The St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, NJ) varsity football team will host St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, NJ) in a home playoff game today at 1:00 PM. This matchup is part of the 2024 New Jersey High School Football Playoff Brackets: NJSIAA – Non-Public A tournament.

St. Joseph Regional vs St. Peter’s Prep Game Info:

What: New Jersey High School Football Playoffs
Who: St. Joseph Regional vs St. Peter’s Prep
When: Saturday, November 16, 2024
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Bracket: 2024 New Jersey High School Football Playoff Brackets: NJSIAA – Non-Public A
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Game preview: St. Joseph Regional vs St. Peter’s Prep

The upcoming playoff matchup between St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, NJ) and St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, NJ) promises to be an intense contest. Both teams come with varying degrees of success this season, and this game will be crucial for both sides as they battle for postseason glory.

Team Records and Rankings

• St. Peter’s Prep: The team holds a 4-5 overall record, with a 2-2 record in league play. While their overall performance has been somewhat inconsistent, they’ve shown flashes of brilliance, particularly in scoring, averaging 31.4 points per game. However, their defense has allowed 311 points across the season, highlighting a key area of concern.
• St. Joseph Regional: With a better 5-4 record overall, St. Joseph Regional has also struggled in league play, securing only a 1-2 record. However, their strength lies in their offense, where they’ve been averaging 31.2 points per game. Defensively, they’ve allowed just 176 points, which has been a significant advantage for them throughout the season.

Head-to-Head Recap

The first meeting between these two teams on September 28, 2024, saw St. Joseph Regional dominate with a decisive 38-14 victory. St. Peter’s Prep struggled in this game, failing to score in the second and third quarters while allowing St. Joseph Regional to take a commanding lead. Despite a late rally in the fourth quarter, the game was already out of reach by then.

• Score:
  • St. Peter’s Prep: 7 (Q1), 0 (Q2), 0 (Q3), 7 (Q4) – Total: 14
  • St. Joseph Regional: 14 (Q1), 14 (Q2), 3 (Q3), 7 (Q4) – Total: 38

Statistical Breakdown

The statistical comparison between both teams reveals key strengths and weaknesses:

• Offense:
  • St. Peter’s Prep has relied heavily on their passing game, averaging 350.3 passing yards per game compared to St. Joseph Regional’s 212.1. However, St. Joseph Regional has been more balanced in their attack, rushing for 161.6 yards per game and averaging a total of 373.7 yards per game. St. Peter’s Prep, on the other hand, averages 501.7 yards per game but with a heavier reliance on passing.
• Defense:
  • St. Peter’s Prep has struggled defensively, allowing 311 points on the season, with 57.2 tackles and just 1 sack per game. In contrast, St. Joseph Regional has been more effective on defense, allowing only 176 points and averaging 60.9 tackles and 1.8 sacks per game.
• Rushing and Passing Leaders:
  • St. Peter’s Prep: Tyler Barksdale leads the team in rushing with an average of 69.8 yards per game, while Tyler Bell has been exceptional in passing with 209.3 yards per game. Receiver Hunter Watson is the top target with 68.6 receiving yards per game.
  • St. Joseph Regional: Lamar Best is the key rusher for St. Joseph Regional, accumulating 58.7 yards per game. Nathan Bailey leads the receiving corps with 61.8 receiving yards per game, while quarterback Nathan Bailey also leads in passing with 158.1 yards per game.

Common Opponents

Both teams faced several of the same opponents throughout the season. St. Peter’s Prep holds a 2-3 record against common opponents, while St. Joseph Regional fared slightly better at 3-2. Key matchups included:

• Paramus Catholic: St. Peter’s Prep narrowly lost 48-47, while St. Joseph Regional won 44-19.
• Seton Hall Prep: St. Peter’s Prep won 35-14, and St. Joseph Regional won 28-7.
• DePaul Catholic: Both teams struggled here, with St. Peter’s Prep losing 54-21 and St. Joseph Regional falling 28-21.
• Pope John XXIII: St. Peter’s Prep came out on top with a 58-47 victory, while St. Joseph Regional dominated with a 41-14 win.

Looking Ahead

As both teams head into their playoff showdown, St. Peter’s Prep will need to shore up its defense and find a way to stop St. Joseph Regional’s balanced attack. Their passing game will be crucial to keeping them in the game, but they will need to avoid another slow start like their earlier matchup. For St. Joseph Regional, their strong defense and efficient offense will be key factors in potentially securing another victory.

The stakes are high for both teams as they look to advance further into the playoffs, making this an exciting contest for local football fans.

Final Thought

With St. Joseph Regional having the upper hand in their previous matchup and boasting a solid all-around game, they’ll enter as the favorites. However, St. Peter’s Prep has shown resilience throughout the season, and with their high-scoring potential, they could pull off an upset if they can put together a complete performance.