St. Joseph's Prep 2024 PIAA 6A Champions
(Photo by Zack Beavers for PSD)
By: Josh Abrams
Photos: Zack Beavers
Mechanicsburg, PA - There is an old, cliche way of thinking that offers the idea that life has two certainties to it. In the world of sports, are we able to come up with a legitimate third option?
The answer is a clear and resounding 'yes'. That's because St. Joseph's Prep is on top of the high school football sphere yet again, this time via a resounding 35-6 victory over WPIAL champion Pittsburgh Central Catholic in the PIAA 6A final at Cumberland Valley High School.
Led by junior tailback Khyan Billups (career-high 228 rushing yards, three touchdowns) and a ferocious defensive unit from front-to-back, "The Prep" secured their ninth overall state championship in the sport of football and sixth in the last seven years. Since the sport expanded to six classifications in 2016, St. Joe's Prep has appeared in all nine state title matches, losing just twice in 2017 (Pine-Richland) and 2021 (Mt. Lebanon).
Billups wasted no time getting his team out to an early advantage - his sprint from the backfield to Central Catholic's end zone took just 14 seconds off the clock to start the game and gave the Hawks a 7-0 lead right away, sending his teammates and fans into a frenzy. The Prep sideline - from those associated with the team to fans in the stands - exploded with joy.
St. Joe's Prep vs Pittsburgh Central Catholic state championship highlights: Prep's defense was swarming from start to finish (Video by Josh Abrams)
St. Joe's Prep senior linebacker Anthony Sacca reflects on third consecutive state title, why it means so much (Video by Josh Abrams)
After a 48-yard return on the ensuing kickoff from Central Catholic - special teams may have been the only weakness of the Hawks on the evening - St. Joe's Prep's defense quickly forced a three-and-out, a theme throughout the contest. The Prep picked up two first downs on their next offensive possession but were forced to punt.
Luckily for them, senior linebacker Anthony Sacca ensured the Vikings would not gain any sort of momentum, sacking Central Catholic QB Jy'Aire Wells on third down and forcing another punt.
"It was more of the guys looking around and (saying) 'hey, this game isn't over yet', we still gotta go out there and play four quarters of football," said Sacca, who is headed to Notre Dame to play for the Fighting Irish next fall. "We just have to go out and dominate and execute our gameplan."
St. Joe's Prep's offensive unit did just that after Sacca's huge defensive play. Following two impressive first-down rushes from Billups, freshman wide receiver Jett Harrison found himself wide open in Central Catholic's endzone and caught the easy touchdown from sophomore quarterback Charlie Foulke. That 19-yard touchdown made it 14-0 Prep with just under four minutes in the first quarter; a three play drive that took just 76 seconds off the clock.
When a team is clicking both offensively and defensively, things can seem like they are happening in a flash. The Prep forced another Vikings three-and-out and scored on the first play from scrimmage after getting back the ball. Who but Khyan Billups again; this time from 45 yards out, and in the blink of an eye St. Joe's Prep's lead blossomed to 21-0 with just under 90 seconds left in the first quarter.
"We were able to execute earlier on and get out to a lead there," said SJP head coach Tim Roken. "But with a team like that across the field you know the game is never over. Our defense played really well in the second half to be able to hold them to six points there."
SJP freshman WR Jett Harrison wide open in the end zone to cap off quick three-play drive and double Hawks' lead, 14-0 (Video by Josh Abrams)
Billups' third rushing score of the night extends Prep's lead to 28-6 in the second quarter (Video by Josh Abrams)
Those six points Roken was referring to involved a one-yard QB sneak from Walls to cut Prep's lead down to 21-6 just as the second quarter began. He and his players finally faced a little bit of adversity in the game. But in proper Prep fashion, the Hawks responded with yet another drive resulting in six when Billups plowed into the endzone - his third of the contest - and extended SJP's lead back to three scores at 28-6.
Sacca (seven tackles, two TFL and a sack) was certainly not the only member of the Hawk defense that showed out on the cold, brisk Saturday night in Mechanicsburg. Junior lineman Alex Haskell recorded five total tackles with a sack and 2.5 TFL, while sophomore linemen Jayson Nitz (team-high three sacks) and John Boggs (two sacks & two TFL) helped bottle up the Vikings offense. Senior lineman Shawn Stratz was a menace in the middle of the Hawks' defensive line, while junior Colten Anderson and senior linebacker Quinn Doyle both recorded second half sacks to add onto the dominant performance overall.
Prep HC Tim Roken reflects on winning another state championship and gives credit to his players for buying in early on (Video by Josh Abrams)
As one of the leaders of the defense and team as a whole, Sacca reflected on what this one means for him as he realizes he played in his final game of high school football.
"I feel like I cared the most about this year; it being my senior year, that was the biggest thing for me," Anthony remarked. "I had doubts; we had a couple lumps in the road that I haven't experienced since my freshman year (losing to La Salle in the regular season)."
He also made sure to credit other teammates, highlighting his unselfishness and recognizing of others overcoming their own obstacles.
"I feel like Charlie Foulke did an exceptional job of just growing into his role... everyone else grew into theirs as the weeks went on, and we just got better every single week."
To cap off the scoring, senior running back Will Vokolos continued St. Joe's Prep's knack for scoring on the first play and found paydirt from 44 yards out late in the fourth quarter.
Roken couldn't say enough about what the senior class meant to him and the program, as the Hawks boasted yet another heavy dose of upperclassmen.
"Just the leadership that they've shown throughout this season, developing the young guys and watching them throughout the year and start to play for them in this postseason," said Roken. "(They were) able to finish the mission and put an exclamation point on the 2024 chapter in St. Joe's Prep football history."
With yet another state title under their belts and on their more-than coveted resume, The Prep rightfully gets to celebrate and cherish this most recent victory. And when the holidays and New Years celebrations come and go, it will be right back to the drawing board for Roken and company.
Given the frequency with which The Prep and Central Catholic have faced off in the state playoffs, some may anticipate yet another clash between the two powerhouses of Eastern and Western PA, respectively.
"I hope we're here (again) to have that opportunity, and they're a team I would expect to see," remarked Roken.
