The Pope John XXIII (Sparta, NJ) varsity football team will host St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, NJ) in a playoff game today at 12 p.m. This matchup is part of the 2024 New Jersey High School Football Playoff Brackets: NJSIAA – Non-Public B tournament.

Pope John XXIII vs St. John-Vianney Football Game Info:

What: New Jersey High School Football
Who: Pope John XXIII vs St. John-Vianney
When: Saturday, November 23, 2024
Time: 12 PM
Bracket: 2024 New Jersey High School Football Playoff Brackets: NJSIAA – Non-Public B
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Game preview: Pope John XXIII vs St. John-Vianney

The 2024 football season for both St. John-Vianney and Pope John XXIII offers a striking contrast in terms of overall performance, key stats, and individual player achievements. As both teams look ahead to future matchups, it’s clear they have distinct strengths and challenges. Here’s a breakdown of their season so far, key players, and how they stack up in comparison.

Team Records and Rankings

St. John-Vianney boasts a strong record with a 9-3 overall standing, placing them 33rd in New Jersey’s Division rankings. Their league performance (3-2) has been solid, but they’ve dominated more in non-league matchups (4-1), securing an impressive 75% win rate. The team has scored a total of 411 points, while allowing 259, reflecting a balanced attack on both sides of the ball.

On the other hand, Pope John XXIII has faced a tougher road this season, finishing with a 4-7 record. Ranked 23rd in New Jersey’s Division, Pope John XXIII struggled in league play with a 1-3 record but performed better in neutral-site games (3-3). With a points-for total of 304 and points-against of 384, Pope John XXIII will need to improve in multiple areas to match up with higher-ranked teams like St. John-Vianney.

Scoring Averages

One of the most striking differences between the two teams is their scoring averages. St. John-Vianney has an impressive 34.3 points per game, with their highest-scoring quarter being the second, where they average nearly 13 points. This offensive consistency across all four quarters has been a key factor in their successful season.

Pope John XXIII averages 27.6 points per game, with their most productive period being the first quarter (6.9 points). While their scoring output isn’t far behind St. John-Vianney, their lower second-quarter performance could be a contributing factor to their overall struggles.

Team Stats Comparison

Both teams have their strengths on offense and defense, but the overall stat comparison favors St. John-Vianney in several areas:

• Rushing Yards Per Game: St. John-Vianney leads with 253.2 yards, while Pope John XXIII averages 214.1.
• Passing Yards Per Game: St. John-Vianney also takes the lead here, averaging 156.8 yards, compared to Pope John XXIII’s 130.9 yards.
• Total Yards Per Game: St. John-Vianney generates 409.9 total yards, well above Pope John XXIII’s 345.0.
• Tackles Per Game: Pope John XXIII has the advantage in tackles, with 72.1 compared to St. John-Vianney’s 67.4.

In terms of scoring, both teams are fairly close, with St. John-Vianney averaging 28.3 points per game compared to Pope John XXIII’s 27.1.

Key Players

• St. John-Vianney: Abdul Turay has been a standout performer, racking up 191.8 rushing yards per game. Zach Labarca contributes significantly through the air, averaging 156.8 passing yards per game. On defense, Daniel Breen leads the team with 11.1 tackles per game.
• Pope John XXIII: Tylik Hill is the focal point of the offense for Pope John XXIII, averaging 177.5 rushing yards per game. Luke Irwin, with 123.2 passing yards per game, complements Hill’s efforts. On defense, Tyler Houser leads with 13.5 tackles per game, while also contributing with 0.8 sacks.

Record Breakdown

Looking deeper into their performance at home, away, and neutral sites:

• St. John-Vianney: Strongest at home with a 4-1 record, they also excel on the road, posting a 4-2 record.
• Pope John XXIII: Struggles away from home, with a 1-4 record, but has done better in neutral-site games (3-3). Their home record (1-4) also highlights some of the challenges they face.

Both teams showed resilience in playoff games, with St. John-Vianney winning 2-0 in their postseason appearances, while Pope John XXIII finished 2-0 in neutral playoff games.

Conclusion

As St. John-Vianney enters the remainder of the season with a powerful record and high-scoring offense, they are clearly the more formidable team on paper compared to Pope John XXIII. However, Pope John XXIII has the talent to pull off an upset, particularly if they can improve their consistency throughout all four quarters. With players like Tylik Hill and Tyler Houser leading the charge, Pope John XXIII will be looking to close the gap in the upcoming weeks. Meanwhile, St. John-Vianney looks poised to continue their strong run and potentially make a deep playoff push.