RING
Mater Dei has the talent to win the title again, but the road looks more difficult this season. Both St. Joe’s and Holy Spirit look like better versions of last year’s squads, especially St. Joe’s, which has owned this bracket with 25 sectional titles and 33 finals appearances. The Seraphs also have to deal with head coach Dino Mangiero and offensive coordinator/athletic director Lance Bennet being banned from coaching on game days as part of a joint corrective action plan between the school and the NJSIAA, stemming from a violation of the state’s transfer rule.
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NON-PUBLIC GROUP II 8-St. Mary (Rutherford) at 1-St. Joseph (Hammonton), Saturday at 1 p.m. 5-Immaculata at 4-Hudson Catholic, Friday at 7 p.m. 6-Holy Cross at 3-Mater Dei Prep, Saturday at 1 p.m. 7-Gloucester Catholic at 2-Holy Spirit, Friday at 7 p.m.
SPECIAL THANK YOU
FAVORITE: St. Joseph (Hammonton) After an uncharacteristic 7-4 season the Wildcats are back playing dominant football with an undefeated record, which includes wins over Holy Spirit and St. Augustine. The combination of senior running back Qwahsin Townsel and sophomore running back Jada Byers lead the Wildcats offense. Townsel has 1,043 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns while Byers has 965 yards and 14 touchdowns.
To all the photographers that supply us with all the great photo
Senior Sencere Tapp leads their defense with 52 tackles, including 20 tackles for a loss, but the player that jumps off the stat sheet is freshman linebacker Angelo Vokolos, who has 50 tackles with 18 hits for a loss plus a team-high five sacks. SHORE SHOT: Mater Dei Prep is the only Shore Conference team in the bracket and enters as the defending champion. The Seraphs should have no problem getting past Holy Cross in the first round, but a likely date with Holy Spirit in the semifinals awaits. It would be a rematch of last season’s epic championship game which Mater Dei won, 26-20, on a hook-and-lateral on the final play of the game.
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Mater Dei Prep’s George Pearson
VOLUME-IX
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