CATHOLIC LEAGUE GAME OF THE WEEK (10/11)
Who: Roman Catholic vs. Father Judge
When: 6:00 Friday, October 11, 2019
Where: James Ramp Playground, 3300 Solly Ave., Philadelphia
Records: Roman Catholic (3-4; 1-1); Father Judge (2-5; 1-1)
Most Recent Performance: Visiting Roman Catholic lost to St. Joseph’s Prep, 44-7; Father Judge dropped a 49-7 decision at La Salle.
Importance: Neither team will defeat the Prep or La Salle, but one of them could conceivably go 3-2 in the Catholic Red. That would be a solid step forward. To do that, they must win this battle . . . Before losing last week, both were coming off feel-good victories. While Roman stunned Archbishop Wood, Father Judge quieted neighborhood rival Archbishop Ryan.
All-Time Record: The series is tied, 17-17.
Roman Catholic Notes: Scoring seven points or fewer in four of seven games has put undue pressure on the Cahillites’ defense, which showed its strength in the aforementioned 20-6 upset win over Archbishop Wood . . . Senior two-way starter Malachi Harris has caught eight of junior quarterback Jayden Pope’s 10 touchdown passes. Harris has corralled 27 passes for 489 yards . . . The Roman secondary has intercepted four passes.
Father Judge Notes: Explosive senior Dameir Johnson has gained 736 yards on the ground at an impressive per-carry rate of 5.7 yards. He has scored six rushing TDs and added one via a reception. On defense, he has two of the Crusaders’ four interceptions . . . Sophomore Mike Van Horn (36-61, 464 yards, three touchdowns) is gaining valuable experience and continues to rely on senior receiver Shane McGovern (24 catches, 376 yards, four TDs).
CAHILLITE CHAT: “This is a very big game,” said junior quarterback Jayden Pope. “As me and my team prepare for this game, we know it’s going to be a physical game and we are ready and very excited to play this Father Judge team while coach (Rick) Prete and our staff make a good game plan.”
“The game is important because we need to get back in the win column,” said senior wide receiver/defensive back Malachi Harris. “Every game is important because we want to win them all. This is a good opportunity for us to bounce back.”
Roman Catholic Highlights:
CRUSADER CHAT: “It’s a pretty big game, and it’s also at home in front of our neighborhood,” said senior kicker and punter Jack Isdell. “We’re still yet to get a home win ever since we started playing at our field at Ramp Playground. It also can determine who we may play in the playoffs.
“This game is a really big opportunity to bounce back from a tough loss. I think if everyone just does his job, we can come out with a win. They’re a pretty good team, but I also think we are pretty good, too. We have some really good coaches and really talented players on both sides of the ball, so I think we have what it takes to come out with a win.”
“This is a huge game because it’s going to decide where we end up in the standings and what seed we are in the playoffs,” said senior receiver/defensive back Kevin Kelly. “A win can give us momentum heading into our game against St. Joe’s Prep.”
Father Judge Highlights:
Prediction:If these two teams played 10 times, there would be a five-five split. This is a home game for Judge and the Crusaders have slightly more experience in key positions. But . . . On a hunch, Roman Catholic will survive a 22-20 struggle.
(John Knebels can be reached at Jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)