season’s matchups.

Conclusion

Covenant Christian has shown consistent dominance in both offense and defense throughout the season, outperforming John Paul II in most statistical categories. While John Paul II has faced challenges in both scoring and defense, they have strong individual performers who continue to push forward. If the teams were to meet in a future matchup, Covenant Christian would be the favorites based on their overall performance this season.