The St. Albans varsity football team (Washington, DC) will face Bell (Washington, DC) in a neutral-site playoff game today at 4:00 PM.

Here’s what you need to know playoff game:

What: Washington, DC High School Football
Who: St. Albans vs Bell
When: Saturday, November 30, 2024
Time: 4:00. p.m. ET
Live stream: Watch here

Bell vs. St. Albans Football: A Season in Review

As the 2024-2025 high school football season concludes, the rivalry between Bell and St. Albans has garnered attention. With contrasting records and statistics, both teams have demonstrated unique strengths and faced challenges on the gridiron. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of their performances, key players, and statistics over the past season.

Season Records & Rankings

• Bell: With an impressive 10-2 overall record, Bell has shown dominance, especially in their league. Finishing 5-0 in their division and boasting a near-perfect home record of 5-1, Bell secured an 83.3% win rate overall and a perfect 100% win rate in league play. Their strong offensive performance has made them a formidable force, with 405 points scored and only 133 points allowed.
• St. Albans: On the other hand, St. Albans posted an 8-4 record, with a more mixed league result of 2-3. Their overall win percentage stands at 66.7%, with a slightly weaker league performance of 40%. St. Albans scored 347 points while allowing 259, showcasing a solid offense but struggling defensively in certain matchups.

Team Scoring Averages

The scoring averages reflect the differing offensive strategies and game flows of both teams:

• Bell: The team averages 33.8 points per game, with a notable fourth-quarter surge (7.0 points) following a consistent offensive effort in the first three quarters (3.5 points in each of the first two). This suggests Bell’s ability to close games strongly and finish with high offensive output.
• St. Albans: With a slightly lower average of 28.9 points per game, St. Albans scores primarily in the second quarter (10.5 points). The team’s points per game are relatively well-distributed, though they struggle in the third and fourth quarters, with lower averages (7.5 and 6.9, respectively).

Key Statistics Comparison

• Rushing & Passing Yards: Bell dominates in the rushing game, averaging 227.2 yards per game compared to St. Albans’ 96.4. Bell’s strength in the run game is complemented by their passing attack (88.8 yards per game), whereas St. Albans relies more heavily on passing (249.5 yards per game) than rushing (96.4 yards per game).
• Total Yards: Bell averages 315.9 total yards per game, whereas St. Albans exceeds this with 345.9 yards per game. Despite St. Albans’ higher total yards, Bell’s consistent rushing and balanced offense have proved effective across different game situations.
• Defensive Metrics: Defensively, St. Albans edges out Bell in tackles per game (53.6 vs. 38.8), suggesting they are more active in stopping the opposition. However, Bell has the edge in sacks per game with 2.7 compared to St. Albans’ 1.7, which could indicate a stronger pass-rush capability.

Team Leaders

• Bell: Antonio Washington leads Bell in rushing yards with 171.5 per game, and is also a major contributor to total yardage (216.0 yards per game). Jayden Watts has been a key receiver, contributing 50.4 yards per game, while Aaron Perkins leads the team in tackles (9.1 per game).
• St. Albans: Will Martin has been a standout rusher for St. Albans with 87.6 yards per game. Quarterback Brett Paukstis has been pivotal with 249.5 passing yards per game, while Zahir Cobb has been a top receiver (93.2 yards per game). Kenny Dilanian leads the defense in tackles with 12.0 per game.

Common Opponents

Both teams faced similar challenges against common opponents, such as Bullis, where both teams came up short. Bell lost 17-7, while St. Albans fell 17-13, showing that despite their differences, both teams struggled against this competitive opponent.

Head-to-Head Matchup & Playoff Potential

In terms of head-to-head matchups, Bell has been dominant with a 5-1 record at home and a perfect 2-0 record in neutral-site games. St. Albans, while competitive, shows more inconsistencies on the road, with a 3-3 away record.

Looking ahead, Bell’s strong 10-2 record and 5-0 league performance put them in a favorable position for playoff contention, with their balanced offensive attack and solid defense. St. Albans, at 8-4, also remains a playoff contender but will need to improve their defense and consistency in league play to compete at the highest level.

Conclusion

While both teams have had their successes, Bell’s powerful rushing game, balanced offensive attack, and solid defense make them the stronger team on paper. St. Albans, though, has proven their mettle, particularly in their passing game, and will look to build on that as they prepare for future challenges. As both teams look to continue their strong performances, their head-to-head and playoff matchups are ones to watch in the coming seasons.