Football: Non-Public Group 4 Preview: Bergen Catholic vs. St. Peter's Prep

Non-Public Group 4 Final

Bergen Catholic (9-2) vs. St. Peter’s Prep (9-2)

Friday, 8 p.m. at MetLife Stadium

The Road: The second-seeded Marauders eliminated Don Bosco Prep in the first round and Paramus Catholic in the semifinals by identical 23-point margins, beating the Ironmen, 41-18 and the Paladins, 42-19. Top-seeded Bergen Catholic broke open a close game against St. Augustine, 56-21, and defeated Delbarton 41-16 in the semifinals.

FOOTBALL:Cooper: Paladins falter late in loss to St. Peter's

The History: Oh, there’s plenty. These two teams met in early October with Bergen Catholic solidifying it’s top ranking with a 41-14 win over the Marauders. It was the Crusaders best performance of the year to that point. Before that, the Marauders had beaten the Crusaders five of the last six times. Bergen Catholic is seeking its first sectional title since 2004, while St. Peter’s won in 2014. And for all their history, this is the first time these two teams are meeting for a state title since 1995.

The Players: Marauders quarterback Massai Maynor has played his best football in the last two games in the playoffs and the Marauders have New Jersey’s most talented player in Shayne Simon. Up front, they’re big. Bergen Catholic relies on senior quarterback Johnny Langan who is a strong runner and accurate thrower. He has a fleet of talented weapons around him led by senior WR Dylan Classi. The defense has playmakers in Jordan Morant and Javantae Jean-Baptiste.

FOOTBALL:DiCosmo does it all for Bergen Catholic in semifinal win over Delbarton

The Case for Bergen Catholic: Everything has pointed to this being Bergen Catholic’s time. The 13-year drought between state titles is the longest in school history. Langan gave the Marauders fits in the first meeting and the offensive line dominated.

The Case for St. Peter’s Prep: Top to bottom, the Marauders might be New Jersey’s most talented team that is hitting its stride now. Maynor has been electric in the playoffs and if he gets loose, Bergen Catholic may not be able to answer.

The Final Question: A lot of pressure on Bergen to end drought, which team will execute the best?